Scott Kazmir Quotations

Us in the late innings -- we're tough, real tough. You know that they're going to break out. It's a good thing to see us not giving up in the late innings.

When I want to bury something, I need to bring it. Instead of hanging it up there.

I feel like I'm ready, I really do.

I didn't have all my control. I was struggling down in the zone.

I was throwing a lot of pitches for strikes, I felt real comfortable the whole game.

We have an aggressiveness to us. It's like we're playing backyard baseball. It's a fun way to play.

We're kind of jelling a little bit. It's getting fun.

We're enjoying the role we're in right now. Hopefully, we can make a difference.

We all know their situation, ... We came in here knowing we're facing a very hot team with a lot on the line. That's why this was a good win. But we've been playing all the contenders very tough for the last couple months.

This was completely different. That was a game of importance and our entire team responded. This was about getting work in. I felt fine except for making a lot of pitches in the first inning.

Unbelievable. He just looks so comfortable at the plate. I've never seen anyone so right there with everything. He always has his game plan right on point.

I've been trying to beef up a little bit, mostly my legs, trying to get those stronger. It seems like it's helping out a lot, making it a lot easier to stay balanced and stay real strong on my back side. Going through the first full season, you know how much it breaks you down a little bit, so I think it's good to get stronger and have a little more weight on there.

It set the tone. To get out of that was a big confidence boost.

I truly believe that's going to help me out a lot. But I've been working from the side my whole life. We're going to stay with that to stay more consistent to the plate. It's something I can work on next season.

It's like they always have to have something to say. It's the same stuff they said before. I don't really have anything to say.

I'm glad I got a chance to get my feet wet last year, ... That gave me a lot of confidence. I think it helped out big-time.

I need to be the guy who comes in and puts us back on track or keeps a streak going. I'm up for the challenge. I want to be that guy.

I really don't think about that. That seems like forever ago.

In the beginning of the game I was having trouble getting the feel of my slider. A couple of pitches I wish I had back. I was thinking about too much instead of throwing it.

In the beginning of the game, I had trouble with the feel on my slider. I was hanging a lot of them and I couldn't get it down. There were a couple of pitches I wish I had back.

Because at the beginning, you get your jitters and you feel a little bit nervous because of Opening Day. You never know. You're not always going to face the No. 1 starter on the opposing team. It's not always the same. So it does feel like it's the same as last year pretty much -- like it's just going every five days and facing the hitters. You're facing the hitters, not the pitchers you're going up against.

It's worth everything to be in the World Series.

I just keep my game plan the same and try to just go out there and be efficient and attack the strike zone.

I'm a whole new pitcher. I'm more comfortable with all of my pitches.

This is a dream for me, it really is, to be the leader of a staff going into the season.

I wouldn't take anything away from Tampa Bay. We're in one of the toughest divisions there is.

I try to listen to people, coaches and other pitchers, and see what they do and how they try to do it. Then I try to find a way that's comfortable for me.

Nobody taught me my slider. I mean, if you look at my grip, I don't think anyone has the same grip as I do. It's a separate grip. I hold it kind of weird and everything. When I started throwing it, I just wanted to start throwing something different and came up with that. I turned it a little bit.