Jeff Suppan Quotes

It`s funny because, when I hit it, I just tried to run as hard as I could, and I don`t really remember much.

I had a tough time with my slider; it was off the plate a lot. I work on staying focused and keeping my concentration at the level it needs to be. Sometimes, it may take five pitches to get that one out.

You`re going to go out there and you may feel good, you may feel bad; that really doesn`t matter, ... You have to go out and make pitches. Sometimes it may take five pitches to get that one out, but you`ve got to keep grinding it. With our team, anything can happen.

Basically, I was in shock. I just couldn`t believe it. Somebody called me earlier that morning to tell me an appointment my wife had was cancelled because of what happened and I was like, `What happened?` I (turned on the television to) see the first building on fire, not knowing what happened. I was sitting there in shock. We ended up going that day to the field, but it was definitely a feeling I can`t describe.

As a starter you have to be able to adapt to what is put in front of you. Obviously, you don`t like to wait that long but sometimes you have to.

I don`t feel like I`m laboring, ... I`m just concentrating on that one pitch and letting things happen. I`m trying to use the defense. I haven`t really thought about (start to start). I`m just focusing on the now.

I want to keep my mind in the same frame of mind every start. So, when I got out there, what I`ve done in the past against these guys doesn`t matter. What I`ve done in the past this year doesn`t matter. What matters is that particular pitch I`m throwing.

(His fosh is one of the pitches Suppan throws in the bullpen when warming up for a start because of its importance. He holds the ball with splayed fingers, and it`s crucial that his arm action on the change duplicates his delivery on his fastball. Otherwise, the ruse is ineffective.) If you have a dominant fastball, it takes people off that fastball if you`re able to locate the changeup, ... If you can throw a fastball changeup, and it looks the same each time, that`s a pretty tough combination.

Really I`m just getting ready to pitch, whenever that is.

This is something I have been looking forward to for a long time. It`s something I want to bring awareness to. Maybe (people) will see that and want to contribute to fallen soldiers` families and their children. This is a small thing I can do as an American.