Adam Wainwright Quotations

Whenever that phone rings, I'm always looking. I could be going in in the fifth inning or the fourth inning, or I could be going in there seventh or eighth inning. Nobody's said anything to me. I'll just be ready.

Obviously a guy who plays as hard as he does and gets a streak going like that, I respect that streak. It's kind of a pitcher's duty if a guy has something going like that to give him a chance at it.

If I'm not going to be a starter, I'd like to have a chance to get in there and play a lot. That's what I'm doing now, and I feel like I'm contributing to the team. I'm just having fun being in the big leagues, for one. It's a different world up here.

If I play a bad round, which I've been having lately, Mulder will let me have it. I've heard his whole game before. I don't worry about it. It's getting ready to swing the other way.

I go in thinking about whatever they'll let me do at the big-league level. You never know what happens. This is a funny game. Obviously, I've always been a starter. I love to start. But I also loved my time in the big leagues, and that's going to come first right now. I'm happy with whatever role they'll let me have at the big-league level.

Today, I really struggled staying back on the rubber and getting the ball down. But when I did, you know, I was able to do that in key situations and make key pitches, so I've just got to be more consistent with that.

I think the years of toiling around in the minors have really helped.

I think I can do way better. I'm not real pleased with today. I got out of some situations and pitched well when I needed to. It was not the start I was looking for, but there is a lot to learn from it.

I'd like to think that on a lot of teams, I'd be a No. 1. The thing I do know is that every time I take the mound, in my mind I'm the best pitcher in the league.

It's hard to be a No. 1 when you're not even No. 1 on your team.

I thought there was a chance right from the beginning.

Something inside told me I was mentally and physically ready to play up here. It's one thing to tell yourself that, and it's one thing to believe it. I think this year I believed it for the first time. Other years I was just thinking it.

As long as they say bullpen in St. Louis, then I'm all for it. I still think of myself as a starter. ... But this is a good change because it's giving me a big-league opportunity I wouldn't have had as a starter.

It was nice of Jason to let me start that game. He didn't have to let me do that. It was nice to get a start.

I try to not to think about the pressure. I don't want any more pressure on me. I just want to pitch my best and then put the ball in their hands. That way I can make the team by pitching my best.

For the most part my year went pretty good. I had a couple abysmal starts that really ruined my stats. You can't have those. I need to show them I can be consistent with my pitches.