John Gibbons Quotations

We're in good shape because our offence has been very good at this point.

You don't look at results in the minor leagues because I don't think I've ever seen a guy go down there and not get hit around.

We're going to need them. There are going to be days in the year we are going to have to call on them to do the job and hold the fort so we can try to win a game. They did that today.

We're going to give this a go. That's our plan. If somebody is really hot and we're trying to win games, it may come down to that.

What a difference offence makes. That didn't start out too well, down 4-0. If we didn't have offence, we don't come back in that game.

What a difference an offense makes. From day one we've been swinging the bats, and that was big. If we don't have the offense we have, we don't come back.

We're going to make our mistakes this season, but the key will be in trying to limit those. We want to make the routine plays when we have a chance to make them.

We're moving in the right direction. We filled some needs and now we need to go out there and see how good we are.

We're hoping he can give us a little spark with his bat when Gregg Zaun doesn't play. He's part of the future.

We knew when we lost those two there was going to be some games like this and it was going to take its toll on our bullpen. That's just the situation we're in.

We knew what we needed to do to improve. We targeted some guys and we were hoping to get one or two of them. You never expect to get your whole wish list and we almost did that.

We like a couple guys down there in Triple-A that can come up and do that job. We're not looking at it as a one-time deal. Of course if the guy comes up and struggles, we may change that. But we want the guy to make a few starts until A.J. is ready.

We know what these guys are doing. They're a very aggressive team and they're playing really good baseball right now. That's the way they play. They've got some guys that can run the bases. ... Let's just keep the guys off the bases. Then they can't steal.

Very few guys come along like that, once every 20, 30 years, guys who take the game by storm right out of the gates. Hernandez is just way ahead of most 19 year olds, that's the difference. Otherwise these guys don't get here that fast. Same thing with Gooden. I don't know about that comparison yet, but he'd be pretty good if he is.

We were already down two there. If we were tied, we might have done something differently.

We want to hang in there and see what develops. We want to finish well and say we had a good year. You play until you're eliminated.

We are hoping it's not. Even if it's not something serious, it's going to set him back a little bit anyways.

We're not dead yet, but we're tired. In the end if we hang in there, it's because of the way they go about their business. If we don't it's because we're not good enough, yet. But it won't be because of lack of effort or lack of preparation or lack of heart.

Last year, we went to Cincinnati and played St. Xavier,

Last year, we played well against both those teams, and that gave us confidence. Now, I think we closed the gap a little bit more.

She's OK. He'll be back in a couple of days.

Some day I think he'll win an MVP, I really do.

Since he's come back, I've liked everything we've gotten out of him. Sometimes, he hasn't gotten any run support -- he's lost some tight ballgames. His won-loss record, I think, is misleading.

Since he's come back, I've liked everything we've gotten out of him, ... Sometimes, he hasn't gotten any run support -- he's lost some tight ballgames. His won-loss record, I think, is misleading.

One run wasn't going to do it, anyway. We caught a break on the force at second and they got one there. It's a wash.

Money player. That's all he is. A money player.

Money against money. What else do you want?

Maybe the question is: Are we as good as we're supposed to be?

Maybe it was too routine a play. He's saved us so much through the course of the year.

Maybe by the end of the week he'll be ready to go.

Now we feel we have a chance to do it. But you can talk all you want, until you do it, it doesn't mean a whole lot.

Obviously, it's a great thing to honor your country and to get that type of experience on such a big stage, but we're a little bit selfish in wanting those guys back as soon as possible. With so many new faces in camp this year, ideally you'd like to have all of them around as much as possible to establish chemistry and continuity in your lineup. But it's a great experience for Vernon, who's getting the most playing time of anyone.

Pete came in and held the fort down and did a great job.

Plenty of visitors not only came to see them on their first day out, but they've returned on a weekly or monthly basis to visit the three cubs.

If we're going to do anything this year, we need a big year out of him. So the sooner he can get ready the better. He's feeling good.

If the Yanks don't win the division, they'll win the wild card. New York knows how to win when it has to, plus Joe Torre holds things together.

I don't even know if we're looking for that. I just know my guys. They've got a lot of heart. They just get after it.

Ideally we would have our whole team here the whole time because we have such a new look and so many new faces. But it's for the good of the game, so you just deal with it.

Ideally he gets through. But for his sake you hope he gets claimed. Guys who played for you in the past, you always want the best for those guys.

But we're not in their head, I wouldn't think so.

But it's his first year and he has done a pretty damn good job.

But the top teams, in whatever sport, always bring out the best in you. That means you're usually ready to play, not that you'll win them all.

But there's not a lot of time left (in the season), so I don't know yet what it means.

Bush was outstanding tonight. He had a good breaking ball. He had that hard crisp one. We definitely needed that, no question.

I had Vance for three years in the Minor Leagues, and I thought he was going to be an All-Star catcher one day. But he got in a collision at home plate and cracked a bone in his wrist -- so he was done for the year,

I feel we'll win between one and 162.

I can't put a finger on it, but he's been struggling -- there's no question about it. He's feeling it right now, but we know what he can do. He's a big part of this and we need him.

From here on out every game matters to them and it doesn't matter who they're playing,

From day one of spring training, he came in with mental toughness and helped set the tone for our team. He had an all-star year for us, so he's very valuable for us.

