The Week in Quotes: September 10-16

LOSING IT OVER BAD CALLS

"The pitchers in the bullpen told me it was a home run. The umpires have
got to be closer to the play, but it’s their decision. I can’t do anything
about it."

— Richard Hidalgo, Astros outfielder, on having an apparant home run
ruled in play in an 8-7 loss to the Giants

"I couldn’t see it but from what everybody told me, it wasn’t very close.
We had every chance in the world to win the game after that, but if he had
made the right call, we would have won."

— Larry Dierker, Astros manager

"You think I’m going to call myself out? I thought I got my hand in. The
umpire called me safe, didn’t he?"

— Mike Cameron, Mariners outfielder, on a disputed call at home that
decided the 2-1 11 inning win over the Royals

"I think I did a great job blocking the plate. And the replay shows that
he was out. It was a tough call, but it was definitely a home-team call. Any
time you lose a close game like that on a suspect call, it’s a tough
loss."

— Gregg Zaun, Royals catcher

"The catcher did a good job of blocking the plate, but I thought Cameron
got his hand in. Cameron can motor."

— Lou Piniella, Mariners manager

"He was out, but it doesn’t matter what I think. It only matters what the
umpire calls. He obviously didn’t get his hand in there. He never came
across the plate with his hand."

— Tony Muser, Royals manager

"If they’re going to fine me for expressing my feelings, they should fine
him for making a b——- call. It’s that simple. The guy blew the call. If
you watch the tape, he’s out. I know they’re going to make mistakes, but
the game’s not over when it’s 9-3."

— Steve Kline, Expos pitcher, on throwing his glove at an umpire in the
eighth inning after being ejected

"You don’t get a glove thrown at you all the time, so obviously I was
surprised. He said something that he wasn’t supposed to say so he got
ejected."

— Iam Lamplugh, umpire

SECOND THOUGHTS

"He’s in such a good groove right now, we don’t want to mess with it."

— Art Howe, Athletics manager, on not adjusting his rotation so Tim
Hudson could pitch in the A’s upcoming series in Seattle

"I realized I wouldn’t be able to sleep all winter if we lose the division
by one game and I didn’t start him. We’re going to go with our best against
the team we have to beat."

— Howe, the next day, on adjusting his rotation so Hudson will pitch
in the A’s upcoming series in Seattle

PITCHING UNDER STRESS

"I don’t enjoy facing these guys at all. Giambi pretty much owns me.
Everybody in that lineup hits me good, even the left-handers. It’s not a
team I like facing."

— Eric Milton, Twins pitcher, on pitching against the Athletics

"After 125 pitches, he looked at me and said, ‘Am I finished?’ And I said,
‘Yeah, you’re through.’ He was Bartolo tonight. We needed that."

— Charlie Manuel, on taking pitcher Bartolo Colon out of a
start after he asked to be removed because his arm was tired

"He had great stuff and great control. He didn’t want to come out. It
would have taken a whole team to get him out."

— Buddy Bell, Rockies manager, on allowing Brian Bohanan to throw
139 pitches

"To be able to maintain it, throwing for nine innings, that’s what I take
most gratification in. It was nice to be able to go out and control their
bats and do whatever I wanted to."

— Bohanan

"They called me trash. They said I stunk. So I guess it was just another
day at the office."

— Pedro Martinez, Red Sox pitcher, on hecklers at Jacobs Field

IT DOES GET WORSE

"It took us three months to get mentioned in the wild card and it took us
less than a week to be out of it, Guys are embarrassed."

— Brad Ausmus, Tigers catcher

"Don’t ever say it can’t get any worse. As soon as you say that in
baseball, something will top it. This was a great baseball game for
fans — not for the Royals."

— Muser, on losing to the Rangers 12-11

COUNTING

"I like single digits."

— Will Clark, Cardinals infielder, after a 9-5 win over the Pirates,
regarding either the score or the Cardinals’ magic number

"That’s a great honor, a great achievement. When I was a kid I always
looked up to the guys that played the game, that did well. You try to
pattern yourself after the great players of this game and it so happens I
fell in that class with them. It’s a great feeling."

— Rickey Henderson, Mariners outfielder, on passing Babe Ruth and Hank
Aaron in career runs scored

"I had no idea what the count was. I was so focused on getting a hit. I
figured if it was a walk the umpire would tell me. I kind of looked up and
saw it kept saying 1-2. I knew it was something different than that. I saw
(Everett) get to third and then I thought ‘try to get a knock here, be
patient.’ A 4-2 pitch; good piece of hitting."

— Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox infielder, on his single after umpire Rick
Reed lost track of the pitch count after repeated wild pitches

THE REST

"That was vintage Maddux, That’s illegal, that kind of stuff."

— John Boles, Marlins manager, on Greg Maddux‘s nine-inning,
four-hit shutout of his team

"There’s been a certain desperation from the fans that maybe I won’t be
back. People want to see you play one more time and you appreciate that."

— Cal Ripken Jr,, Orioles infielder, on getting a standing ovation in
Texas when he was removed in the eighth

"It makes it nice to come up when you’ve got guys on base all the time. It
makes it real easy. It’s so much fun to come to the yard and have that
opportunity to do something special. It’s great."

— Jason Giambi, Athletics infielder, on batting for the Athletics

"You can call me a vulture, but I’ll take it. No matter what’s going on in
the standings, the postseason, it’s great to win a game like that."

— Matt Herges, Dodgers reliever, on pitching one inning for the win in a
10-inning 4-3 win over the Rockies

"I was a little on the impatient side with him. Somebody who has the drive
that he has sometimes lets their emotions get in the way, which keeps
their natural abilities from coming out. But he’s calmer now, and tonight was a
good example."

— Davey Johnson, Dodgers manager, on the demotion of pitcher Eric Gagne
earlier this season

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