Hank Aaron "That loping gait of Hank Aaron's is deceptive. You'd almost get the impression he wasn't hustling at times, but he'd be about the last player you could accuse of that. He just runs as fast as he has to, and you'll notice he always seems to get to a fly ball or base hit in time when there's any chance of making it." — Fred Haney
"He thinks there's nothing he can't hit. he'll have to learn there are some pitches no hitter can afford to go for. He still has something to learn about the strike zone." — Stan Musial, in 1957
You don't try to change a hitter like Aaron. In my book he's a better hitter than Willie Mays. He's going to get better, too. He'll be the one to beat for the batting championship for ten years, maybe more. He's the first NL player since Bill Terry with something better than an outside chance to hit .400 before he's through." — Pittsburgh manager Bobby Bragan, 1957
Dick Allen "Allen was scary at the plate. When he came up there, he had your attention. I want to forget a couple of line drives he hit off me, but I can’t because they almost killed me." — Mickey Lolich on Dick Allen
"Never in my life have I been associated with a better person. I want this fellow to play for me the rest of his career." — Chuck Tanner on Dick Allen
Jimmy Archer "He could squat on his haunches and throw strikes to second base." — The Sporting News
Bobby Avila "He has that extra something that makes a great hitter. Call it the competitive instinct.... He's always fighting the pitcher, never choking up, and never giving an inch.... In a tough spot, I'm always glad to see Bobby coming to the plate." — Cleveland general manager Hank Greenberg
Jeff Bagwell "He was a superstar-caliber player who really understood what every single player, regardless of their rung on the ladder, was going through. He could relate to everybody, regardless of their status in baseball and their position on the team. He was very understanding." — teammate Brad Ausmus
"I never saw a first baseman be that agile. Crashing in on bunts, whirling and throwing to second. He was a great defender." — Houston GM Tim Purpura
Harold Baines "Harold was a seventh-, eighth- and ninth-inning player, always coming up with big base hits off tough pitching." — White Sox broadcaster Ken Harrelson
"The Sox signed him out of high school and Bill [Veeck] asked me to work with him. I said ‘how much?’ Bill named a figure so I did. Harold was very quiet and if you didn’t know better you’d think he wasn’t taking it in, but he was. It was the first time I ever tried to teach a player and I learned something about myself. I showed him the type of glove to use, how to set up in the outfield for hitters, how to think when he was hitting.. just about everything. Harold was quiet but he always talked to me. He turned out to be a great outfielder with a tremendous arm. He may have been the best player the Sox ever had." — Jimmy Piersall, from an interview with Mark Liptak
"Personally, I've never seen a more clutch player. There may have been guys who have hit more home runs, whether it was against left-handed pitchers or right-handed pitchers, or guys who have driven in more runs, or played more games. But I'm talking for my money, there never has been a more clutch player than Harold Baines. Not during my time." — White Sox general manager Ken Williams
Dusty Baker "If you don't like Dusty Baker, you just don't really like people….Dusty treats you like a man, but also like a friend." — Kenny Lofton
Albert Belle "He played well for me. Albert is Albert. You're not going to change him." — Mike Hargrove
"Albert has a very intense personality, and that can be a double-edged sword. It contributes to his success, because he's so driven. But it's not something you can turn on or off. No matter what, he is going to reach his potential as a player, and he is never going to have to wonder if he could have been better, because he's done all he can. It has wound up affecting other parts of his life, but it's made him a Hall of Fame-caliber player." — former Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta
Yogi Berra "He'd fall in a sewer and come up with a gold watch."— Casey Stengel
"They say he's funny. Well, he has a lovely wife and family, a beautiful home, money in the bank, and he plays golf with millionaires. What's funny about that?"— Casey Stengel
"Why has our pitching been so great? Our catcher - that's why. He looks cumbersome but he's quick as a cat." — Casey Stengel
"As an all-around catcher for both hitting and catching, I'd have to rate Bill Dickey of the Yankees in the 1930's and 40's as the best I ever saw. He was as good as anyone behind the plate, and better with the bat. There were several others I'd include right behind Dickey: Al Lopez, Mickey Cochrane, Gabby Gartnett, Roy Campanella and Wes Westrum. Yogi Berra? An excellent hitter, especially in the late innings with the game hanging in the balance, and the American League's Most Valuable Player three times, but as a catcher I always thought he was above average." — Bob Feller
Paul Blair "I never saw Paul Blair's first step." — Earl Weaver, on Blair's amazing range in center field.
Joe Blanton "He just attacks the zone. He's aggressive. He's so much fun to play behind." — Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis on Joe Blanton.
