Without Rocket being around, nobody is going to fill those shoes. But Brandon is a big piece of our puzzle. He understands what he can and can’t do. He is going to be a big...

Carrying the what? What’s the mantle. Like the mantle on the fireplace? Or Mickey Mantle? … Well, obviously, we want to get it done. We’ve dedicated ourselves to the city of Houston and this organization.

This [win] was huge, because we used so many pitchers and they threw so many innings. The last thing in the world you want to happen today in a tough game like that is take...

And sometimes, … it might be a guy throwing something you might not want to know about.

Everyone can make their own decisions about what’s going on. It’s not for players to answer. It’s just a tough situation right now.

Everything had to work perfectly on that double play, and it did. It was an unbelievable ending.

They caught a break and their best hitter came up, and that’s that, … This stings. It’s hard. But the umps do a great job. Things happen so fast out there.

But it was good to help us get off to a fast start. It’s always nice when you get any pitcher a run in the first. And Brandon pitched real well tonight.

You don’t slap a New Jersey girl and get away with it.

It was a great ceremony. The rings are great. It was a memorable day, up until the game started. Then we just didn’t play very well today. All of us.

We didn’t clinch anything,

You couldn’t have scripted it any better than that. The guy came back and he’s not supposed to be back. He took a risk and a gamble to have the surgery and help us. I...

It’s a lot of years. Not many guys get the opportunity to play their whole career with one organization, and I’m very happy.

I’m starting to believe,

It was killing him. He couldn’t throw the ball as far as my 10-year-old.

We just go out and do what we’re told, and he’s really making all the right moves. He’s just really doing a great job.

We got contributions form everybody up and down the lineup, and we needed everybody to pitch in. You can’t leave it up to one guy. Hopefully everybody can pitch in and contribute. Tonight was a...

We had some pretty good at-bats off [Carpenter]. We just couldn’t find any holes. That’s the way it goes sometimes. We were able to get some guys on but weren’t able to get them in...

That’s the first time I’ve ever faced Billy. He threw me a fastball in, then inside again. The last pitch was 99 mph, so I could have popped it up.

I don’t know. We’ll keep going out there and playing. We’ll focus on next year whenever that gets here.

He still has the passion to pitch. I think we have a chance. I’m hoping.

We did it for a couple of years, at least, … We’ve got the MASH unit going on right now, so it’s whatever is best for the club and whatever gives us a chance to...

I’m not greedy, I’m not selfish,

He’s the best I’ve ever played with,

How did he pull it out? If I was a fan, I would have mauled him.

We’ve got to take care of our own business. If we don’t do that, we could be sitting at home in a few weeks.

It was one guy who acted like a 12-year-old, who slapped her upside the head. I’m not going to sit here and hold all the Chicago fans accountable for this for one guy who was...

I asked for two hats. As long as he brings them back, we’ll let him slide. But he’s got to be a little fan-friendly down there. We have to protect our interests.

I’m just trying to get the best jump I can. If he tells me to go, I’m going.

I just wanted to get to a World Series one time. We never gave up, we kept battling.

You’re talking and 30-home run guys and they’re not in your lineup anymore, so you have to do some things differently, … That’s hit-and-running, laying down some bunts. We can’t be swinging for the fences....

We never gave up on ourselves.

No, not at all. I think if second base didn’t go as well as it has, I might have missed it, but I always wanted to catch and once I got here, after four years...

We’re going to the World Series, … It sounds weird to say if off my lips. Finally the baseball gods shined on us.

(Wednesday) was definitely a roller-coaster day. It was a close game, and then they tied it up with Bobby’s big home run. Then they come back and scored and put us down. Willy not giving...

Obviously, we had some pretty big bats last year. But this year’s lineup isn’t so bad, either.

It’s the way to do it. You can’t have total transition unless you want to have total failure.

[Their dreams did not come true, and for that, Biggio and Bagwell are forever grateful.] Next thing you know, … you’re two guys from New York and Connecticut living in Texas for the rest of...

I very easily could have popped it up, but I was able to square it up and we get out of here with another win.

There was a soft side to him that a lot of people didn’t get to know. He didn’t let a lot of people in there. If you were in there, he was just like a...

The guy goes into the stands. How’d he pull it out? If I was a fan, I would’ve mauled him.

That way I won’t have to miss any games. This is the time of year where it’s a little bit of a tough time, and she didn’t want me to miss any games, anyway.

I don’t care, who cares? You’re up 3-1. Obviously, the old cliche, you keep getting guys out there, and sooner or later you’re going to get some base hits. The biggest thing is we’re up...

[His manager and teammates, however, have their doubts.] You see guys get hit by balls in batting practice once in a while, … But not the starting pitcher. Incredible.

It’s hard. He’s coming from a different league, too. The one easy thing for him is right now he’s generally catching one guy and can get on the same page with him. You also have...

I’m not greedy, I’m not selfish I just wanted to get to a World Series one time,

It was a good pitcher’s duel, but it would have been tough to waste that pitching performance by Andy. The biggest thing with Andy was getting his velocity back. Everybody in here knew that once...

They got some guys on and we had one bad play. But, once again, they’ve got a good team over there, and for us to come out here and take two out of three, we’ll...

There’ve been a lot of great players to play the game of baseball that never got an opportunity to go to the World Series, … and I was hoping that I wasn’t going to be...

Bobby Cox is one of the greatest managers of all time,