Tony Russa Gets Quotations

I think we understand we're officially in October baseball. But we discussed it last year and again this year. It just doesn't seem right to celebrate it when the magic number is one. You're watching the number go 10, 9, 8 ... and it gets to one so you celebrate? When it gets to zero, you celebrate. That's what we're going to do.

If we get beat (Friday) and Houston gets beat, we play again Saturday and after the game we celebrate.

We went through this last year. ... We're not going to get into wild-card formulas. The magic number has got to be zero to celebrate. It is one. ... It's a great feeling to know we're going to play in October, but we've always been taught you're a champion when it gets to zero.

I think he'll show up in the state (Sunday). If he gets here early enough, I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up at the park.

That was vintage Carpenter. He had first and second, the middle of the lineup, and he gets out of it. That's what he does.

We've got to get him going. He's one of our key guys, so whatever it takes. If hitting in the middle gets him going, then we'll do something else at second. I hope he gets it going, because he can help us wherever he hits.

He's anxious to get out there, but I think if he gets out there he could go backward. We'll just keep moving forward until he gets the green light. If he's cleared to play, he'll play.

He's anxious, he's straining to get out there, and we think if he gets out there he's going to go backwards and hurt himself. We're just trying to give him a little more work and see how he responds.

I want to make sure Al Reyes gets the credit he deserves, but you don't want to speak so much about that and pretty soon it sounds like we can't win without him, ... That's an important miss for us, but we have other guys who can step up.

I just talked to Scott about his first at-bat, and he's not just going to take. If David gets on second base, he'll go to right field.

He's sore, got some sore areas. The idea is not to push him. We'll see how he feels. If he needs (rest), he gets it.

If Wally gets excited and gives him an inch, ... it's going to be two or three inches.