Dontrelle Willis Quotations

When you think of all the players in the Braves organization, when they were in Milwaukee and now Atlanta, to be one of five players to be on the wall, that's special,

We're still in this race. That's all I care about, ... We have to win out, and it started today.

When I walked into the locker room, everybody said I had to stop sliding headfirst. Before I even got in there, they were telling me, 'Would you please stop?' Even American League guys were saying that. Vernon Wells said, 'Please stop sliding headfirst.' They all love the enthusiasm and intensity I show.

When I got the call telling me I had won, I was definitely floored and honored.

There are only 13 who have done it. It's definitely a hard feat, especially today where the power numbers are greater and the parks are smaller. To be able to be successful and win 20 is special.

Nothing ceases to amaze me about what he's doing now. I've seen what he can do my whole life. It's a beautiful thing to see how talented he is now. Everybody who knew him knew he was destined to do great things.

Right now it's about winning ball games. Whatever I can do to win, I'll do it, even if I have to get hit by a pitch, whatever it takes.

I got myself in trouble by not throwing strikes. I had that great defense behind me, but I didn't let them put it in play.

I don't feel any pressure. I'm going to continue to do what I do as far as my work ethic and my training for me to get prepared for the season. That doesn't dictate anything.

I don't even really care, to be totally honest. I'm really concerned about the lineup. I know I'm not betting on getting any hits off him, I'm just trying to keep the game as close as I can to give my team a chance.

I don't even know what WHIP means, ... They were so similar, I have no idea. Maybe because I had more losses than him. That's the only thing I can see off the top of my head.

I don't even know what I'm right now at as far as wins. I can't even tell you. I've still got 300 to go. You have to be very fortunate and very lucky and very blessed to stay healthy to be able to have a chance to go out there and do those type of things. I need all the help and luck to be on my side.

I didn't do anything right today. When I had to throw strikes and get them to put the ball in play, I couldn't do it.

I didn't do anything right. This is a game you tip your hat to the other team. ... I was definitely ready to go. There's no excuse. I feel bad whenever we lose, regardless of what uniform I'm wearing.

I didn't do anything right. It definitely hurts.

I am still excited to be here, but I am not playing the best baseball that I know I can play. I hope we can advance so I can get another shot of helping the team win. My work has been good but the results just aren't there.

I have a tough angle, man. I think of me on the mound. Sometimes, I don't even have the same arm slots. It's just little things, whatever it takes to get guys out. I definitely wouldn't want to hit off myself.

I felt great. I could've thrown more. I was pitching off of my fastball, trying to get into a good count where I could throw something with some tilt.

I felt like I was in the game the whole time. I battled through it. I kept us in the game and there were some unfortunate plays and that's all they needed.

I feel we already won more games this year than everybody expected us to. We've shown we can compete.

I finally got a bunt down - I can't remember the last time I did that.

I did it twice in the bullpen, as well, ... It's funny. They still believed in me. I thought I was going to get released after that. I thought I was horrible. They definitely saw something that I didn't.

I can't fathom having this many wins. But today was definitely a team effort.

I can't even fathom that number - just being able to play baseball and understand how hard it is to win one game. To win 300-plus games is remarkable. To win 200-plus games is remarkable. That's a big number.

I can only imagine. It happened to me once, and I went over the edge.

He is a good guy. I'm not believing it.

Whatever it takes. I'm a guy that loves the game of baseball, period, ... All aspects. I take pride in all aspects of the game - defensively, pitching, whatever it takes to be successful, that's what I take pride in.

He's a great fit for our team because we're very young and enthusiastic ourselves. He's almost like a player, running around touching bases and everything.

He's a great baseball mind. But he wants to get with his family, and you've got to respect that.

He's already got it down to where he's telling guys when they're pitching. That's the greatest honor for any individual, to represent their country.

He's a lot more poised than I was at that age. His work ethic is great. I think going to college helped him, because he was already fine-tuned. When I went out there, I was kind of wide-eyed. He went out there focused.

His name is on the wall, that shows you what kind of player he was,

Keep winning and get to the postseason, ... I won 20 games and they just dumped one beer on my head. It feels good because I'm helping my team win.

It is a high honor especially when you consider I'm so young in my career. I'm going to go out there and try to win the game.

Last night, I used Cabrera's bat. I just literally go into someone's locker and say, 'I want this bat.' They let me have it, and I tape it up.

That could have cost us the game, ... I've got to get that runner over somehow.

I was trying to tell him to call time. Next thing you know, (Rollins) was running. The situation got out of hand quickly.

It definitely hurts, because I felt like I let my team down. I have to find a way to get outs late in the game, especially when they're making a charge.

I'm still excited to be here. The bottom line is, I'm just not playing good baseball. I'm a man and can admit it. ... I'm hoping we advance so I'll get another start.

That was a tough loss. We're definitely beating ourselves up and there is not anything anybody can say that is harsher than what we're telling ourselves.

That was the first instinct I had ? to slide, ... I figured the quickest way I could get to the plate was to reach out as far as I can. I just said, 'I'm going to give up my body.' It's all about putting pressure on the other guys.

We're definitely upset about this game. It was a tough loss. But I should have done better. I should have thrown more strikes and put them on their heels and I didn't.

We are definitely a few but a proud few and we take a lot of pride in going out theere and competing.

We definitely are few, but we're a proud few, ... Everybody's been rooting for me since I was 15. It's a camaraderie, not just pitchers but African American players in general.

We definitely are a few but a proud few, ... It's historic. It's a beautiful thing, not only for baseball, but for my team. Hopefully we'll just keep going.

