Carl Willis Quotations

He's been our guy from Day 1. We went out and took him with a first-round pick knowing he's a guy that should be able to carry the load.

We've tentatively set it up, but we haven't said anything about it. But if everybody stays healthy, the rotation's going to be pretty obvious here in the next four or five days.

We serve children, who have been known to break into employee and agency vehicles. A gun would present a danger to the children and the staff.

We had to get him focusing on the delivery and delivering the ball to the plate and not thinking about what you want the ball to do. I think it was key for him, because hitters didn't know what was coming.

We feel very good about the way he's throwing. And that's going back to spring training - not just his first two outings with us up here.

Tell me the youngest person you have ever seen play this game.

Anyone can get people out when they are throwing the ball right where they want to, ... But that doesn't happen all the time. It's getting guys out when you don't have your best stuff that is the test of a good pitcher. Kevin's level of competitiveness is such that it allows him to step it up. I always feel good when he's out there. He may get into some jams, but he knows how to get out of them.

It's surprising to see how good a feel he has for his changeup. He has a great idea of what he wants to do. He can simulate facing a hitter very well.

Everyone says good pitching beats good hitting. That's what we're trying to do.

The biggest thing, ... is Kevin always knows what he wants to do. Sometimes pitchers will get in those situations and feel that they got into trouble because what they were doing wasn't working, so they try something else. Kevin is really good at staying with his plan and just turning it up a notch.

The thing I remember most is Game 6 of the 1991 World Series (against the Atlanta Braves). Kirby came into the clubhouse before the game and said, 'Jump on this bus; I'll drive you.' He went out and hit a home run to win the game.

In 2001, I was the pitching coach at Buffalo, and had to miss a game to come back to Minnesota for the 10-year reunion of that 1991 Twins team. I felt guilty being away from Buffalo, but Kirby was nice enough to sign 28 baseballs for me, to take back to all the players at Buffalo. Kirby was always a guy who was willing to give. He made people happy, and he's definitely going to be missed.

I didn't talk to him when he signed. But it's going to take some finagling and creativity.

He throws in the mid-90s. But we haven't seen him put up the numbers he did last night.

He came in after the second inning and jokingly said to me, 'Well, at least I haven't thrown many pitches,' ... I told him, 'As hard as you've had to work, they only have two runs on the board. We're still right there. Go out and start over.'