Gregg Zaun Quotations

We're going to have to get better offensively. If we end up with the same lineup as we had this year, we're going to have to get better at what we do. We're going to learn how to manufacture runs, something I don't think we did a real good job of this year.

We tried pretty much everything to get something going, some sort of a pitch going. It was a tough day for him.

We tried just about everything, but it was just a tough day for him. I'm sure he'll be lights out next time.

(Batista) was missing with his cutter to the outer half (of the plate) and I thought that it was a good time to throw a fastball. He has so many good pitches and his ball has such life that we ended up getting the result we were looking for.

I don't think we're going to be satisfied with being a .500 ball club. Obviously we're not going to end up 20 or 30 games above, like a good team really would. There's still a chance that we could be in it right up to the end and there's a chance that if we're not, we could play spoiler. We all know we're better than a .500 club.

He's been a good guy and steady performer all year, just giving us one good start after another.

He moves the ball around the plate a lot and he's very deceptive. He's got four pitches he can throw any place in the count.

Holding a team like the Yankees to three runs, I'll take my chances any day.

He's getting better every time and he's coming very quickly, ... Confidence is going to be a key thing for him down the road, but that will come as well. It's just a matter of time.

He didn't have his command, that was pretty much the difference. It's not an easy role.

I thought overall he was pretty darn good today. He really showed a lot of character after giving up three in the first inning to keep us in that ball game.

I thought it was one of the best ones he threw all day, especially considering the situation. I didn't have any question in my mind whether it was a strike or not. Three-two was borderline.

That's tough. We would've liked to have kept the score where it was. Unfortunately, we don't have the benefit of instant replay while we're out there on the field. I felt like we made the third out before the run was recorded, but, obviously, Mr. Runge didn't feel that way.

You can go down there and get as many at-bats as you want, but until you get that first one out of the way back in the big leagues, it's tough. You have a little bit of self doubt. You're wondering, 'Am I ready?' And once that first one happens for you, that monkey gets off your back.

You always have teams you play well against, for us it's the Red Sox. It definitely says something about us.

You always have teams you play well against, for us it's the Red Sox,

We really needed that win, especially coming from behind like that.

We had our chances tonight, we let it slip away.

We were going to make them earn it. You're not going to hold guys like that down forever. Look at the numbers they've put up.

We've been getting guys on base. We just haven't been driving anybody in. I think, from here on out, you'll see a little bit of a different team, offensively. We're probably going to play even smaller ball. ... Just get the job done and work as a group to score runs -- instead of one guy trying to do it all himself.

We get another great opportunity to win that ballgame with my at-bat, and it's just unforgivable to not put a ball in play. You don't even need to get a hit. A lazy fly to the outfield wins that ballgame.

Those fans in Boston, they're very passionate about their Red Sox and they were fighting for a playoff spot. Here, we had two teams that are going home on Sunday, just trying to honor the game and finish out the season. You want to play the game hard and professionally, finish out your contract and do what you're paid to do. Other than personal pride, there's really nothing on the line here.

To me, your closer needs to be able to throw the ball over the plate regardless of what he is throwing, ... If you don't have pinpoint command you need to have an out pitch, a swing and miss pitch.

We didn't swing the bats well today, but I think that had more to do with Mike than anything else. He pitched a heck of a game. Sometimes you run into a guy like that, that has a great day and you tip your hat to him.

We would have liked to, obviously, get a win today. (Towers) getting more in the swing of things and getting back to what he does to be successful is a positive sign and we're always happy to get two out of three.

We had a real young team and the young guys made a lot of progress. I don't anybody expected us to be a pennant winner, but I think we got better as an organization this year.

We weren't going to give them anything to pull, and they both put good swings on the ball and hit opposite-field home runs,

Even though we know we're much better on paper, we still have to prove it to ourselves.

Even (Jay) Gibbons was saying as he came to the plate that he had never seen Tejada do that.

I've said all along we're a way better team than our record indicates in my mind. We seem to find a way to get up for the big teams and compete.

The situational hitting was the key. We moved runners really well tonight. We're becoming a little more aware of our shortcomings and identifying the situations where we can drive in runs without getting hits. Those are the ones you have to capitalize on.

I wanted to go soft in that situation, give him a different look and then get right back to it. But he was feeling good with the cutter. It jammed (Lee) pretty good. I don't think he had a real great swing on it. He just happened to get the barrel on it.

said Clement (13-5, 4.33 ERA). ''I had him.

Ortiz has pulled quite a few home runs this year, and Manny wasn't having good passes at balls away all series. I just figured I'd stay out there, and they threw the ball pretty much where I wanted.

This is a first for me. I never expected to hit 10 home runs in a year. Two tears I ago I would have never thought I would have gotten that many at-bats. All I want to do is contribute. A single or a home run - everybody likes to hit. But I know in the end my job is to focus on defense.

There was no reason to roll the dice. I felt great, I've been running hard, I'm ready to go.

They're all clutch performers. You're not going to hold guys like that down forever,

It's a big blow. It makes it a little tougher to make a serious run at things.

It was really a nice moment for me to put us ahead and to contribute first day back. I haven't felt the calf in a week. I felt good. There weren't any inhibitions about moving around the bases.

It opens a realm of possibilities, but it doesn't ever prevent the fact that those guys are superstars. They're going to come up big in big moments like they always do.

It makes it easy. You don't have to run as fast around the bases when you hit them out of the park.

It's uncanny, isn't it. It does seem to be, especially in this ball park. Most of the close calls go to the home side. Based on his (Rodriguez) reaction to that pitch, and also I'm looking around on the field at the base runners, I think everybody in the ball park thought it was Strike 3 except the umpire.

It's not an easy role. He's going to find it but your closer, you either have to have pinpoint command and not let anybody get on base or you have that out pitch where you can go to where you get a swing and miss.

I've known Joe for a long time ... and I've never seen him throw a screwball and he threw me like five or six. I was just, 'What is that?' Normally he's just a really good sinker and a fantastic slider. All of a sudden now he's throwing a screwball.

I've got my pick, but I'm not giving anyone any bulletin-board fodder.

I'm not worried about our bullpen at all. Those guys down there are proven and they'll be fine.

If you only give up three runs in a game against the Yankees, I'll take my chances. We didn't swing the bats great today but I think that had more to do with Mike than with anything else. He pitched a heck of a game.

If you want to beat those guys you have to bury them. They have one big-name guy after another and they always seem to come up with big hits.

Being able to put somebody away with two strikes, that has just been the killer,

His fastball command was a lot better than it was the other day. He was just really aggressive. It's an attitude I'd like to see more of.

He started off pretty good and then the wheels just came off. I don't know. It may have been fatigue -- I don't know. We tried pretty much everything.

I don't know, ... I don't know if he'll make a good closer. I would say he has the stuff to make a good closer, but does he have the command? I don't know. That remains to be seen. The guy's been pitching for 10-plus years professionally and he always has a high walk total. I'm not sure that lends itself to the closer role.

Home run, base hit, whatever. It's just nice to contribute. It was really a nice moment for me to put us ahead. More importantly, getting a win in a game like that was big for us.

You can't say our bats went cold. He made 'em that way.