Jim Leyland Quotations

I had 11 years of managerial experience and four years of coaching before I managed a big-league team. To me, it was important, because I learned a lot through trial and error. And it's tough to have to go through trial and error when you're a big-league manager.

Momentum is your next day's pitcher.

My eight years in Detroit, obviously, were my most successful years managing. I think that Pittsburgh and Detroit are probably very, very similar. We kinda rekindled the fire of baseball in Pittsburgh. We did the exact same thing in Detroit.

Everyone in the world disagrees with me, including some managers, but I think managing in the American League is much more difficult for that very reason (having the designated hitter). In the National League, my situation is dictated for me. If I'm behind in the game, I've got to pinch hit. I've got to take my pitcher out. In the American League, you have to zero in. You have to know exactly when to take them out of there. In the National League, that's done for you.

I learned this a long time ago. If you call a guy into your office and shut the door, if theres media around, it sends up a red flag. I never wanted to embarrass a player.

When somebody talks about your career, most people are gonna talk about wins and losses, a World Series or pennants. But if somebody asked me how I would sum up my career, I would say I had a unbelievable, fabulous career.

I'm second in doubles - double vodkas, double scotches.

If anybody says they get used to it, you don't.

I've managed 25 years, and I can probably count on one hand players that I didn't really care for, and that's probably thousands of players that I've managed. I think that's pretty good. I love the players and I always will.

It takes time to get the whole package. Freshmen can't be seniors.