Pitcher Quotations | Page 2

Port Charlotte did what they had to do to stay with us early. Their pitcher was doing just fine until the fifth.

Nobody here has taken him and put him in a chair and tried to get him wound up so tight that he can't perform by breaking down his mechanics, ... We've kept things as simple as possible for a young left-handed pitcher to go out there and perform. I really believe that, at this point and time in the season, this is one of the more challenging things that's happened to him in his career. This'll be a good barometer of who and what he is.

On our field, it's blowing left to right. As a pitcher you just have to pitch your game.

One of the biggest things, when you have a pitcher throwing a lot of strikes like that, is to not let him get comfortable throwing strike one. If you let him start to feel like he can just lay it in, lay it in, all of a sudden you're behind.

One of the hardest things for a pitcher coming out of high school to this level is to learn to back off of the velocity. He has learned. That's a sign of maturity.

I was going to go up hacking, ... Pitcher on deck. Two outs. He can start throwing his dirtiest stuff up there. So I was definitely hacking.

I was real proud of the effort we got out of our guys today. We knew we were going to throw a different pitcher every inning and we swapped up the lineup at first, knowing we were going to try and get everybody in we could.

I was seeing the ball really good that game. After I hit the first two, I got real comfortable and the pitcher threw me a 3-2 fastball inside, and I just turned on it.

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.

If we got Wells, it probably would mean a pitcher going back the other way.

If we have a pitcher who doesn't have her best stuff, the other will somehow be on her game. If someone is not hitting well, there is somebody else who is. Somebody always steps up and we get it done.

I got started with a basic thought. I wanted to know how each pitcher got strike one. Once I did that, I added this and then that.

I got outpitched today, ... You can't win when the other pitcher throws a shutout.

If this kid maintains the same type of mentality and approach that he possesses right now, it's a matter of time before you start strongly talking about the fact that he is a candidate to come here and start a Major League game. I look at this guy as being a very good starting pitcher some day.

I always wanted to get off the field as quick as I could. It's easier for everybody and it's more fun. I played behind Maddux a little bit (in Atlanta in 1998-99) and you knew that on any pitch, the (hitter) was going to put the ball in play. You enjoy the game a little bit more when you have a pitcher like that.

I am glad that we don't have to face Jarrod Freeman again. He is a great pitcher, and I am happy with this format. We hit him pretty hard. I don't care what pitcher it is, when you hit the ball that hard off the wall, it makes anyone think, 'Oh, no.

I am so happy for Matt. He really earned this opportunity. He had a dominating season. He was the top pitcher in the league last year and now he's being rewarded for it.

But it was good to help us get off to a fast start. It's always nice when you get any pitcher a run in the first. And Brandon pitched real well tonight.

Baseball can be slow in many ways. The action starts with when the pitcher delivers the ball. But the action really starts when the crack of the bat happens.

I have an Alka Seltzer bat. You know, plop plop fizz fizz. When the pitcher sees me walking up there they say, 'Oh what a relief it is.'

I hate really making excuses for what happened, but he didn't catch many breaks. Jeremy didn't have things go his way. He's a pinpoint control pitcher and just fell behind a couple of hitters and didn't execute a perfect game plan.

I give a lot of credit to Wilmington for their win in the first game. They strung together some hits and their pitcher pitched a great game. Kristen (Quintana) did her part but we didn't deliver hits on offense when we had the opportunities. We left too many people on base and hit too many fly balls.

I felt like that in a seven-game series, that having 11 pitchers is probably going to be an important move to make. To have an extra pitcher on the roster would probably help.

I feel good about our chances (Saturday). We've got a good pitcher on the mound, and hopefully we can swing the bats a little better.

I feel even if we don't win another game, we beat Superman in the ninth inning. The kind of pitcher (Hoffman) is, probably the game is over.

I feel like I'm 24 again. I had the game taken away from me last year. I feel rejuvenated. I've got peace of mind knowing that the knee is fine, and I'm looking forward to going out there because it's like I dropped off the radar. I was a pretty good pitcher before last year, you know.

I feel more comfortable batting second because I see more fastballs. That's the difference from batting eighth. You see a lot of breaking balls because of the pitcher (coming up).

I can't say anything bad about his performance. Justin threw an incredible game and their pitcher did, too. When both throw that well, it comes down to the little things. And we missed a couple of opportunities.

I can't really do anything different based on the importance of the game, ... Even though it's the playoffs, you're going to get 85, 86, 87 (mph) on the corners. I'm not going to strike too many people out, not going to give up too many runs. I just keep us in the game and battle. I need some runs. I need hitting. That's just the kind of pitcher I am.

For me, the biggest thing was just getting all the wows out of the way, and that was mostly stuff like the new cities and stadiums and facing a certain great pitcher here or there, ... Better to do it now than next year. We want to be winning right off the bat.

Freed had a rocky first inning and then really settled down and threw well. We had some opportunities tonight and just couldn't get the big hit. I thought we competed hard and we look forward to seeing them again in the future. Ueno is a solid pitcher and throws hard. She has a good off speed pitch.

