The Week in Quotes: October 20-26

AT LEAST IT’S AN ACADEMIC DESPERATION

“I think young hitters are trained to believe, when things aren’t going well, it’s physical mechanics. But I think it’s mental, in regard to expanding your strike zone. So more than anything, I want them to get back to their strike zones.”

–Rays manager Joe Maddon

“It’s based on information, all the stuff [our scouts] were able to acquire during the course of the year. If you look at a spreadsheet and you notice that balls are not hit in a certain area, why do you cover it? And you see ones that are inundated with red lines, why don’t you cover it more?”

–Maddon

“You utilize all this stuff to attempt to put your guys in the best position, to make a play based on the high-percentage chance of where he’s going to hit the ball and, furthermore, make him look at [the
shift].”
–Maddon

“You can win in a variety of ways. Last night, we almost won based on our legs. One of the things I’ve talked about a lot since I’ve gotten here is the balance throughout our team. I don’t want to build a team based on one component, whether it’s power or speed or whatever.”
–Maddon

“I like the idea that you could be a balanced ballclub. You can win with your legs, win with your power, hopefully with your situational hitting, etc., the good pitching, the defense. Of course, it’s a lot easier to win if both of them are doing what they can do. But I really have a lot of faith that we can produce runs in other ways. Furthermore, I think they’re going to be fine.”
–Maddon (Bill Chastain, MLB.com)

DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO LOOK SMART SOMETIMES

“I’m the same old Charlie. I’m the same manager I was when I managed in Triple-A and Double-A ball. It’s just that when you win, you’re better. That comes from having better players.”
–Phillies manager Charlie Manuel

“I look at managing as when you send somebody up to the plate and they execute, then you’re a good manager. I’m a talent guy. When I talk to our beatwriters, I talk about talent all the time.”
–Manuel

“The players make a good manager. If you go ask any manager in baseball, if he has any sense, he’ll tell you he has to have good players. I’ve listened to Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, and Bobby Cox, some of the most successful managers in the game, and they brag on their players because they’ll execute.”
–Manuel

“People tell me, ‘Charlie, you’ve been managing real good.’ You send Greg Dobbs up there and he hits a home run, you look good. When I send Cole Hamels up to the mound, I expect to look good. Give me five Cole Hamels and four [Brad] Lidges in the bullpen and I’ll be very good.”
–Manuel

“I just hope we keep making the pitches we’ve been throwing them.”
–Manuel

NOW I’VE HEARD THERE WAS A SECRET CHORD THAT DAVID PLAYED AND IT
PLEASED THE LORD BUT YOU DON’T REALLY CARE FOR MUSIC DO YOU?

“We expect both Jon and Joe to be back in the Sunday night booth next season.”

–ESPN source on the possibility that Joe Morgan and Jon Miller will be split after this season.

“He really does get me focused each game, finding information in places we wouldn’t normally go. He’s definitely not there to add fluff.”
-Fox Sports producer Pete Macheska, on Ken Rosenthal.

“There are so many blogs floating around out there, it’s nice to have Ken’s accuracy in a world of misinformation.”
–Macheska

“To keep up with contemporary times, you have to have a guy like Ken.”
-Fox analyst Tim McCarver on Ken Rosenthal’s ability to read the internet.

HE’S BEEN A FREE AGENT FOR A LONG TIME ALREADY

“That is 100 percent wrong. If he does indeed opt out of the deal [with Toronto] he will see if the Yankees are interested.”
–A.J. Burnett‘s agent Darek Braunecker

“You can discount the first four trips to the DL, because they were all non-baseball related injuries. He had freak injuries unrelated to baseball issues.”
–Braunecker

“The only setback he had was the Tommy John surgery. He came back and pitched a healthy season. Two seasons later he had scar tissue like a lot of Tommy John patients have.”

–Braunecker

SOMEONE HASN’T BEEN THIS SAD TO NOT BE A MARINER IN A WHILE

“I am very disappointed. But I have a great job with a great organization, and we have work to do. We had a great year, going to the National League Championship Series, but we aren’t where we want to be yet. We need to take it to that next step.”
–Dodgers AGM Kim Ng

“If this wasn’t legitimate, I never would have been called back for a second interview.”
–Ng

“I can’t say that, because these positions are so few. There are only 30 of them, and I don’t think anybody can sit here and say they believe they’re going to be a general manager one day.”
–Ng (Tony Jackson, Los Angeles Daily News)

IT’S ALL ABOUT A WINNING TRADITION

“I have a great relationship with Ned. Ned did a nice job for us… basically raising these young kids. I’ve known him. I’ve worked with him. I know who he is. I will have conversations with him, yes.”
-New Mariners general manager Jeff Zduriencik, on free-agent manager and former Brewers colleague Ned Yost.

“[He has] unique, indeed legendary, skills as a superb talent evaluator. This is the skill set we need at the Mariners.”

–Howard Lincoln, on his new GM.

“What you’re looking for is, you’re looking for guys who want to achieve. You’re looking for guys who are winners, and you’re looking for guys who have a track record of success.”
–Zduriencik

“It’s a challenge. I’m a 24-7 guy. I am to a certain degree no-nonsense. I like decisions.”
–Zduriencik (Gregg Bell, Yahoo! Sports)

THE REST

“Throwing mustard packs at my granddaughter is not very cool.”
-Rays manager Joe Maddon

“We’ll know more after we sit down with Scott to gauge what’s happening and see if there’s some place we can meet in the middle.”
-Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti on the possibility of re-signing Manny Ramirez.

“I think the problem is that his elbow is too low, so he is not commanding because he is not throwing downhill. His command stinks because his motion stinks. For example, his curve has good rotation and break, but I think because of that delivery it breaks early, so hitters pick it up.”
–Anonymous scout on Phil Hughes (George King III, New York Post)

“We have a fantastic relationship with the Atlanta Braves, and it’s important to us that that continue. At the same time, John’s going to be in a position to have some choices, and he wants to evaluate those choices when the time is right. He’s going to have choices. But we’re incredibly sensitive and respectful to our relationship to Frank and the team.”
–John Smoltz‘s agent Molly Fletcher, on rumors he wants to head elsewhere.

“It will be absolute bedlam. It will be one of the craziest places on Earth. It’s kind of scary to imagine.”
-Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard (ESPN.com)

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Alex Carnevale is a contributor to Baseball Prospectus.