I expect, once he settles in -- it may takes him a couple hitters, it may take him an inning or two -- once he gets over that, he should be fine. We're not going to yank him at the first sign of trouble because he's here and he's got to learn how to pitch in those situations.

I don't think it is anything serious. He went back to Toronto with tenderness in his forearm. It should just be one start.

If we need another guy, it will be (Scott) Downs.

If we need another guy, it will be Downs. He would be the guy we'd go to. We've got to see where A.J. is in a few days.

If that happens to Lilly, we're kind of in a jam. You've got some young kids down there in Triple-A, but, ideally, you don't want to have to go to that, because they aren't that far along, either.

If someone really gets hot and we're trying to win some games, it could come to that.

He's had our number all year. Three times we haven't been able to do anything with him.

He's had a heck of a year. We knew we had something special when we saw him last September and with what he did in the Minor Leagues last year. He keeps getting better and he'll keep getting better.

He's got to pitch ahead to be effective. He was throwing some pitches and he wasn't missing by much if he was missing. When he had to bring it over the plate, they hit him. Then after that, he kind of found his groove and pitched a good ball game and kept us in it from there on.

He understands. If we get him through he'll back sometime during the year, at least September.

He tweaked his quad a couple of days ago lifting. He'll have to take it easy for a week, two weeks. He still has plenty of time to get ready.

He worked at it and got groundballs. He looked like typical Doc out there.

He won't be ready before the weekend, if then.

He went to see team doctors in Toronto (on Wednesday). He wasn't obligated to go out there (at camp) the last few days.

He went to get an MRI and check it out. It could be his forearm, and it could be his elbow. We don't know. He has had that elbow reconstructed in the past, so he knows his body.

He went out on a good note today. He has been looking for that 13th win, been stuck on 12. He'll go home feeling good.

He's confident. He's got as much confidence as anyone out there. He knows how to win. It comes down to that. He knows how to win, and we win when he's pitching.

He's becoming one of the better pitchers in this league. His location is better than it used to be. He's going to be a big winner.

He's become a better pitcher. He's throwing more strikes. He's got a better feel for that breaking ball now, and he's locating his fastball better. He's ahead more and he's been real tough on right-handers.

He has been taking some good swings. That's what we got him for. He's intimidating when he steps in there.

He has been struggling and he needs to get his confidence back. This is just a short-term thing and it's circumstances more than anything right now. But he needs to get back in a groove.

He has got a second wind I guess. He takes good care of himself and he's a strong guy. When it gets late in the game and he starts chalking up pitches, he doesn't really lose a whole lot.

He has got a second wind I guess, ... He takes good care of himself and he's a strong guy. When it gets late in the game and he starts chalking up pitches, he doesn't really lose a whole lot.

He had his 'A' game going. He can do that to you when he is on.

He had great stuff. He went out there a few times and pitched very good for us. He may have had a tender elbow at times. To be honest with you, it doesn't surprise me. We knew he could pitch.

He has done a great job. Nobody's going to be 100 percent.

He did a good job, he threw strikes.

He has pitched three days in a row and won't be available tonight.

He is a fly ball pitcher - always has been, always will be - and when you get a windy day like today he is going to give up some homers.

He got the number of pitches he needed. He didn't look bad. That one inning, he was scattering a little bit. Other than that, he pitched okay.

He goes through streaks every year, good streaks offensively and defensively. He was very diligent during Spring Training. He's got a great swing path working right now, and just happens to be swinging the bat real well.

He goes through spurts where he'll pitch like that, and then he'll just overthrow and he can't find the strike zone. Nobody knows why, but when he's on, he's awful tough.

He finds his groove -- finds his rhythm a little bit. Naturally, when a guy's struggling, he starts pressing. He's probably coming out of the gates trying a little too hard. Sometimes the harder you try, the tougher it gets.

He does all the things successful lefties do,

He looked really good the first inning, he was getting his breaking ball over. Then he kind of lost his feel for the strike zone.

He'll stay down here and catch in extended.

He makes us that much stronger behind the plate. He can intimidate you a little bit with his arm. You can't just run at will when you're in that opposing dugout.

We're on a tough little stretch right now, no question. But we always seem to bounce back, that's the character of the ball club. In this business you take your lumps sometimes, it's just how you handle it that separates you.

When he throws strikes, he's as good as anybody. When he figures it out, watch out. He was on. Nobody's going to hit that guy today.

When he's on, he keeps you off-balance. He picked the plate apart.

We survived it, we move on. There's more tough ones ahead of us.

What we want him to do is get up there and turn it lose, ... He has a track record to prove he's a productive big league hitter. It's been a tough year for him. I think his timing is back.

Haven't heard one of those in a while.

Gus battled through it. I think he'd rather pitch in a tight game. He doesn't like the comfortable lead.

He's a big, tall right-hander. He'll be closing out games one day.

He's a big part of the future here. There's no question about that. He'll iron it out. He's too good not to.

He's a big part of our team. We win together, we lose together. Yes, he's still the closer.

He's a big man and he's not afraid to speak up.

He's a good hitter, and he's having a tremendous September. He could arguably be the Rookie of the Year, and he should be here for a long time. He's starting to fit in; he's very talented -- and clutch.

He (Rios) wasn't benched (yesterday), he wasn't going to play (yesterday), ... Reed (Johnson) got three hits the night before and that's why he's in right.

Going outside our area to play good teams is something we like doing, whether it's from the other end of Ohio or out of state.