The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.
Even if Mays is given every conceivable break on every unknown - defense, base running, clutch hitting - his performance still would not match Mantle's.
Pitching keeps you in the games. Home runs win the game.
I like to hit with men in scoring position.
I loved to hit with men on base and with the game on the line.
If there's a runner on third with less than two outs, I clearly do not want to strike out.
You never want to have Yadier Molina up with the bases loaded in the World Series, but, dammit, you wouldn't want a better hitter up. Maybe that's not the way most people think, I don't know. That's how I think.
I am a better hitter with runners in scoring position.
I didn't know I hit that way (.625 with runners in scoring position). Maybe not knowing is my secret. If I chased numbers, maybe I wouldn't have as good results.
People attach too much importance to intangibles like heart, desire and clutch hitting.
I loved coming up with players in scoring position and I had to drive them in.
I've never been a guy that's consistently hit home runs. It's always seemed to come, like, three or four in a week or two, and then I'll shut it down for a couple of weeks.
I may not hit 50, 40 or 30 home runs, but I can do the little things like moving runners over that don't show up in the box score.
When you've got guys on base, you have to hit. I concentrate on getting it done.
