Jason Vargas Quotations

I'm not here to pitch like a rookie -- or act like one. I'm here to help these guys get to the playoffs and win the World Series.

I got the ball up in the fifth inning and they took advantage of it a little bit. Joe said that was enough. I'll just go forward from here. I was a little bit happier with my slider today. I threw it for strikes a little more. ... It was an all right performance, I would say.

I wasn't tired. I just wasn't fooling anybody. They were hitting pitches they were missing earlier in the game. I got behind on a few people ... and just couldn't put away that last out.

I wouldn't want it any other way. If it's the game deciding if we're going to go to the playoffs or not, I want to be out on the mound just like every other pitcher on this staff wants to be out on the mound.

I think of Jered as another regular guy. He was highly sought-after coming out of college. On the field, he's a great guy. Off the field, he's a great guy. We just push for each other. We kind of think of each other as friends. If we ever had to go head-to-head, then, yeah, we'd compete.

That's my whole goal to contribute, keep my team in the ball game, and win ball games. We're out here to win.

It would be nice to try to hit with runners on and I knock one in.

It's nice to get the first one out of the way.

I don't know if I couldn't get a rhythm. But if I did get a rhythm, I couldn't put them away. Anytime you are behind in the count, you are working uphill.

Those guys are good athletes out there. They're one of the best teams in the country. They are there for a reason. Hitters are hitters. No matter what level you're at, if you leave it up, they're going to hit it. If you get it down, they're not.