Outfielder Quotes

The phrase `off with the crack of the bat`, while romantic, is really meaningless, since the outfielder should be in motion long before he hears the sound of the ball meeting the bat.

(Four Ducks players were named to the 2005 Atlantic League Post Season All Star Team. Outfielder Henry Rodriguez was selected after winning the regular season batting title and setting a new Ducks single season record for home runs. Second Baseman Carlos Hernandez was chosen after finishing second in the batting title race behind his teammate. Also recognized were pitchers Lance Davis and Todd Erdos. This season, Davis won the most games in a single season by a Ducks pitcher and also became the all-time wins leader in franchise history, while Erdos, in the role of closer, led the Atlantic League with 32 saves on the season.) We are very proud of these four guys, ... They put together exceptional seasons and led us to the post season for the second straight year.

(Next, remarks from Boston outfielder Trot Nixon may have snuck under the helmet and into A-Rod`s head.) When people ask me about the Yankees, I tell them about Jeter and Bernie Williams and (Jorge) Posada, ... I don`t tell them about Rodriguez.

I was a pitcher, shortstop and outfielder, and the Yankees tried to sign me out of high school as a first-round draft pick in 1981. I turned them down to go to college.

I never thought about being a writer as I grew up. A writer wasn`t something I wanted to be. An outfielder was something to be. Most of what I know about style I learned from Roberto Clemente.

(Dribblers: Flores said Sacramento`s charge into the playoffs was fueled by a dominant starting rotation, but the River Cats are heading for the postseason on fumes. Starters Dan Meyer, Seth Etherton, Ryan Glynn and John Rheinecker are all currently injured. ... Orioles outfielder Eric Byrnes, who was traded from the A`s in July, snapped an 0-for-15 slide against his former team Friday night with a bunt single in the seventh inning.) First bunt single of my career, ... Desperate measures for desperate times. If the situation calls for it, I`ll do it again, too.

I didn`t come in here to planning to be the fifth outfielder. That wasn`t what I had in mind. ... I feel like every spring training I`ve had a shot to be a starting guy, so this is a little different for me -- and it`s well-deserved, because the last few years I haven`t put up the numbers I need to.

And Samantha isn`t the only one who performed for us as a freshman. (Outfielder) Alessandra Giampaolo is back, too, and you can already see that they, as sophomores, have raised their games a level.

(Ryan Langerhans took a phone call the other night from former minor league teammate Matt Belisle (dealt to Cincinnati in 2003), who was asking for some explanation. In some ways, the phenomenon still eludes the rookie outfielder.) I don`t know, ... Early on, you try to figure out a reason for it, but I think it just breaks down to that all these young guys are good and everybody works hard and they`re confident. I think that`s a big thing right now, that they`ve had some early successes and we all feel like we can play at this level and keep this streak going.