If they pitch to him, he's going to swing a good bat. I'd pitch to him if the game doesn't mean anything. ... The fact he told me to leave it the way it is, 'cleanup,' tells me he's ready to compete out there.
We have to respect the fact he's playing all those innings and getting all those at-bats. We believe he's going to hit one every time up.
Given the fact that Barry didn't play practically the entire season last year, we'd like to see him here early. But we can't bring a guy here by force before the first of March.
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.
It will energize the crowd and the team. He does not have to hit home runs. It is the fact that he will be in the lineup. Not only will the people attending the game be watching, but people all over the world will be watching.
He is a great player. He has always been a great player, a complete player, a super player. And I hope he is judged by real baseball people when he is finished, by people who know a baseball player when they see one ... on the basis of true facts and not assumptions.
He does not have to hit home runs. It is the fact that he will be in the lineup. Not only will the people attending the game be watching but people all over the world will be watching.