The Week in Quotes: September 24-30

WILD CARD CONTENTION

"It doesn’t matter if you win the division. It’s getting in and winning the
whole thing that’s important. We’re not worrying about the division, we’re
worrying about getting in."

— Jim Thome, Indians infielder

"We’re trying to a win a division here. We’re not trying to be the wild card."

— Lou Piniella, Mariners manager, with a two-game lead over the Athletics

"Our objective was to win the division, but the thing we really wanted more
than anything was to get into the playoffs. We’re still confident we can
come out the last two days and get the job done."

— Piniella, after falling a half game behind the Athletics

"I want to hear that we eliminated Cleveland."

— Art Howe, Athletics manager, hearing Wednesday that the A’s win had
eliminated Toronto and Boston as potential wild card winners

"It’s good just to get it over with."

— Mike Piazza, Mets catcher, on clinching the NL wild card berth

"We didn’t win enough games. That’s it. I appreciate the work ethic,
leaving it between the lines regardless of how things ended up."

— Jimy Williams, Red Sox manager, after being eliminated from any playoff
berth

"We’ve given ourselves a chance and that’s about all you can ask for. We
need some help, but hopefully everything’s going to work out."

— Roberto Alomar, Indians infielder, facing Sunday’s final games

OH, SOUR TIMES

"I guess that’s the secret to having a big lead, that you can squander it.
Now that this is over with, we can concentrate on what we want to do."

— Joe Torre, Yankees manager, on clinching the NL East title after the
Orioles beat them 13-2 for the Yanks’ fifth straight loss

"Preston Wilson is not playing after he gets two (more) strikeouts. Pope
John Paul II could speak ex cathedra and demand that I play him, and it
won’t happen."

— John Boles, Marlins manager, on Preston Wilson, three strikeouts away
from Bobby Bonds’ record of 189

"Custer must have felt like this. I’m not angry. I’m embarrassed. When it
gets to be that much you just kind of sit there."

— Johnny Oates, Rangers manager, on a 23-2 loss to Oakland

"They should have a mercy rule. Every ball they hit was either in the hole
or flared or … I don’t know if the moon was in the wrong place, if there
was a moon out tonight."

— Jim Fregosi, Blue Jays manager, on losing to Baltimore 23-1

"People talk about Lima giving up all the home runs. You know what? Last
year I won 21 games and I gave up 30 home runs. I’m going to bust my butt
to win 20 games again next year and I give up 50 home runs, who cares? I
didn’t break the record, but I have the National League record. So what? At
least I’m in the book for something — and it’s not for stealing or drugs."

— Jose Lima, Astros pitcher, on allowing a NL-record 48 home runs but
failing to break the major-league record

THE REST

"Clark’s a good hitter. Hopefully, we’re not in the same league next year."

— Todd Van Poppel, Cubs pitcher, on giving up a grand slam to Will Clark

"Nobody said anything, so I kept on pitching."

— Aaron Sele, Mariners pitcher, on his 118 pitch shutout of Texas

"It was indescribable. It ranks right up there with the day my children
were born and my first day in the big leagues."

— Daryl Kile, Cardinals pitcher, on winning 20 games

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