I don't think any pitcher really likes those situations, but I wouldn't want everything to be easy during spring. I still need to get my endurance. I was real tired that last inning.

I expect to be what I used to be. I know I'm going to be the same pitcher I used to be.

I faced Bedard a lot in the minors. He's a very good, aggressive pitcher who is not afraid to throw his fastball.

Give the pitcher credit, he threw the ball well. We didn't muster much of an offense.

Give their pitcher credit. He came on in a very tough situation and he got our 3-4-5 hitters out. When you get in that situation, we should get one or two out of it, but I give credit to their pitcher. He got us out.

I go into each game with three guys written in as pitchers. If I feel someone is losing something, we'll put someone else in. It's nice. A lot of times hitters are only seeing a pitcher once, so they are constantly adjusting.

If we start on Tuesday, the starting pitcher could be this guy; if we start on Wednesday, it could be a different guy.

If something goes wrong in an at-bat, you can't worry about the past. I go up there thinking that no one can beat me. Just know that the pitcher isn't going to beat you every at-bat. In baseball, you can fail 70 percent of the time and that means you're a great hitter.

He was a teammate. It would be like the catcher on the baseball team talking about what a jerk the pitcher was. It's just an unwritten rule that you don't do that.

He was a strong pitcher when he left the game. That wasn't a fact last year at this time. It was a very encouraging outing.

He's had little flashes where he looks like a big-league pitcher again. But he knows his command is not where he wants it to be.

He was a natural at the position. A lot people talk about arm strength and size, but there's also something to playing quarterback that involves the brain. David processed things very fast and did not make a mistake. He was like a control pitcher in baseball.

He was an absolutely outstanding pitcher in the role he took on last year. We tried hard to get him last year for our pennant run and again this winter. Our people evaluated him as one of the top guys in the business in the role he's now doing.

He was all over it. I guess you could say we were lucky to score one run. He just totally dominated and he has for two games against us. You just have to tip your hat to a good pitcher sometimes.

He was dead on. It just seems like when he pitches we match up with a pitcher who has a great day.

He understands the mentality of why we use him in the ninth in close ballgames because he's the best pitcher we have available out there,

He's come a long way since we were teammates in Toronto. He was a good pitcher then. Obviously, he has far more experience now.

He's a young pitcher who might have some confidence issues. A couple things might not have gone his way early and it's part of a growth process for him.

He had to step up and show the team what kind of pitcher he is. We count on Freddy big time. He's a guy the pitching staff looks up to.

He had been hit once before in the series. It was certain given the variables I had to work with in that particular game, in that particular situation with the pitcher hitting behind him, I thought he was throwing at him intentionally.

He had the most impact on a pitcher that anyone in the lineup could. He had the power, he had the ability to get on base, he could draw a walk and he had great speed. But don't forget that Rickey was a very good hitter.

He had the greatest nickname of any pitcher -- 'The Chairman of the Board'.

He hasn't been a very successful guy, but I like the movement of his fastball. I believe SBC Park will be an excellent place to pitch. He'll gain confidence and be a better pitcher there.

He did a lot of damage to me, and ended up scoring the winning run at the time. You can't let that happen. You can't let the pitcher beat you.

He is an outstanding control pitcher with good movement. He will compete for playing time as a freshman.

He is a youthful starting pitcher with an excellent track record that includes an All-Star selection, and will bolster our starting rotation.

He is a very good pitcher and he throws the ball very hard. I was just trying to put the ball in play and not strikeout. I was ready for anything.

He has really good hand-eye coordination. There's no type of pitcher that really gives him trouble. And he always seems to put the ball in play.

He has one of the best arms, maybe is the best arm in my rotation, and he's showing right now what kind of pitcher he is. He's showing right now what we expect from him and what he can do.

He is a fly ball pitcher and I think it's going to help.

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 had all of his pitches. He located them well and got ahead of the batters. He did all the things you need your pitcher to do to get a game like that.

He had a chance to put the pitcher away and keep all those runs off the board but he wasn't able to do it and the inning unraveled on him. But he's got a few more starts. I don't have any major concerns about him.

He had a big year for Washington. He's a much different pitcher now than early in his career. He's pitching now instead of throwing. He made five starts for the Nationals. He could start.

He does things that drive hitters nuts. I've never seen a pitcher get so many ground balls back to the mound. That's all about movement.

He looks, acts and is built like a catcher. Is he going to be a pitcher that hits 90 mph? No. How about the outfield? He's got average high school speed with a decent bat. But can he throw a 2.0 to second, pop-to-pop? Yes. He's got a Division I arm behind the plate.

He looked real good. He had a great command of his pitches and batters leaning and off stride. That is the kind of pitcher he is. He is not going to overpower any hitters. He is more of a finesse kind of pitcher.

He meant everything to us. He was one of our biggest contributors here for 3 1/2 years, I can honestly say that. Still can play defense, come off the bench and hit the best pitcher in baseball. Makes no difference to him.

We just have to back up our pitcher. Our pitcher does the best she can so we try to back her up the best that we can out on the field. It's a team thing.