I know about having days off. They can be helpful sometimes, especially late in the year. It's just key to go out there and establish early, especially in this park where they can put up some crooked numbers early.

Whatever I can do to win, I'll do it, even if I have to get hit by a pitch, whatever it takes.

It's not about the money for me.

I'm not a conventional guy. I've never been a conventional guy.

I was nervous batting eighth, and I was nervous batting seventh.

I want to be a traveling circus in that big-league uniform, like everybody else.

I just want to say I owe the whole reds organization a great deal. Great staff top to bottom and I wish those guys all the best.

As far as the anxiety, I have no idea about it. I don't feel like I have any nervousness out there. I'm just a guy who really cares about being competitive and that's the bottom line.

I feel I let my team down today. My heart is bleeding for everybody else. I felt like I should have gotten it done today. That's how it is. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.

Win or lose, I've been fortunate to be able to pitch deep enough into games to get decisions.

I love what I do. I'm appreciative and I'm still competitive. I still love baseball, but it doesn't consume me. If I can't do it anymore, then I go home and do something else. It's not the end of the world. It's just the end of your career.

Keep winning and get to the postseason, I won 20 games and they just dumped one beer on my head. It feels good because I'm helping my team win.

I just want to throw strikes. If I can't throw strikes, I'm worthless.

If I give up nine runs on nine hits, I tip my hat.

Every day's a blessing, so I'm just out there throwing my best.

I'm just a kid having fun.

I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. I'm taking it one game at a time.

I'm a happy-go-lucky guy.

I want to make guys put the ball in play. If I give up ten hits, then I give up ten hits. But I want to work on making them earn it.

I hope that more [African-Americans] decide to play after seeing the things that I was able to accomplish; not only myself, but other African-American players. Hopefully, they pick up a bat and a ball and go out there and play.

The sun shines on everybody. Youve got to keep believing.

We should win it, most definitely. Every team should feel they have a chance to win, or they shouldn't come out. I don't want to be around guys who don't want to win. We're all in it because we want to win.

We're tired of mistakes, too. We're beating ourselves up and nothing anybody can say can be any harsher than what we are telling ourselves.

You have to be good, lucky and on a good team. ... I can't fathom having 18 wins. It's the same thing I felt when I had 15 wins.

When I saw the ball, I knew in my mind I was going to go for it. I don't know how to slide feet first yet. I think I went the safest route.

We seem to have done anything and everything to let a team back in the game, including myself.

You hear all the critics talking about how tough its going to be. But for a lot of guys, it's a big opportunity for them. I tell them to enjoy it. Smile sometimes. Enjoy that this is a game.

Warren Spahn was one of those players before my time, but I knew a little history about him,

Everything he meant to his team and the city,

Especially the last couple of days people were very excited, more excited than I was, ... I was eager to see how things were going to turn out, but I slept easy (Wednesday) night. ... I'm the second-best pitcher in the National League, which is not that dang bad.

Everything was good today -- getting my legs back into it. I was just trying to get into situations where I have to make a pitch. It was all fun getting back into it.

The resilience of the team showed tonight. We could have packed it in early, especially the way they were hitting the ball. We didn't. We kept the game close.

I understand where (the teams) are coming from; we're all investments whether we make $500,000 or $5 million. Injuries are unfortunate things that can happen any time during the year. ... You just have to suit up and represent your country.

I've said early on, it comes down to consistency and being able to do it inning after inning, ... Things are coming together, and I hope to build off it.

I've played some baseball games just to see what I look like and it looked dead-on like me.

It would be a high honor, most definitely.

It was all positive. I'm just happy I'm employed again.

Sometimes humility is good, because it's a good motivation piece. You appreciate when you do get it done.

The bottom line is, I'm not playing good baseball. I'm still happy to be here, I just hope we can advance so I get one more start.

This is the flip side of me throwing eight innings and losing 1-0 (two starts ago). That's how baseball is.

They're going to be in it regardless of how many people get hurt. Bobby Cox is always going to have those guys ready to play.

It was a lot of fun to be part of.

It's baseball. That's the beauty of it, playing the games. It's a double-edged sword. Anything can happen. This team has the capability. We just haven't hit yet.

It's a business and that's another aspect of the game. I just have to get ready to go out there and do my thing.

It's a great feeling. It's definitely a team effort. You have to have lot of things go your way. Today I was hit and that ended up being the winning run. I've been very fortunate to stay healthy and stay strong.

I tried to dodge it, but it was on me so quick, and I have a big backside.

It's a high honor, man, especially being so young. I'm definitely enthusiastic and happy they feel I'll be capable of handling the load of being one of the representatives of the United States.

It's tough to lose any game. It's definitely frustrating to see this. We know the capability of our team, and we haven't hit it yet.

It's tough, man. It's definitely tough. I just didn't do anything right today.

It's fine. I'm ready. I'm not really a verbal guy who will get on anybody. I'll just try to lead by example.

It's definitely frustrating to see when you know the capability of our team. We just haven't hit it yet.

It kind of stung for a little bit, ... but it's OK.

It's bigger than just me, ... For the most part, it's something that I can't fathom. Obviously, I'm close, but it's historical. I never thought I'd be in the history books as far as individual awards, and what have you.

It's big for our team because it gives them an extra day. We're definitely going to need them. I know about having days off. They can be helpful sometimes, especially late in the year. It's just key to go out there and establish early, especially in this park where they can put up some crooked numbers early.

It was a good bunt. It made me go to the baseline. It was just well-executed.