Willie Randolph Game Quotations

Comeback wins are always nice. Anytime you can take a game away it's always big.

Obviously, if you play games like that with the fans, they can come down harder on you. We all have choices to make and reactions to different things.

It's always nice to get the guys out there moving around. You sit back and watch guys throw on the side, but the only way you can get a good feel is to get into game action.

I think we should be 10 games over really.

Our game is speed and obviously you can't use your speed if you don't put the ball in play. I think he's eventually going to be a decent leadoff hitter. Last year everybody wanted him to be Rickey Henderson, and he couldn't do that.

There's nothing to address. We're going to play the game the way we've been playing.

I can't get caught up in that. I know the fans would love to get payback, but what they (the fans) don't understand is you still have to play the game. We want to win the games very badly. We can't think that if we don't do well how will it affect you mentally. Regardless of how this plays out, we still have to play them again.

(Matsui) has to get back into game shape. The kid's doing really well defensively and we're winning a few games, so there's no rush, that's for sure.

Today, obviously it's pretty much bad game management. Anytime you give up 0-2 home runs, that's not what you want to do. We had that quick 1-2-3 pitcher and then all hell broke loose in that one inning where he should have gotten out of that real easy. He just made bad pitches at the wrong time.

Pretty exciting night for us. Nice win for us in the first game of a homestand. Now we've got two more big ones.

That's very important. I like my pitchers to stay focused and execute pitches and not get wrapped up in the score, but that's not very easy to do. Jae got a little tired at the end. We had some long innings, but he did keep us in the game as far as getting throught the first five pretty easily.

The kids are obviously part of our future, and the fact is they're going to experience, hopefully, a very exciting pennant race. Everybody likes their hits. It's being involved in something that could be special and getting experience when the game counts. Mets fans and the organization should be proud of David Wright and Jose Reyes, and Victor Diaz had a huge night also. And Jake is getting his feet wet.

I said last night I would see how he felt. He had a pretty good game for us but I still didn't even ask him if he wanted to play because he got hit.

It's important to finish up strong, win as many games as we can,

We worked hard this year, and we want to finish up strong, and that's what we're going to do. I don't believe in playing major-league games to just look at people. That's what spring training's for.

It was a good game for us to get back on the winning ways. Hopefully we're going to turn the corner here, and get into a nice little run.

You can't expect to win games against tough teams if you don't execute.

This is how we're going to win most of our games this year. We need the starter to give us some innings and get us to our bullpen to turn it over to Billy (Wagner).

Getting thrown out of the game is protecting my players. I just voiced my opinion and I was thrown out.

Getting thrown out of the game is no big deal for me. Just protecting your players. I thought the ball was low. You say your little piece and the umpire doesn't want to hear it and he throws you out of the game.

He did a great job of playing a little Houdini act there. He had more or less a C-plus game - a C-minus game, maybe - and was able to make big pitches.

We have 25 games left, and we have to go for it, ... I want to make sure that my next five guys know what they need to do and know that they're going to pitch and they can get themselves ready for the ballgame. This gives them a better chance to just lock in.

Obviously bringing in Wagner, a legitimate closer who makes you feel real good at the end of the game when you give him the ball, all of that stuff is really comforting for most managers.

Winning the first game of the series doesn't mean anything if we don't win the next two, or one of the next two.

We walked the tightrope a little bit, but it was a good game for the fans to watch.

It was good to see him relax a little bit and get going. Obviously, spring training is not the best barometer for how you base these guys but, you know, he was 0-for-20 or whatever and he had a couple knocks so that's why you don't put a lot of emphasis on games like this because you can turn it around in one day.

Even if he would have lost or had a so-so game yesterday, he's still going to bring something to the table every time,

A big walk by Julio and we got a break at the end. Those are the kind of games that are nice to win.

If somebody told me wed lose every game to the Braves this year and be in the World Series, Id take that.

If we've got to win a game or we need him, I'll put him in.

I would think that any team at this point in time, given where we are, would be pretty weak if they let these two games affect them,

I would think any team at this point in time, given where we are, would be pretty weak if they let these games affect them. Because we're still there. We can make up for these last three days if we play well on the road. I'm positive, man. I feel good about my guys. No doom and gloom. We're looking forward.

We might win 15 games in a row.

It's obviously a very important stretch for us, and we'll just play it as we go. That's the way we've kept it all year, one game and one series at a time.

Every situation is totally different for me. Every team that faces Barry Bonds has the same dilemma. You just pick your spots in the course of the game and you try to make the right decision and hope that it's executed. It's no different than any other team. Obviously, he's still a presence and obviously he's still one of the best hitters in the game and you have to be very conscious of him.

I told him that I'd prefer him not to do that. He felt he could maybe get a bunt base hit and, like I said earlier, if he makes it, then we're OK. But even if he makes it, it still might not be the right play.. ... He feels that's part of his game in his mind. But, personally, no, I'd rather him swing the bat.

I told him that I'd prefer him not to do that, ... He felt he could maybe get a bunt base hit and, like I said earlier, if he makes it, then we're O.K. But even if he makes it, it still might not be the right play. But he feels that's part of his game in his mind. But personally, no, I'd rather him swing the bat.