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April 24, 2001

The Week in Quotes

April 16-22

by Derek Zumsteg

ANOTHER WEEK WITH THE BEST PLAYERS OF OUR TIME

"When I hit it, I couldn't believe I hit it. Everything was in slow motion. It looked like it was stopped in midair. Then I saw it went past those people and I thought, 'Wow! I did it!' "
--Barry Bonds, Giants outfielder, on hitting his 500th career home run out of Pac Bell Park and into the San Francisco Bay

"First of all, I could care less about Barry Bonds's achievements. All I worry about is winning and losing a game. That's all I care about."
--Terry Adams, Dodgers pitcher, on giving up the game-winning home run

"I knew about it. I read the papers just like anybody else. I wouldn't really care if I gave up a home run to Barry Bonds because he's such a great hitter. I just tried to concentrate on what I could control."
--Eric Gagne, Dodgers pitcher, on ending Bonds's six-game home-run streak

"I think it's all in fun. That's why they're some of the greatest fans. They were in postseason form. If I was wearing a Mariners' uniform tonight, they would have been cheering for me."
--Alex Rodriguez, Rangers infielder, on a Seattle crowd that booed him during each plate appearance and threw fake money from the upper decks

"It was surprising. I didn't expect that. I was expecting more of a mixed-type reaction. It was almost like the Yankees were in town, right? Remember, Alex had some wonderful years here."
--Lou Piniella, Mariners manager

"That's tough. No respect. I can't deal with it. People have their own opinion. Maybe the first time. But every single time? Forty-five thousand people made a decision to boo him. You've got to remember what this guy brought to the city."
--Mike Cameron, Mariners outfielder

"It is very tough for a ballplayer to get proud and to keep his dignity. There is not much difference between love and hate."
--Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners outfielder, through a translator, on Rodriguez's reception

CAUSATION

"I know what it was: I wasn't wearing my lucky underwear. It was brutal. I felt like it was a spring-training game. After a while, I expected them to just flip the sides and have us start hitting."
--Curtis Leskanic, Brewers reliever, after a rough outing

"I said something wrong, and I didn't mean to say something wrong. I meant to say if you see the replay you're either going to look like a fool or feel like a fool, and I wound up calling him a fool, and he threw me out for that."
--Joe Torre, Yankees manager, on being ejected by umpire Jerry Meals

"Carlos may be the best hitter in the game. When he is patient and takes his walks, he is a great hitter."
--Buck Martinez, Blue Jays manager, on infielder Carlos Delgado

"That's a great compliment. If I don't get too impatient, if I take my walks, I'm a better hitter."
--Delgado

"I didn't get to the big leagues walking. I got here hitting."
--Shea Hillenbrand, Red Sox infielder

HOW TO LEAD A DIVISION

"When we beat L.A., it's by one. When they beat us, it's by a lot. But the number of runs don't count. A loss is a loss, and tonight was their night."
--Dusty Baker, after a loss to the Dodgers

"This is just like last year. We're not on top of the league in any category, but we're on top of our division. I look at that as a positive sign of what's to come."
--Baker

"You can't say, 'We beat New York three games, it's over.' You've got to keep going. We're trying not to get a big head."
--Manny Ramirez, Red Sox outfielder

"We didn't come here to play for four hours and freeze our backsides off and not win a ball game."
--Scott Rolen, Phillies infielder, after winning a game in Chicago against the Cubs

THE REST

"I felt OK all night. I actually like pitching on nights like this. For fat guys like me, it's great because you don't sweat."
--Jeff D'Amico, Brewers pitcher, on pitching in rain on a 41-degree night

"No one wanted to take batting practice against me. I could see the fear in their eyes. No one wanted to be hit in batting practice. It wasn't comfortable for me. It wasn't fun. But Willie never hesitated. When it was my turn to pitch, he'd always say, 'I'll be first.' He did it every time. And he would go into the cage without a batting helmet. That was his way of saying he still was with me, that I meant something to him. It was like he was saying, 'Go ahead. Hit me in the shoulder. Hit me in the ribs. It doesn't matter. Our relationship is stronger than that.'"
--Steve Blass, retired Pirates pitcher, on Willie Stargell

"Doug Glanville... he could build anything with a match, stick of gum and a toothbrush, like MacGyver."
--Kevin Jordan, Phillies infielder

"I grew up with the Bash Brothers. My mom wanted me to go get McGwire's autograph, but I was too shy. It'd be awesome to get to the majors, but to get there with Oakland, that's livin' a dream."
--Jason Hart, Athletics infield prospect, on why he likes playing in the Athletics system

"I feel like when you go to someone's house and they don't want you there. That's how I feel every time I come to the ballpark."
--Vinny Castilla, Devil Rays infielder

"Sometime, just once in my life, I'd like to see him dive and not get the ball. Just once."
--John Boles, Marlins manager, on seeing Braves outfielder Andruw Jones catch a Cliff Floyd line drive

If you would like to submit a quote, please email Derek and be sure to include both the quote itself and a URL pointing to the quote.

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