Bert Blyleven "He was as good as there was for a long time. Bert is up there with the toughest four or five guys I faced in my career." — Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett
Jeremy Bonderman "He's a guy with some severe talent.... The sky's the limit for Jeremy.... When he's on, he's as dominant as anyone. There's not many of those guys out there." — teammate Kenny Rogers, in 2007
Barry Bonds "I believe that there is certainly evidence. Is it conclusive? Has he admitted anything? You know it's a little bit like Pete Rose. The evidence that Pete Rose bet on baseball was enormous; Pete denied it. And people all over this country said, 'Well, you know it's not great evidence, we really don't know, we'd give Pete the benefit of the doubt.' The whole thing is silly - Pete Rose bet on baseball. I think Barry Bonds took steroids. Enough's enough." — former commissioner Fay Vincent on Barry Bonds, May 2007
"We had a great relationship. We had a tremendous understanding and mutual respect for each other. I like him. I've seen a lot of good things from him, and I've seen him rub a lot of people the wrong way. But he played every day for me and he busted his tail. What else can you ask of a player?" — manager Jim leyland on Barry Bonds, whom he managed in Pittsburgh
Bobby Bonilla "He was a force offensively, he played hard and he was always a great personality for the clubhouse. He was a treat to manage." — Jim Leyland
Larry Bowa "Larry Bowa is the best shortstop I've ever seen, and I played with Mark Belanger and Luis Aparicio." — teammate Davey Johnson, in 1977
Clete Boyer "When I made the double play, I could just about close my eyes, put my glove up and the ball would be there. I would consider him one of the best players defensively. And when we got in the World Series and the lights came up, he made those great, great plays." — teammate Bobby Richardson
"He was a great Yankee and a tough guy. He never talked too much, but he was extremely hardworking, a wonderful third baseman, and had fire in his belly." — Yankee owner George Steinbrenner
Tommy Bridges "[He] had a heart of gold. He had the courage when the chips were down, and you had to hit him and hit him hard to beat him." — Ossie Bluege
Kevin Brown "Kevin Brown pitches like Kirk Gibson ran the bases." — Jim Leyland
Eric Bruntlett "A lot of times people misjudge a guy who doesn't play all the time, that maybe there's a drawback to him. That's not the case at all. The reason [Bruntlett] isn't playing every day on our team happens to be because the best shortstop in the league [Adam Everett] is playing shortstop. The guy [Bruntlett] is unbelievable. People say, 'Hey, good for him, he got a game-winning hit, or a game-winning home run.' And we're saying, 'The guy's better than all of us, anyway.' He just happens to be behind a guy who has unique abilities." — teammate Morgan Ensberg, 2005
George Burns "One of the most valuable ball players that ever wore the uniform of the Giants." — John McGraw
Miguel Cabrera "I think he sees that baseball is what he wants to do, what he loves. He has all my support, but he has to be willing to listen. What you say can't go in one ear and out the other." — Fellow Venezuelan Tony Perez, who served as a special assistant to the Marlins and established a good relationship with Cabrera.
Jose Canseco "[He is] the most conspicuous example of a a player who has made himself great with steroids." — writer Thomas Boswell, in 1988
"Jose Canseco admitted he cheated his entire career. Everything he ever did should be wiped clean. I think his MVP should go back and should go to the runnerup." — Curt Schilling
Gary Carter "Behind Johnny Bench, he's the best catcher in baseball." — Pirates manager Chuck Tanner on Gary Carter, 1979
Frank Chance "Chance was a born fighter, a determined, able, and magnetic leader of men, who could always inspire his men with extraordinary enthusiasm, get the best work out of them, and always hold their good will. As a field leader it is doubtful if his superior ever lived… he combined all the qualities of an ideal baseball general." — NY Times, July 2, 1911
Hal Chase "For all the things that have been charged against Chase, the fans cannot help remembering his astonishing fielding feats around first. 'Prince Hal' could do things with his hands that no other first baseman of the past decade has even attempted. He had wonderful natural grace, and amazing speed in covering ground. Without a thought of attempting anything fancy, he would make one-handed grabs that left the spectators speechless... Chase had a baseball brain that worked with his hands. It is doubtful if a smarter player, using smart strictly in a baseball sense, ever wore cleats. At times he was well nigh uncanny." — sportswriter Damon Runyon, The New York American, July 21, 1921
Cupid Childs "Childs was considered the fastest second baseman and one of the heaviest hitters in the major leagues. He was the idol of baseball fans and although never playing on the old Oriole team in Baltimore, he was always given a warm welcome because he was a Baltimore boy." — from his obituary in the Baltimore Sun
Jeff Cirillo "He's the perfect guy to have on this ballclub.You can put him up there and he can do anything you ask him to do. Hit-and-run, bunt, he can squeeze, he can hit and he can do whatever." — Brewers manager Ned Yost in 2006
Ty Cobb "He did everything except steal first base. And I think he even did that in the dead of night." — Rube Bressler
"He played as if he had brains in his feet." — Branch Rickey
"Every time at-bat for him was a crusade, and that’s why he’s off in a circle by himself." — Charlie Gehringer
Rocky Colavito "He was everything a ballplayer should be. Best of all, he had a nickname. Baseball fans love nicknames, especially when they fit." — Akron Beacon Journal columnist Terry Pluto, in his 1994 book, "The Curse of Rocky Colavito"
Dave Concepcion "The way he helped us, the way he played the game, on offense and defense. He played shortstop for us and he could run very well. He helped us in lots of ways. I [saw] a lot of shortstops in my career, and Davey was one of the best. He ranks right up there with the best." — teammate Tony Perez
"You can't separate Davey Concepcion from Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, or George Foster. Davey was right there with us." — teammate Tony Perez
Roger Connor "With his weight catapulting him, with speed and force, he slid feet first and, as he landed, could bob up, like a jack-in-the-box." — sportswriter Sam Crane
Jose Contreras "...if he throws strikes, and with the way he changes his arm angles and the way the ball moves, he's tough." — A.J. Pierzynski
Cecil Cooper "He's one of the finest gentlemen I've ever known. I loved having him as a player." — Bud Selig, on Cecil Cooper
Carl Crawford "I think if you come to the ballpark and you see Carl hit a triple, you've had a pretty good day. It's pretty much a signature play for him. Because when he hits the ball down the line, or in the gap, he's thinking three. He never thinks two. He breaks [for a] triple. He wants triple, he takes triple." — manager Joe Maddon
Alvin Dark "Alvin Dark, the Giant manager, took batting practice with his players, slapping the ball about the park just as he had done for ten years as an active player. Dark was a 'scientific' hitter who always studied a pitched ball carefully, measuring its plateward movement with delicate optical precision, and striking at it with calculated force. At least 70 percent of the time all this concentrated coordination netted him a big, fat A.B. and a trip back to the dugout. The frustration tore at his soul, and Alvin, who eschews profanity, often released his pent-up self-torment by slinging his batting helmet around the dugout." — from Jim Brosnan's The Pennant Race, his diary of the 1961 season.
