Bob Wickman Last Quotations

The pitching is a big core. You look at the Chicago White Sox, what they did last year, the New York Yankees, when they were in their heyday, they had pitching and that's what wins championships. You're very seldom going to slug it out with a team in the playoffs.

Hopefully, we'll be the team getting off to a quick start. If we're not the team getting off to a quick start, hopefully, we can stick with them. Last year, Chicago was just too tough at the beginning of the year and they just lost everybody else. We almost came back, but it fell short. Everyone says don't worry about the beginning of the season, but it is a key.

I didn't get too many people out in that first one here last year.

There were two teams that manhandled us last year, Chicago and Tampa Bay. It was just the worst-case scenario that we had to play them seven times at the end of the season when we were right in the race. Any other team, we probably would have been there. We were beating everybody else, but for some reason, Tampa Bay had our number, and so did Chicago.

I hear a lot of what is said about me on those shows, and it really ticks me off. Guys who call and blast me will have an effect on whether I want to come back here next season. My kids hear this stuff and it makes me mad.

It may sound bad, but you've got to experience everything before you can win. Last year was a huge learning experience for this ballclub.