When he went the second time through the lineup I thought it would be hard to get a hit off him. He faced hitters like Carlos Lee, and these hitters are usually very good making adjustments after seeing a pitcher for the first time.

When he's healthy, he's as good as any pitcher in baseball.

We swung the bats a lot better. When we score early, we allow the pitcher the chance to be more comfortable to do his job.

We threw him to the wolves early in the season. I think he's found his place on this team and his confidence has grown. He's going to be a good pitcher for us.

What you do is let the other pitcher off the hook in a sense.

What we've told our players is (Wright) might be the best pitcher that we will face. And we're playing a great schedule. We're facing some really good pitching. But this guy's on the short list of the best guys in the country.

What we've seen out of Carlos has been very encouraging. I hate to see somebody who's not a relief pitcher be gone 14 to 17 or 18 days. But if gets some innings and he's impressive, we'll be really aware of what he does.

Henry will probably be our No.1 guy initially because he's most trustworthy. You know you are going to get six innings out of him every time out. And the reason is because he is such a complete pitcher. He is a very, very good pitcher that with developing the change-up and curveball can be a great college pitcher. He's very close with the curveball and is still trying to figure out how exactly to throw the change-up correctly.

He really worked the strike zone and mixed up speeds well. He struck out six in the first three innings and four of them were looking. Anytime a pitcher can do that he's doing good things.

He's a big-game pitcher and a big competition pitcher. He pitches well against everybody, and not just the smaller lineups. He had some guys at the plate tonight with a lot of RBIs, and he made them look uncomfortable.

He's a crafty pitcher who figures out ways to get outs.

He's a competitor all right. That's what distinguishes him as a pitcher and that's going to help in the years to come.

He's a classy guy. I'm guessing (he retired) because from a pitcher standpoint, the backup catcher has got to catch Timmy and that represents a whole new set of challenges.

He's a change of pace pitcher out of the bullpen.

He's a good pitcher that's got electrifying stuff. He throws in the upper 90s and has an unbelievable slider. I think he's a great pickup for us. I'm very excited to have him.

He's a good pitcher having a bad year. And the good pitcher in him came out tonight.

He's aggressive with his fastball. He doesn't pitch to the park, kind of the same mentality I take out. When you're at Coors Field, you can't just say, 'I'm going to do something different.' You can't change the type of pitcher you are, you just have to go out there, be aggressive, and make your pitches. He made some great pitches today.

He's aggressive and he takes what the pitcher gives him. He's evolved as a hitter every single year. He does things that a lot of good Division I hitters don't do.

He's a fly-ball pitcher who should be effective in our ballpark, especially with our improved outfield defense. He can handle the bat, too.

Heroics at the end of the game are great, but we should've knocked in those runs earlier in the game when they were on base. I've told the girls they can swing the bat against any pitcher in the league.

Good hitters want to extend their arms, they want to take away the inside of the plate and look middle-to-away. If a pitcher can establish the inside of the plate, it keeps a hitter honest.

(Good defense) affects you in a lot of ways. It prevents your pitcher from throwing too many pitches in one inning. It gives your bullpen a rest because your starter may be able to go a little deeper into games. Cameron is going to save games with his glove.

He said he was tired. The idea of a pitcher wearing out is ridiculous. He weakens because he's not in condition. I was never taken out of a game because I was weak. I was taken out because I was getting hit.

He's a kid who wants to help carry us -- which is commendable -- and of late it hasn't happened. It's like we say about hitters who want to go out there and do too much. The same is true of pitchers, and Jeremy, unfortunately, still falls into that rut of -- instead of being a pitcher -- reverts sometimes to being a thrower.

He's got electric Randy Johnson-type stuff. Miller's a lot different pitcher (than Henry). He's a 92-, 94-mile per hour guy, left-handed, low arm slot. He's the college version of Randy Johnson. But that's irrelevant for him and Bryan. They are trying to shut the other team down offensively. It could be a great game.

He's kind of at a standstill because he has blister problems. We have to see more from him. Last year he got off to a good start, but right now he's a one-pitch pitcher because of the finger problem. So far, he's been fine this Spring Training. I'm not ready to say he's going to be a front-line guy yet. He hasn't made me a believer yet. He has a Major League fastball, though, and it gets on you in a hurry. He's another long-range guy and will be vying for a job at Fort Wayne.

He's just got to learn to control everything a little better. He did a lot better last year, they told me, but he had the arm injury and it's just got to keep improving. He has a chance to be a great pitcher in this organization, whether it is as a starter or a 'pen guy. We haven't really decided. He will dictate that.

He's a very cerebral pitcher and he knows what he does best. To his credit, he hasn't let anything go to his head. He's the same kid he was when the streak started.

He's a true pitcher in every sense of the word. He makes it look easy. He doesn't have the wow factor. He just competes. He locates, but he doesn't have that one pitch.

He showed flashes of it early. Second year, like everybody, is an adjustment-type of year. This year, he is showing what kind of pitcher he is. He is just dominant. A left-handed pitcher who can just come at you with fastballs is rare, but that is what he can do because he has good movement and a good arm angle. He throws strikes. He's a good pitcher. He's great for the game. He's a good person, having fun out there. He works hard.