Eric Davis "If you can't get inspired by Eric Davis and what he's been through, something's wrong." — teammate Shawon Dunston
Bill Dickey "Bill Dickey was the heart of the team defensively and commanded tremendous respect from the Yankee pitchers. Once the game started, he ran the show." — Bill Werber
Joe DiMaggio "There was never a day when I was as good as Joe DiMaggio at his best. Joe was the best, the very best I ever saw." — Stan Musial
Larry Doby "I never asked a pitcher to knock him down. I’d tell him we might come inside because he doesn’t like the ball in there, but that was it. I always talked to players at the plate. He’d get tired of me asking about his family and say to the umpire, ‘Tell him my family’s fine and to shut up.' " — Yogi Berra
Bill Doran "He makes those plays so regularly that when he doesn't, you're kind of surprised. I can't say enough about Billy. He's the kind of guy you can't get out of the lineup. He actually gets mad when I want to give him a day off." — manager Hal Lanier
Chuck Dressen "I think that Charley Dressen knows more about baseball than any manager I've ever had." — Al Kaline, 1964.
Jimmie Dykes "I don't know what he hit against everybody else, but he was a .440 man against me. As I remember, Jimmy used to hit to right-center. I always remember Dykes for the high shoes he wore. He claimed he had weak ankles. I think he must have had a catapult concealed in those shoes, the way the ball would take off." — Waite Hoyt
David Eckstein "He's the toughest guy I've ever seen in a uniform." — Tony LaRussa
Johnny Evers "He'd make you want to punch him, but you knew Johnny was thinking only of the team." — teammate Rabbit Maranville
Wes Ferrell "I saw him get so mad after losing a game of poker, that he tore the deck of cards in half with his bare hands." — teammate Bill Werber
Mark Fidrych "When he starts pitching, the other clubs in the league will be calling up the Red Sox asking them to start him in their park. They'll be sending me cases of scotch to change the pitching rotation!" %#151 Red Sox manager Ralph Houk on the attempted comeback by Mark Fidrych in 1982
Mike Flanagan "He's calm and invisible and lays back and, then, for about 10 seconds, he's hilarious." — teammate Ken Singleton
Nellie Fox "Of all the players of my time, only Jackie Robinson could beat you in more ways than Nellie Fox could." — sportswriter Joe Falls
Jimmie Foxx "The thing I remember is he was such a humble person. He never argued with umpires. He'd walk away. Sometimes I thought he was too meek for his own good." — daughter Nanci Foxx, who served as the batgirl for the Fort Wayne Daisies, the team in the AAGPBL that Jimmie managed.
Larry French "He has a high fast one that those top left-handed hitters will smack. I don't think he will give the Tigers as much trouble as a right-hander [would]." — Cardinals vice-president Branch Rickey, giving his scouting report on Larry French, prior to Game Six of the 1935 World Series.
Carl Furillo "He's still a helluva player. If they want to win pennants in Brooklyn, they should play him every day. He's a better hitter now than he ever was." — Milwaukee coach Connie Ryan on Dodger outfielder Carl Furillo, 1957.
Larry Gardner "[He is] a smart, shrewd ball player, always working for the best interests of his club, and an inspiration to his fellow players." — The Sporting News, Feb. 1, 1923
Ralph Garr “Ralph was one of the nicest guys you’ll ever want to meet, he was the type of guy who always had a smile on his face, he enjoyed playing the game but when he put that glove on he turned into Frankenstein. I just said on the air that he was a bad defensive outfielder. The next day I’m down on the field and he comes up to me and says, ‘hey blankety blank, why have you been saying I’m so bad? Didn’t you ever make an error?’ I said, ‘Ralph in seventeen years, I made 39 errors.’ He shut up quickly and walked away from me.” — Jimmy Piersall, from an interview with Mark Liptak
Charlie Gehringer "You can wind him up in the spring and he'll hit .320 with 40 doubles." — Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez on Charlie Gehringer
"Let Gehringer come to bat each time two strikes down to the pitcher and he wouldn't bat more than 15 points under his season's average." — Tigers manager Del Baker on Charlie
Lou Gehrig "Gifted with no flair whatever for the spectacular, except as it might be produced by the solid crash of bat against ball at some tense moment, lost in the honey days of a ballplayer's career in the white glare of the great spotlight that followed Babe Ruth, he nevertheless more than packed his share of the load." — Bill Corum, The Journal-American.
