Willie McCovey Quotes

I never forgot the four years I spent with the Phillies, my September call-ups and my big league Spring Trainings. I never forgot that.

I'd rather play in the major leagues and have some bad games than play consistently good ball in the minors.

You get to the big leagues, and you think, 'Can I do this stuff?' Then you take the first pitch down the middle for Strike 1, and you think, 'I could have hit that.'

Mickey Mantle was a very good golfer, but we weren't allowed to play golf during the season; only at spring training.

I played good ball in the minor leagues, and that's why they called me up to the major leagues.

I do have a lot of concerns but I am happy to say the Mets aren't one of them.

After I got that hit off Satchel (Paige), I knew I was ready for the big leagues.

When I raced, I had great parents, even a greater coach and a nutritionist. I was never insecure.

I wasn't ready for the majors when I joined the Pirates in 1955. I was too young and didn't know my way around.

I don't think I was a perfect hurdler, but I guess I did win all the time.

Your first responsibility is to the organization, to teach and prepare players to get to the big leagues and have them ready when they get there, but everyone in the minors wants to be in the majors.

When I was a minor league player, my goal was to be a major leaguer. It's no different as a minor league manager.

I think the main thing about football is confidence.

I was in the big leagues my first year in pro ball - pretty fast. I really don't think I had an understanding of what it meant to be a pitcher at that level at that point.

Maybe it's the sportsman in me, but if it is going to be television, I want to be the best I can be.

A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in our program. And I was very confident that we would be able to get the top-tier players to come in.

No, I don't get nervous when I play basketball.

I'm not saying I'm anywhere near the David Beckham league, but because I played well and Moliwood and probably the hair and everything, I did start to get recognized more and more.

I like to go out and use my actions to speak, you know, and when I get out there and get on the field, you can probably sense what's going to happen.

Any time I'm healthy I feel like I'm the best defensive player in the NFL.

I'm better on the pitch than with the microphone.

I see myself as an average to above-average catcher in the big leagues.

I grew up around a lot of the major leaguers, guys like David Wright, Pedro Martinez, Jose Reyes, and I think that's what really helped me. You see the routine they get, the humility they have.

Even when I played, if they gave me the microphone after a match, whether a doubles final or a singles final, I'd handle the microphone pretty well.

I'm just going to go play football - fly around and make some plays. That's all that matters.