I don't think I'm a home run hitter. Most of my home runs are line drives. If I hit it, thanks God. But it's not the kind of thing that I think about. I just go out there and try to have a better season than I had before. Home runs are not in my mind.
The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.
Strikeouts are something that just happen. You don't go for strikeouts, because your pitch count gets too high. When you do get that opportunity, you have to put them away with whatever is working that day.
There were a small number of voices that said, 'Darvish only cares about strikeouts.' Although I may have had strikeouts in my mind, fans, team, teammates and team staff were always my top priority.
If I had my career to play over, one thing I'd do differently is swing more. Those 1,200 walks I got, nobody remembers them.
I don't like them fellas who drive in two runs and let in three.
I eventually became proud of my strikeouts, because each one represented another learning experience.
I'm so bad at baseball, I can't even hit now.
I didn't get over 1300 walks without knowing the strike zone.
I know Reggie Jackson is a good player.
I believe that you're a hitter first and you're a slugger second type deal.
I could throw pretty hard. I might strike out 16 guys, but I might walk 10. I mean, I was wild.
I know Koufax' weakness. He can't hit.
Pitching keeps you in the games. Home runs win the game.
It's funny what a few no-hitters do for a body.
Goose Gossage is a friend of mine, and he's definitely a Hall of Fame pitcher in my mind.
I'm going to consistently hit anywhere between .290 and .310. Anything above that, I'm catching breaks and finding holes.
I really like Dontrelle Willis' pitch; he's animated on the mound and is fun to watch - he gets into the game emotionally.
Hitting is the most important part of the game. It is where the big money is, where much of the status is, and the fan interest.
What I need as a player is just to get at-bats, I think.
Verlander is a guy every right-handed power pitcher looks up to since the beginning of time.
Yes, I have known Roger Clemens for a long time.
I've faced more than 35 major leaguers, and only two have ever made contact against me.
When you play this game twenty years, go to bat ten-thousand times, and get three-thousand hits, do you know what that means? You've gone zero for seven-thousand.
Too many pitchers, that's all, there are just too many pitchers Ten or twelve on a team. Don't see how any of them get enough work. Four starting pitchers and one relief man ought to be enough. Pitch 'em every three days and you'd find they'd get control and good, strong arms.