"He could be counted upon. He was there every day at the ballpark bending his back and ready to break his neck to win for his side. He was there day after day and year after year. He never sulked or whined or went into a pot or a huff. He was the answer to a manager's dream." — John Kieran, The New York Times
Tom Glavine "Glavine's career on the mound has been about guile and guts. He has been the portrait of a man in command of his craft. His command of the strike zone and ability to baffle with the change of speeds have been more than adequate substitutes for velocity. He has never lit up a radar gun, but he has beaten the best consistently -- with brainpower, with will, with ability guided by a world of pitching knowledge." — Mike Bauman, MLB.com, on Tom Glavine
"What made him a great pitcher with us early on is part of what made it hard for him to adjust. He's pretty strong-willed." — Bobby Cox, on Tom Glavine
Alex Gonzalez "Alex has God-given ability and works very hard, but the other thing he does, is that when he does not get hits, he does not take his at-bats to the field with him. For some guys, it's hard to separate it, but it's not for Alex." — Terry Francona
Joe Gordon "If there's any doubt about Gordon's infielding ability, it was dispelled today when the Oregon flash approached a record in successful chances. In the nightcap Joe Handled 17 chances without a flaw. Fifteen of these were handled in nine innings as he missed the modern nine-inning record by two." — James P. Dawson of the New York Times, reporting on the Yankees' doubleheader of July 4, 1938.
Sid Gordon "[John] McGraw searched for 20 years for a [player like] Gordon, and he just fell into my lap." — Giants manager Mel Ott
Rich Gossage "If you had Gossage strong, pitching four or five times a week, my goodness, it's scary to think about how good he'd be." — Tony LaRussa
Curtis Granderson "He is a unique, unique individual. One, he happens to be a pretty special baseball player. But also, everyone knows he's bright. He's very well educated. He's a family guy. His parents are both educators. But without question, everyone - whether it's media, former coaches, kids, my wife, my other players - everyone who meets him says the same exact thing." — his agent, Matt Brown, in 2006.
"He chases balls down. He cuts off the balls. He's got an accurate, strong arm. He does everything that you need to be a great center fielder." — teammate Craig Monroe, April of 2007
Eddie Grant “Edward Leslie Grant gave his all not for glory, not for fame, but just for his country.... His memory will live as long as our game may last.” — Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Mike Greenwell "Jose Canseco admitted he cheated his entire career. Everything he ever did should be wiped clean. I think his MVP should go back and should go to the runnerup." — Curt Schilling in 2007, on why Mike Greenwell deserves to be awarded the 1988 AL MVP
Ross Grimsley "Ross has three speeds. They are slow, slower, and still slower." — teammate Steve Rogers, on Ross Grimsley's velocity
"[When he's on], he's more fun to watch than Sandy Koufax or Nolan Ryan or any of those power pitchers." — Montreal pitching coach Jim Brewer, on Ross Grimsley's elusive stuff
Lefty Grove "All things considered, Grove is the best lefthander that ever walked on a pitcher's slab. He surpasses everybody I have ever seen. He has more speed than any other lefthander in the game." — Connie Mack, 1931
"Waddell was a remarkable pitcher. We all know that. But he wasn't dependable. He didn't take care of himself. Grove isn't that way. Lefty's always in condition. He's as dependable as the tides... He's faster than Waddell, too." — Connie Mack, 1931
Vladimir Guerrero "I say this respectfully: he's a freak. He's a very good hitter without a strike zone. He can hit the ball in, hit the ball off the plate away, hit the ball up and go get the ball that's down. He covers the plate, and beyond." — Jamie Moyer
"Vladdy has the best hand-eye coordination of any hitter I have ever seen. I have seen him hit 15 home runs that no other player could hit." — Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher
"It was in his zone." — Mike Scioscia, on Guerrero's homer in the 2006 All-Star Game, on a pitch up around his shoulders.
