Jay Payton Quotations

We were contagiously all bad at the same time, now we're contagiously all swinging the bats pretty good. Baseball's a funny game. You can't figure it out. When it's good, you just try to enjoy it as long as you can.

I didn't want to go headfirst because I'm thinking, if he goes feet-first, then I get spiked. I guess he wasn't really thinking about that too much because he went in headfirst. I thought I might have broken his arm or something at first, but he was OK.

I didn't have anybody to throw to, so I had to take off for second. I was just trying to cut him off and slide in front of the bag,

I expect a lot of at bats and a lot of work. I know that play will dictate how many at bats I will get.

I was just trying to cut him off. I didn't want to go head first because if he goes feet first, I get spiked or cleated in the head. I thought I broke his arm at first. I'm glad he's OK. I felt bad for him. I cleated him pretty good.

Our problem down the stretch was not being able to take advantage of our opportunities. That's pretty much why we are where we are.

That's been our problem pretty much down the stretch. We haven't been able to capitalize on opportunities. That's why we're five games back instead of even, because we're not swinging the bats a little better.

We get two hits one night and nine runs the next. If someone can come up with a magic formula on why that happens, he could make millions. That's just baseball.

Those are the last two guys in the world you want to face with a runner at third and one out in a tie game. Nine times out of 10, they're gonna get the run in.

Those are the last two guys in the world you want to face in that situation. It's a tough task. Nine times out of 10, David or Manny are going to drive that guy in.

We all feel like every time he goes out there, he's gonna be lights-out.

When you play 162 games, you are going to be hot some days and cold some days. I'll take it as long as we're hot more than we're cold.

There's probably a half a dozen other teams, a dozen other teams, I could be playing for. Actually, as far as playing time, this is one of the worst situations I can be in because if I'm hitting .800 I still wouldn't be playing any more than I am right now because they've got their boys.

That's mainly why I wanted to get out of Boston. Fortunately, it's worked out well ? maybe a little better than anticipated. But I felt confident. I thought I could help a team win.

That's mainly why I wanted to get out of Boston, ... Fortunately, it's worked out well -- maybe a little better than anticipated. But I felt confident. I thought I could help a team win.

You play 162 games and you're going to go through cycles of both hot and cold. I'll take it if we stay hot.

It was really, really wet. Fortunately, no one got hurt.

It's about as bad as it gets. Those are the last two guys in the world you want to face with a guy on third base with less than two outs.

That's about as bad as it gets. Those are the last two guys in the world you'd want to face with a guy at third and less than two out. If you're able to get out of it, you thank your stars, because they're going to drive the guy in nine times out of 10.

I've had a year to learn the pitching in this league and that will help.

I turned around and there were a couple of Oakland fans there. It worked out well, they kept the other fans away.

They weren't in the way. I turned around and saw there were a couple of Oakland fans, so it worked out pretty well. I think they might have held the other fans off.

I love Oakland because they gave me an opportunity and I want to be here and help them win, but if I'm not an everyday guy, I'd be open to whatever else is out there. If Boston had an everyday job in center field, I certainly wouldn't block that.

I just smacked it up the middle. If that second baseman had gotten to that ball, I probably would have just kept running out of the stadium. Or maybe run out there and picked a fight with him.

I didn't think the ball was out, but I forgot about the short porch in right. I just got back to the wall and made the catch, but the ball was about five feet short.

I didn't say anything vulgar or swear at him. I just kept telling him he missed it. I didn't walk away so he threw me out.

He threw hard and I swung hard. I guess it was a combination.