April 6, 1998

The Week in Quotes

March 30-April 5

by Dennis Cleary

PITCHING

"It has to be tough for a kid pitcher these days just to watch ESPN. All they show are guys hitting balls where no one has hit them before. They show them bouncing into fountains and stuff. This is not a good time to be a bad pitcher."
-- Chuck Finley, Angels pitcher

"I overcompensated for being overanxious, if that makes any damn sense. But the results were a little overbearing for me, as long as we're on that over motif."
-- Joey Hamilton, Padres pitcher, on his first start of the season

"The key is the pitching hanging on until we can score some runs. Give our offense a chance and it will get the job done."
-- Don Baylor, Rockies manager

"Some guys you can intimidate just by your body language. That's confidence. Even if you don't have anything on that day, you can still be confident, you can still fool people."
-- Heathcliff Slocumb, Mariners pitcher

CRASH DAVIS

"I was just trying to get good wood on the ball. I got lucky."
-- Jose Valentin, Brewers infielder, on hitting 3 home runs in a game against the Marlins

"Of course I'd like to play with the big club. But I can be patient. I'll do whatever they tell me. My chance will come."
-- Kerry Wood, Cubs prospect

"I don't worry about that. That's furthest from my mind. I think about winning. I think there's a lot of great shortstops in the league right now."
-- Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox infielder, on playing in the All Star Game

JOSH BOOTY

"I can play at this level. I know I can. I've always felt that. I hope to go out and prove it the next couple of weeks."
-- Josh Booty, Marlins infielder

"I have to give Josh Booty a little time out there. I don't want to rain on his parade."
-- Bobby Bonilla, Marlins infielder

THE REST

"Good hitters hit good pitches, but good hitters kill bad pitches. That's the bottom line."
-- Dave Stewart, Padres pitching coach

"It's set up for extra-base hits. It will probably lead the league in triples and inside-the-park home runs. When the ball hits off some of those girders in the outfield you have no idea where the ball is going to go."
-- Don Baylor, Rockies manager, on Bank One Ballpark

"I've learned to come to grips with injuries. Every injury makes me stronger and makes me want to get back out and play."
-- Gary Sheffield, Marlins outfielder

"I've always been a catcher first, then a hitter. Whatever I can do at the plate is a bonus, but I am looking to get better offensively."
-- Charles Johnson, Marlins catcher

"You want the guys to appreciate the moment because these types of things don't come along very often, and when you're older, you need a memory."
-- Buck Showalter, Diamondbacks manager, on the team's first regular season win

"You're not going to win a lot of games if you don't get any hits."
-- Tim Johnson, Blue Jays manager

"It's hard to imagine this season transpiring in a way that I'd want to play next year."
-- Paul Molitor, Twins DH

"It's going to be a little bit different for me. The baseball fields don't change at all -- you have the walls, the lines and three bases and home plate to throw the ball around. But the hitters, I'll have to go to school."
-- Pedro Martinez, Red Sox pitcher

"We're going to play some good baseball. And when you play good baseball, you win your share of games."
-- Felipe Alou, Expos manager

"I know it's important to make this game fun. I also know that sometimes I forget that, that I get too locked in. But that's the way it's always been with me. I mean, I'd like to relax more, but I can't."
-- Brad Fullmer, Expos infielder