"There's no sense in having a report on him.... You have as good a chance to get him out if you throw it right down the middle as if you bounce it in the dirt. He's got just as good a chance to hit a home run if you bounce it or throw it down the middle. I've never seen anything like it. Changing speeds means nothing to him. You don't see him get fooled. He can still be out on his front foot and still hit it out of the ballpark. Most guys do that and they hit it [weakly] somewhere. He can look like he's totally fooled and hit a rocket somewhere." — Tigers manager Jim Leyland
Stan Hack "Stan Hack has as many friends in baseball, as Leo Durocher has enemies." — anonymous National League ballplayer
Roy Halladay "[He] rises to the occasion. He's got such overpowering stuff. That's what separates him from other guys - his makeup...his mentality. He's intimidating." � Toronto manager John Gibbons
Tom Haller "He knows his own pitchers' best pitch, has a good quick arm, gives the pitchers a good target, and handles popups extremely well in the Candlestick wind." — Giant manager Alvin Dark
Rickey Henderson “But it wasn't until I saw Rickey that I understood what baseball was about. Rickey Henderson is a run, man. That's it. When you see Rickey Henderson, I don't care when, the score's already 1-0. If he's with you, that's great. If he's not, you won't like it.” — A's teammate Mitchell Page
George Hendrick "It's a good thing he's a .310 hitter. He can probably get away with that as long as he hits like that. But if he were a .210 hitter, he'd be in real trouble." — San Diego owner Ray Kroc, on George Hendricks' refusal to give interviews, even to the Padres' own yearbook staff, in 1978.
Babe Herman "If I put him in the line-up everyday, he can hit .400 if he sets his mind to it. But he'll lose the club 2-3 games a week with his glove." — Otto Miller, who managed Herman with Atlanta in 1923.
Enzo Hernandez "If he could get on base often enough, I think he could break Maury Wills' record." — Padres batting coach Bob Skinner on Enzo Hernandez, 1973
Whitey Herzog "That Herzog is as smooth a fielder as I've seen for a kid coming up. He has a lot of power, too." — Birdie Tebbetts
Walt Hriniak "Who knows where my career might've gone if he was still my hitting coach. I just think about the numbers I could've amassed, because I was so cloned with him. There weren't any two- or three-week [slumps]. I didn't have those periods with him. He always had answers." — Frank Thomas, on his success using Walt Hriniak's hitting methods
Fergie Jenkins "Of all the animals on the earth, the buffalo is the dumbest." — Fergie Jenkins, on why he chose to call Zimmer a buffalo, rather than a gerbil.
Jackie Jensen "Right field in Boston is a bitch, the sun field, and few play it well. Jackie Jensen was the best I saw at it." — Ted Williams, in My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life
Al Kaline "The kid murders you with his speed and arm. ... He's made some catches I still don't believe. ... I sort of hate to think what'll happen when he grows up." — Casey Stengel, 1955
"There's a hitter. In my book he's the greatest right-handed hitter in the league." — Ted Williams in 1955.
"I wouldn't trade him for Mantle OR Mays." — Bob Scheffing, who managed Kaline from 1961-1963.
"I don't want to sound like one of those guys who manages in Chicago and says this Chicago is the best, then manages in St. Louis and says this St. Louis player is the best. But I've been watching Kaline... and he's the best player who ever played for me. Jackie Robinson was the most exciting runner I ever had... and Hank Aaron was the best hitter. But for all-around ability, I mean hitting, fielding, running and throwing, I'll go with Al." — Chuck Dressen, who was Kaline's manager from 1963-1966.
"Al Kaline, one of my all-time heroes, getting paid for signing autographs! What's next? Boy Scouts charging for helping little old ladies across the street?" — Jack Brownson, in a letter to the editors of The Sporting News, June 7, 1982
"No he did not, he was a gentleman. It would have to be a real borderline pitch for him to even turn his head." — umpire Larry McCoy responding to the question of whether Kaline argued any of his calls.
Benny Kauff "That acquittal was one of the worst miscarriages of justice that ever came under my observation." — Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis, speaking on Kauff's acquittal on auto theft charges, in 1922.
George Kelly "We have frequently mentioned that if Kelly had the theatrical instinct such as Babe Ruth is fortunately blessed with, "Highpockets" would become as popular and well-known as a slugger as is "Babe." But Kelly... is more of a retiring disposition." — sportswriter Sam Crane
Harmon Killebrew "I had pretty good success against the big home run hitters in the American League, when you talk about Yastrzemski, Reggie Jackson, and Frank Howard, until you get to Harmon Killebrew. Killebrew hit his share of long home runs off me, with that short swing of his." — Mickey Lolich
"Harmon Killebrew was one of the classiest people I've ever met in my life. He treated people with respect, even with the stature he had." — Rich Reese
Dave Kingman "I told Yogi that if he plays Dave in 150 games, he'll hit 30 homers for them, maybe 40. And after he's playing regularly for a couple of years, he'll be the next man to hit 60 homers." — Teammate Bobby Bonds in 1975
Silver King "There's no telling how long I could have stayed in the game and pitched effectively had conditions been as they are now. I wish instead of making a salary limit, they would have made a player limit of 22 or 25 men as they are carrying now." — King in 1918
Clem Labine He played the game the way it was supposed to be played. He gave it everything he had, he got along with everyone and everyone loved him." — Tommy Lasorda
