The fan is the one who suffers. He cheers a guy to a .350 season then watches that player sign with another team. When you destroy fan loyalties, you destroy everything.

If the guys on the bench were as good as the guys you have out there, they'd be out there in first place.

The baselines belongs to the runner, and whenever I was running the bases, I always slid hard. I wanted infielders to have that instant's hesitation about coming across the bag at second or about standing in there awaiting a throw to make a tag. There are only 27 outs in a ballgame, and it was my job to save one for my team every time I possibly could.

I know a lot of people on the field - players, coaches, managers - are glad that I'm gone.

You have to have a short memory as a closer.

At least when it's in French, I won't know what the heck they're saying.

Close don't count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and grenades.