December 13, 2004

The Week in Quotes

November 22-December 13

by Ryan Wilkins

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"I never thought anything was wrong in the first place...I was surprised at the whole thing--how it came out and what came out. I didn't know there was a problem. All I have done, basically, is try to defend him and help him and pray for him. Light candles for him in church. And I'm not even Catholic."
--Dusty Baker, Cubs manager, on outfielder Sammy Sosa's outburst on the final day of the season (Chicago Sun-Times)

"It's not a matter of coexisting, because I didn't have a problem...I have had a problem with very few people. If I ever had a problem, you usually talk about it and get it out in the open between those two people. That's what I'm curious about when I do see him in person, to find out what's wrong, what took so long for this thing to come out, and why did it have to come out the way it came out? If there's a problem, you're supposed to come to me. I was trying to figure out where or how we blamed or mistreated him."
--Baker

"I know damn well my wife was sitting right there, and he had called me and said he wanted to do it [drop down in the order] for the betterment of the team. That's exactly what happened. He stressed to me to tell people it was his idea. To go back the other way [in the story] really shocked me."
--Baker

MONGERING AND NOT

"We're at a point...where we need to find out whether we're going to have Edgar or not because we can't keep putting things off...We've got too many things that we have to try to get done, so we're proceeding in two different directions--one with Edgar on the team and one with Edgar not on the team. Then we'll decide in the end what's the best direction to go in."
--Walt Jocketty, Cardinals general manager, on the possibility of signing Edgar Renteria (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

"Things are moving too fast...We don't want to be left watching from the outside."
--Jocketty

"I was more optimistic earlier than I am today...But in these meetings, things change quickly. So at this time tomorrow things might be a little more favorable. Right now, I'm not as optimistic as I was last week."
--Jocketty

"There are some guys we'd spend (for) if we had Edgar, and there's a group we'd sign if we didn't have Edgar."
--Jocketty

"This doesn't preclude us from signing Adrian Beltre...It's still possible. At the same time, we want to make sure we're covered so our offensive team is as good or even better than a year ago. This fits in perfectly for us."
--Paul DePodesta, Dodgers general manager, on signing Jeff Kent (MLB.com)

"At this point...we're not really saying definitely where he's going to play."
--DePodesta

"I feel good about bringing back a very good pitcher in Brad Radke...I wish we could have worked something out with Corey. We did offer him arbitration to keep the avenue open."
--Terry Ryan, Twins general manager, on signing starter Brad Radke (Minnesota Star-Tribune)

"I think it's fair for both sides... I wanted to be fair, and I wanted them to be fair with me. I was getting nervous the last hour and a half or so."
--Brad Radke, Twins starter, on his two-year $18 million deal (Minnesota Star-Tribune)

LONELY AT THE TOP

"One of the things in those books that's a repeated theme is the loneliness of command. You really can't let your hair down, and if you're going to lead an organization, you're going to have to be the leader. You have to be the boss. So there are some things you simply can't do."
--Howard Lincoln, Mariners CEO (Seattle Times)

"I think this is one of those perceptions that needs to be commented upon...I'm not the general manager. I don't hold myself out as having any baseball expertise. In any organization where millions of dollars are going to be spent, ultimately the CEO has to sign off on things. But I can't think of one instance when I vetoed a deal because of financial implications."
--Lincoln

"I think it is probably because I have been outspoken about the need to be financially disciplined in operating a baseball franchise...And I think these comments have continued to be repeated, then there is an assumption that we are more concerned about making money than we are getting to the World Series."
--Lincoln

TAKE NOTES

"What the lower levels of baseball operations teach you is how things get done...It develops relationships you need with people the rest of your career. While some people may have success, it hasn't been proven an elongated success. You're still dependent on your entire staff."
--Dan Evans, Mariners scout and former Dodgers general manager, on the influx of young people at the Winter Meetings (Kansas City Star)

"And a lot of times, your staff is determined by relationships built in the past. Some of these guys on the fast track in their mind are going to learn the fast track doesn't benefit them. There's always exceptions. But for the most part, people are successful because they worked their way up."
--Evans

"It's good for our game if young people look at baseball as a career alternative...They may bring new approaches and new ways, but the game's not going to change. It'll always be the same game."
--Evans

CUBS QUOTES

"We watched Rod Beck save 51 ballgames in '98 and I don't think he threw the ball 87 or 88 mph all year...Sometimes it's a matter of intestinal fortitude and savvy. We don't want to sit here this early and eliminate Joe."
--Jim Hendry, Cubs general manager, on closer Joe Borowski (MLB.com)

"We all talk about Ryan Dempster getting the chance to close. He hasn't done it yet...You still have to go through the evaluation process in Spring Training. Farnsworth has the stuff to pitch in any part of the game. Every time one got away from [Hawkins], there was the notion that he can't do that role."
--Hendry

"Corey's more like Rickey Henderson than Brett Butler...He's going to hit you 20 home runs and has to learn the art of walking and pitch selection. There's different things that make you an excellent leadoff hitter. He's got some things to learn. We're trying to accelerate the learning curve by putting him in contact with guys."
--Dusty Baker, Cubs manager, on outfielder Corey Patterson (MLB.com)

"I told my son, 'If you're going to learn how to play, why don't you play like this guy?' Running, throwing, fielding, hitting home runs--this guy can play."
--Baker

THE REST

"The owner is free to do what he chooses...What this does is make it very clear the need for the Marlins to have a new place to play is no longer just about economics. It's about survival."
--David Samson, Marlins president, on the team's need for a new home (Miami Herald)