Tony LaRussa "Italian handsome, hair as dark as the back of a chminey, prescription shades, stright out of casting, the sitcom TV lawyer who's saving homesteads for old ladies or getting drugged kids off the streets - that's your manager La Russa of the White Sox." — sportswriter Furman Bisher, 1980
Chet Lemon “Chet wasn’t a very good outfielder at first because he came up as an infielder and made the change but Chet worked very hard. He hustled, he learned. He had trouble running the bases at first despite the fact that he was fast, but he picked up.” — Jimmy Piersall, from an interview with Mark Liptak
Jeffrey Leonard "Jeffrey never wants anything calm and contented around here. When things are going too smooth, he looks for ways to stir things up." — teammate Bob Brenly
"I don't particularly like Leonard." — St. Louis lefty John Todor, during the 1987 NLCS, when Giants' slugger Jeff Leonard was involved in controversy with the Cardinals
Duffy Lewis "His crooked smile couldn't hide a nasty Irish temper." — author Tim Gay, in Tris Speaker: The Rough and Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend
Ed Lopat "He looks like he's throwing wads of tissue paper. Every time he wins a game, fans come out of the stands asking for contracts." — Casey Stengel
Danny Lynch "The kid has a great pair of wrists. He has a lot of power, can hit a long ball and is not easily fooled. In the field he has all the actions of a good glove man. He moves equally well to left or right, can play either shortstop or second base, and doesn't look bad at third. We are going to give him a big look next spring." — Cubs manager Charlie Grimm, in September of 1948
Fred Lynn "[Fred] Lynn is the most complete player in our league. But when you think of the most dangerous hitter, you think of a [Jim] Rice or [Don] Baylor, a guy who scares you every time he comes to the plate." — Toronto manager Roy Hartsfield, 1979
Garry Maddox "Garry Maddox plays shallow like Paul Blair, but he's four steps faster." — teammate Davey Johnson, in 1977
Greg Maddux "He's like a meticulous surgeon out there, he puts the ball where he wants to. You see a pitch inside and wonder, 'Is it the fastball or the cutter?' That's where he's got you." — Tony Gwynn
"Every pitch has a purpose. Sometimes he knows what he's going to throw two pitches ahead. I swear, he makes it look like guys are swinging foam bats against him." — John Smoltz
"Maddux is so good, we should all be wearing tuxedos when he pitches" — scout Phil Favia
"Greg Maddux could put a baseball through a life saver if you asked him." — Joe Morgan
"(He has) talent I've never seen anyone else have. He has a back-door sinker and wisdom to actually outsmart anybody in the game. I'm so glad somebody small, someone looking like me, actually did it. I'm very happy for him and I wish him all the best and I hope he doesn't stop there." — Pedro Martinez, on Maddux's 300th victory
"He was the smartest pitcher I've played with or against." — Ozzie Guillen
"Any pitcher on this team should have the pleasure of parking their butt next to him on the bench during games and learning whatever you can from him and then watching him when he is pitching." — Cubs teammate Ryan Dempster
"He's the definition of pitching. He's not overpowering, he doesn't have tremendous stuff, but he gets it done every day, day in and day out. It's good that I can tell my grandkids that I had the chance to play behind Greg Maddux, the Hall of Famer." — Juan Pierre
Bill Madlock When the club takes the field, Madlock takes charge." — Chuck Tanner
Mickey Mantle "He should lead the league in everything. With his combination of speed and power he should win the triple batting crown every year. In fact, he should do anything he wants to do." — Casey Stengel
"There's one thing he can't do very well. He can't throw left-handed. When he goes in for that we'll have the perfect ballplayer" — St. Louis Brown's Manager Marty Marion when asked if Mickey had a weakness
"That kid can hit balls over buildings." — Casey Stengel on Mickey in 1951
"He's the best prospect I've ever seen." — Branch Rickey in 1951
"If he'd just fling his bat at the ball he'd hit is just as far and maybe he wouldn't strike out so much and get so mad." — Casey Stengel in 1955, suggesting that Mantle shorten his swing.
"I once invested a dollar when [Mickey] Mantle raffled off a ham. I won, only there was no ham. That was one of the hazards of entering a game of chance, Mickey explained." — Jim Bouton, in Ball Four
"... I dont like the Mantle that refused to sign baseballs in the clubhouse before the games. Everybody else had to sign, but Little Pete forged Mantle's signature. So there are thousands of baseballs around the country that have been signed not by Mickey Mantle, but by Pete Previte." — Jim Bouton, in Ball Four
Firpo Marberry "time after time, he would come in there and nobody ever did much with him… But I know he won or saved plenty, and that nobody liked to hit against him." — Bucky Harris, on Firpo Marberry
Marty Marion "Marty Marion was a great guy and I really liked him. My first year up, he was the regular shortstop and then he became manager... He worked with me at shortstop and tried to help me every way that he could. He was a likable person and he did everything to help me feel comfortable at that position. Needless to say, I could never fill his shoes. I believe he should be in the Hall of Fame. I can’t believe that he’s not. He was a great guy to play ball for and a great instructor. He was just somebody that I admired very much." — Solly Hemus, Cardinal infielder in the early 1950s
Billy Martin "There's a manager I could play for." — Reggie Jackson talking about Billy Martin, when Jackson was with the Orioles in 1976.
