The Week in Quotes: October 12-25

NLCS

"When I hit it, I said, ‘Thank you, God, for this one.’ I didn’t
have a monkey on my shoulders, but I really needed it, especially for
the team to stay alive."

— Andres Galarraga, Braves infielder, on his Game 4 grand slam

"With Kevin Brown, you have to make him get the ball up. If you
do, you know you have a chance. I got a pitch I could drive and I
didn’t miss it. It’s great. In the playoffs, anybody can have a chance
to come up big. I guess tonight was my night."

— Michael Tucker, Braves outfielder, on his Game 5 home run

"We’re going to enjoy ourselves right now. We’re not looking that
far down the road. We’re just going to enjoy ourselves tonight."

— Kevin Brown, Padres pitcher, after Game 6

"I felt this club was special. Even though we won the first three
games of the series, then turned around and lost two, I still had a
lot of faith in these guys. Coming here tonight, we were really
confident. We really felt we could win this game tonight."

— Tony Gwynn, Padres outfielder, after Game 6

"We have a chance to play in the World Series every year, and I’m
proud as hell of this organization. I don’t know of too many people
who can expect to contend every year. It’s disappointing we don’t get
a chance to go to the World Series, but you don’t always get the
things you want in life."

— Tom Glavine, Braves pitcher

"This team is good. We don’t need to reevaluate much. If you
don’t get hot in these things, you’re just not going to win them. We
don’t have anything to be ashamed about."

— Bobby Cox, Braves manager

"We feel there is a sort of unfinished symphony."

— John Schuerholz, Braves GM

ALCS

"Jeff Nelson’s baby got hit with a pretzel, got beer tossed on
him. That just goes to show you what kind of class Cleveland has —
none. None at all."

— David Wells, Yankees pitcher

"Yankee fans — come on now. They can’t get anymore rougher on us
unless they show up with Uzis."

— David Justice, Indians outfielder

"I’m ready to play the game. I’m not worried about how the fans
are going to be. They pay their money. They can do whatever they
want."

— Chuck Knoblauch, Yankees infielder

"I am just going to approach it like I did last week and there is
no secret to what I am going to do out there. I am just going to go
out and throw my pitches and whatever happens, happens."

— Charles Nagy, Indians pitcher, on Game 6

"Coming into the season there were a lot of high expectations,
maybe too high. I thought we responded well. We were in a division we
kind of ran away with. I don’t think we were pushed, not to take
anything away from the other teams."

— Jim Thome, Indians infielder

"We expected it."

— Derek Jeter, Yankees infielder, on winning the ALCS

WORLD SERIES, BEFORE

"It’s the rich guys against the poor guys, the haves against the
have-nots. The Yankees have unlimited revenues and we’re so strapped
financially that we have to recycle styrofoam cups."

— John Moores, Padres owner

"We’ve had some crazy years, but we don’t have history,
that’s what we’re trying for now."

— Tony Gwynn, Padres outfielder

"I had a conversation with Howard Stern yesterday and, yes, I do
call him and BS with him from time to time, have some fun with it, but
sometimes when somebody says something and he keeps coming at you, you
have to say something just to make him go on to another topic. But,
no, I am not predicting anything in five. I think San Diego is an
outstanding team, and I don’t think it is fair to myself, my teammates
or anybody else out there, even the Padres, to predict anything like
that."

— David Wells, Yankees pitcher

"I think the Padres have a really good chance of beating [the
Yankees]. I like San Diego’s chances."

— Bobby Cox, Braves manager

"Once you get to the World Series, I think you have accomplished
what you want to accomplish. Winning the World Series — like anything
else, you hope you are hot that week and you get the break here and
there."

— Joe Torre, Yankees manager

WORLD SERIES, DURING

"I was tired and I was feeling bad. It’s a struggle when you’re
physically not right. This was one of my worst nights physically in a
long time."

— Kevin Brown, Padres pitcher, on Game 1

"I don’t know about demons or redemption, but it was definitely
a fun night."

— Chuck Knoblauch, Yankees infielder, on Game 1

"We’re glad it is a best-out-of-seven right now."

— Bruce Bochy, Padres manager, after Game 2

"We feel like we’re on the brink of something special. There’s
going to be a lot of arguments historically about where this team
fits in."

— David Cone, Yankees pitcher, after Game 3

"I’m not going to say we’re invincible, but we’ve definitely
got the momentum."

— Chili Davis, Yankees DH, after Game 3

"There’s nothing more fun than this."

— Scott Brosius, Yankees infielder, after Game 3

WORLD SERIES, AFTER

"I do think [the Yankees] should go down as one of the best
teams ever. They had no weakness on that club."

— Bruce Bochy, Padres manager

"I don’t think we can stack up with Hall of Famers. And it’s
tough to compare with ghosts of the past. But as a team as a whole,
it’s an incredible unit."

— David Cone, Yankees pitcher

"Sure, we would have liked it to have worked out better, but
the Yankees have a great club — probably the best team we’ve faced
all year. They did everything they needed to to win."

— Tony Gwynn, Padres outfielder

"This is truly, you can say it now, one of the greatest teams
in basebal."

— George Steinbrenner, Yankees owner

"This is the most determined team I’ve been around. I don’t
know if we have the best team of all time, but I do know that we
have the best record. We have to take a back seat to no one in my
lifetime."

— Joe Torre, Yankees manager

THE REST

"[Sammy Sosa] had a better year than I did because he went to
the playoffs."

— Mark McGwire, Cardinals infielder

"It’s a great challenge for me. I’ve always looked at the
Dodgers as the epitome of a great organization. To me, this is a
dream job. I don’t see anything but good things in the future."

— Davey Johnson, on being named Dodgers manager

"Yeah, they’re definitely shopping me. I figured that as soon
as I heard his name [Davey Johnson] involved out there, they
would be looking to send me someplace far away. They probably
would do it today if they could."

— Bobby Bonilla, DOdgers infielder

"Within the next few years, we will be one of only a handful of
baseball teams playing in a multi-use stadium. In the best of all
worlds, we would like to find a way to build a baseball-only venue
for this team in the Bay Area."

— Steve Schott, A’s co-owner

"It’s frustrating at times not to play more, but I’ve
accomplished a lot of things in the postseason that guys who play
every day haven’t, so it kind of evens out."

— Jim Leyritz, Padres catcher

"I don’t like guys who play scared."

— Larry Parrish, Tigers manager

"I’ve said all along I was happy I’m in Chicago, and I would
like to stay in Chicago. I consider this a starting point. There’s
nothing to get all bent out of shape about."

— Albert Belle, outfielder, on invoking a contract clause
to become a free agent