Bruce Manno Quotations

Sid has been in our organization for a long time. He's been at the A level and the rookie league and you want someone at that level who is a good teacher, who has patience -- the same things you want in a manager and the other coaches. You're looking for that particular individual that can relate, that is a worker and is willing to spend hours and hours with players, getting them to do it right.

Obviously, Juan came into camp in great shape. He was hitting around .350 or .360 with Memphis. And he's played defense well. He did everything we asked him to do.

He didn't separate himself from anybody else in camp.

With athletes like this they always make things look easier than they really are. Then you watch him in the outfield. ... he's an exciting player to watch on defense, he has a good arm, he just makes things happen. Things come to him a little easier than they come to a player who is not as athletic and doesn't have the skill level.

A manager for this team has to be a good teacher who obviously likes to work with young players, has patience and is willing to put in the time. D.J. really does well with the young players. D.J.'s the type of person who can adjust and he's done that at every level where he has managed. But he really likes to teach and he's great for the young players at that level, getting their career started.

It's a delicate situation. Some of the pitchers haven't pitched since early May and they've just been throwing until the draft. They've got to get those arms ready to pitch again.

It's going to be interesting. We've created a lot of competition.

It's probably more difficult to push your way on a club like this. But we still want players to impress our staff, and if something happens, we have someone to fall back on.

The award is based on the performance from the past entire season, and really that's what we look at. Performance is the most important part, not just potential. Generally that's the rule of thumb. But at the same time, when you put it all together, if the performance is good enough to put you above the other players, there is something there.

Anytime you have multiple picks early in the draft you should be able to add depth to your system. When you have the opportunity to do that, you have to make the most of it and replenish your minor league system. ... Overall, if those players are who we think they're going to be and develop for us, it's an opportunity to upgrade the system from the top to bottom.

I really believe he is a better player than we saw last year in Springfield. I think his confidence is good right now, and he just needs an opportunity.

He started at Johnson City (in the short season rookie league) last year, went to New Jersey, was injured and missed the second half of the season. He's still on the New Jersey (Spikes) roster but he's trying to make the Quad Cities team.

He's even caught some. He's going to be someone we're going to utilize quite a bit.