Today was the first time in my life, the last two innings, my heart was pounding like crazy. I was so excited. So many people were waiting for this moment.

It’s his fault we had to go 13 innings.

I just had a meeting and I told everybody I feel proud of my team. I feel proud because they went out and did everything they could do to win this game. We had a...

Last year we put a lot of pressure on the opposing team because Pod was running. I think his groin is healthy and when he’s healthy, we will run.

I worry about the guys who have the opportunity to make the team and they don’t take advantage of it. Right now they all [stink]. . . . That’s one of the reasons we are...

What I see from [Iguchi] is a great RBI man. I want to get him more home runs. He will help because he knows the league better. Last year he battled every day to make...

I think (if) Thome stays healthy, he’s going to help this team. Besides that, he’s a great guy in the clubhouse.

He’s ridiculous. You hit a ball through the wind like he did. He has a really good chance to have a great year.

He never will. He knows he’s a big-league pitcher [now]. He knows he can compete.

The only way you’re going to get hurt in this game is if you’re not throwing strikes. I told [Logan], ‘If you don’t throw strikes, you’re going to get killed.

My bench has to be better prepared right now than they were for the American League because they might see more action.

Everybody talks about caliber. I think Cleveland has a better team than New York right now.

When a man signs a contract he should honor it, … They signed me for three seasons to win … they were going to pay me just the same whether or not we were champions.

I said before the game, I don’t believe they’re going to be tired. They showed it.

Kenny’s got the wrong guy. You know why? Because if I say, ‘No comment,’ I feel guilty about something or I am lying about something I have to cover.

Duque didn’t throw the ball the way we like him to throw the ball. Most of the balls that got hit were hit hard. We thought he was going to give me four, five, six...

That’s the way people should be playing baseball, play hard. I like those kinds of games.

We have to have someone grab this team by the neck, by the horns, and take charge.

No way, … We got a long way to go. We got 15 years before we get to those people.

I don’t want this kid just to make an excuse like he was hurt just because he was giving it up,

Kenny and I are on the same page. He’s my boss, but he’s my friend, too. Sometimes we disagree like everybody else does. But when the manager and the general manager are on the same...

Uribe can’t hit a guy who throws junk. And then he hits a triple against the toughest pitcher in baseball.

People don’t like that, they say I don’t have respect for the game. I don’t want to say I’m different from other managers, [but] that’s the way I am. Vlad was my friend before I...

It was a big game for him.

I see St. Louis has 95 (wins). The White Sox 90. And we feel like we won only 10 games this year, … Some people treat my team like a piece of (garbage). And we’re...

I’m not going to let down the guys who have brought me here, … I’ve got a lot of confidence in [Hernandez]. He just had a bad outing. Maybe in the next couple of days,...

We weren’t dumb enough to trade Babe Ruth,

There’s nothing better than opening day in any sport, … It’s something you have to deal with.

That’s all we’ve done, … Hopefully, we’ve got another five months to come and we can play the same way.

He swung the bat [Friday], and he was ready to go.

It’s a great feeling. The funny thing about this is when I won the World Series, a lot of people felt that was my dream. That was my goal, to win the World Series. To...

I will guard him real well. I won’t say, ‘Get McCarthy up, we need him next inning.’ We are going to use him the same way we used El Duque last year when he was...

I’m a guy that doesn’t like to change lineups. I believe in the players, I believe those guys got me here, and I’d like to stick with the same people.

It’s about time. You know, we’ve waited almost a month-and-a-half to see that.

He was my teammate, and he don’t do anything to me. Frank is Frank. I wish him the best, there’s no doubt about it. I don’t have anything against Frank. If I have anything against...

Before, he tried to pitch and he couldn’t keep his breaking ball over the plate. Fastball, his location was pretty poor. Now he’s starting to get it together.

We can score more runs this year than last year. That’s why we brought those guys here. Last year, God, it was 2-1, 1-0, 3-2 every game. My pitching staff couldn’t even breathe one minute....

To me, it was kind of embarrassing. Even Cleveland players were shaking their heads. Cleveland people don’t know how much Jim Thome meant to this town. You don’t boo a class act. That’s OK, we’ll...

I think he really had a tough year. We expected a lot for him. He swings the bat real good at the right moment, especially when we need it. … He swung the bat good...

He didn’t hit very well in spring training, but I wasn’t really worried about him too much. Just from last year, the way he came over here and handled himself, you just knew he was...

I sent my coaches. I sent [third base coach Joey Cora] to talk to him. I don’t want to say stuff I might regret.

He can help me play every position. Because the way I play, I like to move people around, I like to pinch-hit for people, and this kid gives me the facility to using him everywhere,...

On paper we look really strong. We have another year to compete. Hopefully we stay healthy. I think we have another good year.

If I think I’m good, I don’t care about that stuff. If he’s not with the Cubs, he’ll be with someone else. He’s already proved to a lot of people in baseball that he’s a...

He was throwing the ball real well. The outing before, it was between location and tipping the pitch. You can count on him every time he comes out, because he’s a great worker. When you...

We have a lot of games to go and not that many players in camp. Everybody will get a legit chance. The guy who can pinch-hit and play once in a while, he will take...

(If) I put McCarthy there, I have six guys with no experience in the playoffs in the bullpen and now a rookie to close the game. El Duque knows about the playoffs.

I hate Wrigley Field. We’d have to win seven World Series in a row.

I said before the game that I didn’t believe (the Angels) were going to be tired. As soon as you put on the uniform, you forget about the pains and how tired you are.

After Contreras did that, I knew Freddy would come down and try to emulate him. He gave me the innings, too.