"I'd fire my mother for the chance to hire Billy Martin." — Rangers owner Bob Short, defending his firing of Whitey Herzog to make way for Martin
"Even when Billy's not around, he's in ever mind. It's like a spiritual involvement with the Lord. You can't see him, but you know he's there. That's enough." — Oakland pitcher Mike Norris
Christy Mathewson "He was an inspiration to everybody and may we have more of his kind. His sense of justice, his integrity, and sportsmanship made him far greater than Christy Mathewson the pitcher." — Kenesaw Mountain Landis speaking at the memorial service for Christy Mathewson
Gary Matthews "He hit everything we threw. That was the fastest cycle I think I've ever seen." — Tigers manager Jim Leyland, on the cycle by Matthews against his team, September 13, 2006
Joe Mauer "I watch Joe and he makes it look so easy. Everybody wants to hit like that. Everyone can kind of learn from the way he hits and his approach, as he doesn't seem to chase too much. Having a guy like that around helps me and everyone else, really." — Justin Morneau
Lee May "The guy is a delight to have on a club. He'll get the job done for you, no matter where you put him on the ball field." — manager Dave Bristol
Carl Mays "Carl Mays wasn't very popular, but when nobody else could win, he could. He was a great stopper." — teammate Duffy Lewis
"Whatever criticism you may make about Mays, he has more guts than any pitcher I ever saw." — Everett Scott
"No pitcher in the American League resorted to trickery more than Carl Mays in attempting to rough a ball, in order to get a break on it which would make it difficult to hit." — umpires Billy Evans and Bill Dinneen in a written statement after the beaning and death of Ray Chapman
Willie Mays "I've played with him and against him, and as far as I'm concerned there never could have been any better center fielder." — Red Schoendienst on Willie Mays
"Willie Mays was the finest player I ever saw, make no mistake about it. He could carry a team for a month at a time by himself. But, because he was so skilled, he was able to get away with a lot of things he did wrong on the field, and it was hard for him to show the younger players how to get the job done." — Willie McCovey
Willie McCovey "McCovey didn't hit any cheap one[s]. When he belts a home run, he does it with such authority it seems like an act of God. You can't cry about it." — Walter Alston
"Why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball just three feet higher?" — Charlie Brown, from Charles Schulz's December 22, 1962, Peanuts comic strip
Joe McGinnity "McGinnity was a magician in the box. It was difficult for a batter to get his measure. Sometimes his fingers would almost scrape the ground as he hurled the ball. He knew all the tricks for putting a batter on the spot." — Connie Mack, in his biography My 66 Years in the Big Leagues
Roy McMillan "What do you want to do, put him in the Hall of Fame?" — Cincinnati manager Birdie Tebbets, on speculation of how valuable Roy McMillan would be if he hit .280.
Don Money "He is one of the most solid players in the league, and he gets no credit for it, or when he does, he doesn't get enough. He is one of the most respected players in the American League." — George Bamberger, 1978
Jack Morris "You have to wonder if enough of these voters will ever be able to look past his 3.90 career ERA to get him to the podium. Well, if you toss out that ERA (which is lower than Jason Schmidt's career ERA, by the way), what more evidence of this man's perpetual ace-hood could a voter ask for? This is about more than just Game 7, 1991. Jack Morris pitched a no-hitter. He started three All-Star Games. He was a huge figure on three World Series pitching staffs. He always started Opening Day. And consider this: From 1979 to '92, when Morris and Nolan Ryan were both doing their thing, Morris had 65 more wins than Ryan (233-168). I've voted for him eight years in a row, and never once felt I'd overinflated what he was in his day." — writer Jayson Stark, 2007
Thurman Munson "[Munson was] a man who lived a lifestyle that some would characterize as old-fashioned. He was a man who believed in his family and gave all he could to the game." — Ohio State Senator Thomas Walsh, after the death of Thurman Munson in 1979.
Dale Murphy "If your a coach, you want him as a player, If your a father, you want him as a son. If your a woman, you want him as a husband. If your a kid, you want him as a father. What else can you say about the guy?" - Joe Torre
"He's one of the toughest guys I've ever pitched to" - Nolan Ryan
"When Murphy hits a ball in Georgia, I get the idea it might land in Florida" - Grant Jackson
"These days, anytime one of my pitchers keeps Murphy in the ball park, I pat 'em on the fanny" - Pete Rose
"Just look at him over there, Doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't take greenies, nicest guy you'd ever want to meet, hits the hell out of the ball, hustles like crazy, plays a great center field and isn't trying to get anything from anybody...Doesn't he just make you sick?" - Terry Forster
"If you can't be impressed by Murph, you can't be impressed. What really impresses me is how he started out as a catcher a few years back and ends up in center field with a Gold Glove. You've got to appreciate that kind of talent." - Andre Dawson
"I can't imagine Joe DiMaggio was a better all-around player than Dale Murphy." - Nolan Ryan
"The best player I've seen since Willie Mays." - Billy Connors
"Last year he was our league's most valuable player. And this year he may be the most improved player in the league. What does that make him?" - George Bamberger
"The guys respect him. He's more than Most Valuable Player - he's the Most Valuable Person." - Jerry Royster
"The only way to stop him is to throw him balls. Throw away, away, away. Even then he might hurt you." - LaMarr Hoyt
