Obviously, we both feel it's a great situation, a great city. We feel like we had a couple good years and had a hiccup last year.
Obviously, he's been in an outstanding situation for a long time in Atlanta, playing for a great manager, Bobby Cox.
He's had a great career there. He's earned the right to make a decision of whether to stay or leave. I'm not privy to what his thought process is. He's a great player and if he chooses not to go back, then we certainly would have some interest.
He has physically never looked better to me. He's probably 10, 15 pounds lighter than last year and is just in great shape. He's done as much precautionary preparation work as anyone could. He has already been throwing and gotten ahead of where he usually would be at this time.
Our stance is always to try to work with the player's representative to a conclusion of fairness if we can. Hopefully, Mark will have a great 2006.
We're certainly glad to have it done. Our stance is always to try to work with the representative, John Boggs, to a conclusion of fairness to avoid the process if we can. This was something we wanted to do, and hopefully Mark will have a great 2006.
It?s something that I don?t take lightly. It?s a great, great franchise.