When you get hit like that, the only thing you see is the ball right in front of your chin,

You just hope he’s able to handle it all. It can be tough to live up to the expectations.

I didn’t see that side, … I thought the work that I got in down there with the guys and the training staff was plenty, and the attention that you get was great. We would...

A bat, two balls I don’t know, … When it keeps happening, it’s definitely frustrating.

Your confidence is so high, … There’s never been a valley.

I’m definitely looking forward to it, … It’s been a long time down here. After everything that happened as far as thinking that it could be over for me when I hurt it and how...

I don’t see any reason why I wouldn’t be ready. I don’t think about [the back injury]. The bullpen today, everything went well.

It’s what I expected after getting hit in the neck with a ball. It’s sore. It’s stiff. … If there’s any way to make my next start, I’ll make it.

It’s sore and tight, … I think I expected it to feel worse the next day, and it did this morning. We treated it all day today, so we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.

It’s nice being back here in uniform, … I haven’t been here as a player for three or four years because of the timing of injuries and other things, but it’s always pretty cool going...

It’s a pitcher’s worst nightmare; to throw a ball and the next thing you know, it’s right on you, … I could have gotten hit in the face, so hopefully this will be all right.

I’ve never tried to worry about where I fit in or where my spot is. When it comes down to it, you have to do what you have to do anyway. You have to pitch...

I’m not sure, … When you throw a ball in a game, it’s pretty much max effort. When you have a bruise or something tight it affects you a lot more than maybe if you...

[If Friday night was a bad dream for the Yankees, Saturday afternoon was a nightmare. A 10-2 loss was the least of New York’s worries. Starter Jaret Wright, who signed with the Yankees in the...

I thought it was a big game. With the way they’ve played us, to come in here and get the first one in the series, that’s a big win.

I got everything I wanted to get today. I’m ready to go.

It was kind of sick feeling being on the plane and finding out your team lost. I was kind of hoping she was wrong.

We’re in a race to get to the playoffs, so I’ll do everything I can to get back out there, … There’s no calling in sick now. You’ve got to get out there.

I do everything you can do … all the exercises for your shoulder to try to get it as strong as possible, to make it as stable as you can. For me, that’s the only...

You don’t want to find yourself rooting against guys. You just have to stay ready.

I just wanted to show people I could really catch them.

I think I got a little bit tired, I didn’t really have good stuff all day, … I was trying to get some ground balls, but they got through the holes and I couldn’t get...

[Wright also gave credit to Connors, whose official title is vice president of player personnel for the Tampa operation.] When I first started throwing [after returning from his torn scar tissue in his shoulder], I...

This is a big step for me.

It feels like it did after I threw in April [when he was healthy]. There’s normal soreness. It feels all right. I don’t see any problem with going every five days.

This one didn’t end in surgery,

There’s no calling in sick now, … You’ve got to get out there.

It’s a start, and I want to start. I just want to stay healthy past tomorrow and go from there.

You try to stay focused in the game. You have to approach it as a 0-0 game; you can’t let up at all, especially the way they’ve played us. It seems like every day brings...

I thought it went well. I didn’t feel it at all.

I struggled in the first, but I made some pitches when I had to, … I felt good out there. I felt a flow, I was getting in a rhythm.

[Wright played catch yesterday for the first time since a broken bat bruised his elbow in Toronto on Sunday.] There was a lot of improvement from last night to this morning, … All the treatment...

When it’s your elbow, you don’t want to hurt anything further. If it’s bruised, you don’t want to take any chances.

I’m just trying to take care of what I need to take care of and stay away from everything else. Today sure doesn’t help things out. You want to pitch well when you’re competing for...

Pitchers don’t get hit that often, especially above the chest,

It hit me right on the back of the elbow. The ball was hit to first base and I moved that way. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the bat. It...

To be down there for over three months, watching the games and following everything going on, your driving force is to get back and help the team get to the postseason, … Doing this tonight,...

I’m a big team guy, … Whatever’s best for the team, I’m on board with that. The goal is to win.

I think there’s definitely something to having guys around who have been there before, who can tell you how to change your game to keep up and maintain excellence over a period of time. I...

The first inning was scary. I felt a little out of synch early.

Today was the best day so far. I thought everything went pretty well.

wasn’t comfortable watching him.

I might have been thinking about that now if my back didn’t give out for a little bit. Right now, all of my focus is on getting back into a game.

Pitchers don’t get hit, really, that often, especially above the chest. A broken bat is a situation where I have to cover first base, and that took me right into the path of the bat....

It hit me in the back of the elbow, … I threw some pitches, but it just didn’t feel right, so we’ll see tomorrow.

Hopefully, it feels better tomorrow,

A bat, two balls — I don’t know. When it keeps happening, it’s definitely frustrating.

I’m not trying to hit anybody first time out.

He came down to Tampa, and we started playing catch, and he had the heaviest ball that I’ve ever played catch with, as far as sinkers, … If you could teach everyone what you need...

You see the ball first; you don’t really look for the bat. You see that the ball went to that side, so you know you have to get over there.