Jim Hendry Quotations

We like a lot of things about Jacque. He's a very versatile guy. We were very intent on trying to get a left-handed hitter. He's very athletic, has some pop in his bat, an outstanding throwing arm. He's a versatile player and had a lot of upside in him.

He's athletic, he's got some pop in his bat, he can play quality defense ... he runs well. He's 30 years old, and he certainly has a lot of upside left in him.

He's a veteran presence, a quality bench player. He can play four spots -- first, third and both corners. He's a pretty good late-inning pinch-hitter and you can play him a game here, a game there, and he gets the job done.

The prisoner handling and detainment process will be closely examined during a thorough and independent investigation.

If he chooses to stay in Atlanta, obviously nobody could fault him for that. I just told him what we're trying to do, what my plan may be for the next month, be open and honest.

If he can pitch pain-free and this ongoing discomfort he's had after a certain amount of pitches, if that can be rectified, then you are going to have the same guy you are seeing for one inning for seven or eight. That's really everybody's priority.

If he is not going to have a chance to be a full-time player, he is not going to be able to correct the things that led him to have a bad year last year. It was not a good fit for him to be a bench player here at this point, after what happened last year.

Obviously, Dr. Kremchek's reputation speaks for itself. We have (glowing) reports and reviews from us for his work with Dempster and Scott Williamson. Plus he has a general concern for players from the other clubhouse over the years whether it was a significant injury or not.

We've always thought world of him. He's a winning-type guy.

We've always had an interest in Greg. He's certainly earned the right to pitch wherever he wants. We're hopeful he'd like to come back and finish where he started.