October 18, 1999

The Week in Quotes

October 11-17

by Dennis Cleary

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INDIANS VERSUS RED SOX

``You might say we're celebrating a little too hard, but after a series like this, you have to kick off your shoes a little bit.''

-- Bret Saberhagen, Red Sox pitcher

``We were shorthanded, beat up and we still went out and gave a great effort. We battled but we just got beat. Once they got the momentum, it was like trying to climb Mount Everest.''

-- Sandy Alomar Jr., Indians catcher

``I still can't believe we lost.''

-- Omar Vizquel, Indians infielder

``Everything we threw up, they hit, and where it came down, we weren't standing.''

-- Mike Hargrove, Indians manager, on his team's 23-7 loss in Game 4

BRAVES VERSUS METS

``For us to get the win in Game 1 is a big boost for this team. We've been down the last two years. For us to be up now, it looks a little different.''

-- Kevin Millwood, Braves pitcher

``I don't see any down faces in here. We lost the first game. It's not a big deal. There are still six games to play. Our job is to win four of them.''

-- Todd Pratt, Mets catcher

``I tell you, it's surprising. I've been spoiled because I've been in St. Louis for the last six years, and they're true baseball fans. Win, lose or draw, they're always there. And to come here and be in a postseason and don't have a sellout crowd is surprising.''

-- Brian Jordan, Braves outfielder

``I had no reason to keep him in. I left him in and it was absolutely the wrong move.''

-- Bobby Valentine, Mets manager, on allowing Kenny Rogers to give up two 2-run homers in the 6th inning of Game 2

``I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what to do -- walk in, run in.''

-- John Smoltz, Braves pitcher, on making a relief appearance in Game 2

``It's not over yet. We have a lot of confidence in this team. It's just tough for us right now.''

--Edgardo Alfonzo, Mets infielder

``I don't regret anything I said. I'm probably a little more arrogant at times than I should be, but I enjoy getting in these people's heads.''

-- John Rocker, Braves pitcher, on calling Mets fans ``stupid''

``I know it's an awful lot different than most of us. Most of us just want to quietly come into town, beat somebody and get out of town. But it works for him. John [Rocker] is an extremely intense individual.''

-- Tom Glavine, Braves pitcher, after winning in Game 3

``I don't consider it a big game. I'm going to approach it as an ordinary game. I can't go in with that kind of attitude and put more pressure on myself than there already is. So I think I'm going to try to approach it as an ordinary game and see what happens.''

-- Rick Reed, Mets pitcher, before Game 4

``When I saw it going up the middle, I didn't know if it was going to get through or not. But I was definitely rooting for it, I'll tell you that.''

-- John Olerud, Mets infielder, on his game-winning hit in Game 4

``I don't think there could have been more moves. It all started in the fourth inning and the game went 15. Every pitch was important, every play was important.''

-- Bobby Valentine, Mets manager, on his team's 15-inning win in Game 5

RED SOX VERSUS YANKEES

``We're here for another shot at the Yankees. We're playing the Yankees for the American League pennant and we have seven games.''

-- Dan Duquette, Red Sox GM

``I live and die by the strike. I'm going to throw the ball over the dish and take my chances.''

-- Rod Beck, Red Sox pitcher, on giving up a game-winning home run to Bernie Williams in Game 1

``As an umpire, it was my job to get it right. I didn't. You feel bad about it. I feel awful.''

-- Rick Reed, umpire, on blowing a call in Game 1

``The last couple of games, the team that's had the most depth in the bullpen has been able to come up the winner. I certainly believe in the power of bullpen depth.''

-- Bernie Williams, Yankees outfielder, after Game 2

``Well, I am a Joe Girardi person, not to say that I am not a Jorge Posada person. Jorge has got a ton of ability. One thing he doesn't have that Joe has is the experience. Joe has done it in postseason play.''

-- Joe Torre, Yankees manager, and starting Girardi in the playoffs

``I'd rather be too rested or overly rested as opposed to the converse. I seem to work well with extra rest. I seem to respond to rest very well.''

-- David Cone, Yankees pitcher

``This is not the way we play Yankee baseball. We've got to get it out of our system.''

-- George Steinbrenner, Yankees owner, on losing 13-1 in Game 3

THE REST

``I don't think I can keep up this pace for however many more years I've got left in me," he said. "I think if I keep up with the frantic pace I go now, I'll probably die young, which might not be a bad thing.''

-- John Rocker, Braves pitcher

``It's an uncertain time for me. I've got a lot of work to do to get my back ready. I'm smart enough to know that only time will tell how well I recover.''

-- Cal Ripken Jr., Orioles infielder

``The fans here are great. They remember my mother a lot.''

-- Juan Gonzalez, Rangers outfielder, on Yankee Stadium

``The team overachieved all year, everybody had career years. That may not happen next year and guess whose fault it will be. Mine. So, I want a two-year contract.''

-- Jack McKeon, Reds manager

``He developed some bad relationships with players that caused players to leave the team, that caused players to lose respect for him. But I've got nothing bad to say about the guy. He wrote my name in the lineup every day.''

-- Albert Belle, Orioles outfielder, on former manager Ray Miller

``There is no question in my mind that he will manage the team next year. I've talked to Nelson Doubleday about it. We want him back.''

-- Fred Wilpon, Mets co-owner, on Bobby Valentine