The way we have been playing, I might tell my players not to cross the picket line (umpire strike of 1979).

The rules are changed now, there's not any way to build a team today. It's just how much money you want to spend. You could be the world champions and somebody else makes a key acquisition or two and you're through.

One time in spring training, we had the hit-and-run on, and Carl Erskine threw me a curve and I struck out into a double play. I came back to the bench and Casey [Stengel] said, 'next time, tra-la-la.' I didn't know what tra-la-la meant, but next time up, I hit a line drive, right into a double play. When I sat down, Casey came over and said, 'Like I told you, tra-la-la.'

The way we have been playing, I might tell my players not to cross the picket line (umpire strike of 1979).

Some people asked me if I would be interested in managing the A's. I said a definite no thank you. At night, that place is a graveyard with lights.

You sweat out the free agent thing in November, then you make the trades in December. Then you struggle to sign the guys left in January, and in February I get down to sewing all the new numbers on the uniforms.

I'd rather go fishing for three years.