"You can put him in a class with a Mays and an Aaron because he can beat you with his glove, and he can beat you with a home run." - Joe Torre
"Dale may be the only guy I know who could call 24 guys in one locker room a good friend." - Don Sutton
"I've never known anyone like him. God only makes one like Dale every 50 years." - Chuck Tanner
"There's no doubt he's a great hitter who will get his home runs and RBIs, but the best thing about him is he also plays a great center field. In this age of specialization, when you get some guys who can steal, some who can hit, and some who can field, it's nice to see a guy who can play all the facets." - Ron Darling
"I don't challenge Murphy, even if he's 0 for 20. Not him, not ever." - Mario Soto
"I'd say he is probably the best all-around player in either league, probably the most valuable . . . in baseball right now." - Hank Aaron, in 1982
"It would be a different team without him. I don't think there would be too many people watching us play." - Zane Smith
"What's really special about him is that he knows how to run the bases. He gets up his speed, and he knows what his capabilities are. If he tries for a base, you know he's going to make it." - Hank Aaron
"If you could improve Andre Dawson, he would be Dale Murphy." - Jerry Royster
Stan Musial "He could have hit .300 with a fountain pen." - Joe Garagiola
"How good was Stan Musial? He was good enough to take your breath away." - Vin Scully
"I've had pretty good success with Stan by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third." - Carl Erskine
"Once Musial timed your fastball, your infielders were in jeopardy." - Warren Spahn
"A couple years ago they told me I was too young to be president and you were too old to be playing baseball. But we fooled them." - President John F. Kennedy to Musial, at the 1962 All Star Game
Billy North "He covers more ground in center than anyone we've ever had." — teammate Reggie Jackson, 1973
Amos Otis "He's the best center fielder in baseball. No question about it. Amos is the most complete player in the majors, one of the most complete I've ever seen." — Royals manager Jack McKeon, in 1973
Andy Pafko "The pitcher who has Pafko, Snider, and Furillo in the outfield behind him should do nothing but make the opposition hit in the air and watch the trio go get them." — Stan Baumgartner, The Sporting News, June 27, 1951
Joe Page "There are two things that make Page a great relief pitcher. First, he's got a great arm. Second, he's got a great heart." — Casey Stengel
Jim Palmer "See those gray hairs? Every one of them has number 22 on it." — Earl Weaver, speaking of his tumultuous relationship with pitcher Jim Palmer
"Jim's a perfectionist. he thinks he can go the whole nine innings without making a bad pitch." — teammate Mark Belanger
"The Chinese tell time by the Year of the Dragon, The Year of the Horse. I tell time by Palmer - Year of the Shoulder, Year of the Elbow, The Year of the Ulna Nerve." — on dealing with his "fragile" star pitcher, Jim Palmer
Rafael Palmeiro "The year he tested positive [2005], nothing he did that year should count, which I think would take away 3,000 hits for him." — Curt Schilling on Rafael Palmeiro
Dave Parker "Parker gave 100 percent effort in every inning of every game that he played. He was one of the greatest I ever managed and one of the greatest who ever played, in my opinion. He has Hall of Fame credentials." — Chuck Tanner
Wily Mo Pena "His power is unbelievable. He's like a 'Little Papi,' and I know that when his time comes, he will be a good player. Nobody hits the ball like Mo - nobody." — David Ortiz
Timo Perez "He's dangerous because he swings. He's a pretty sharp hitter, he's pretty smart. He knows what he's doing..." — Tigers manager Jim Leyland on Timo Perez, 2007.
A.J. Pierzynski "If he thinks he going to be a backup player, he should come to me and not go to the radio. Do I have anything against him? No, he's going to be my catcher tomorrow and my catcher the next day and every day until I make the lineup when Toby Hall is in the lineup," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, after Pierzynski complained on a radio show about being out of the lineup, May 2007.
Wally Pipp "I usually play a short field because I believe it is a decided advnatage to do so. But of course in the case of such a batter as Pipp, it would be foolish toplay in. You have to go away back for those sluggers." — Tris Speaker
Placido Polanco "If you picture one hit he's going to get, it's the line drive over the second baseman's head. When you see that, he's right." � Don Slaught
Darrell Porter "I know one thing: without Darrell Porter, we sure wouldn't have won our second and third straight championships in the West Division." — Royals manager Whitey Herzog
Vic Power "I never saw a guy who played first base better than Vic Power; there was nobody even close to him. Many times people would bunt to the other side of the plate away from first base and Vic would charge in and still throw out the runner at third base, and second base, too. He was unbelievable." — Tony Oliva
Kirby Puckett "He never had a bad day. I don't care how bad things were going on or off the field, Kirby found a way to make you laugh... He was a breath of fresh air in this game." — Frank Thomas
Albert Pujols "When that ball flew over our heads, I turned to Mike Mason, our bullpen coach, and said, 'That's why they pay that guy 100 million bucks.' "— Cardinals reliever Ray King, who was in the bullpen when Pujols belted his game-winning three-run homer against the Astros in Game Five of the 2005 NLCS
Paul Richards "There were a lot of people smarter than Paul Richards, but they weren't in Baseball." — historian Dick Adams
Mariano Rivera "Pretty much, you think the game is over when he comes in. You know you have to turn it up a notch if you want to have a chance. That, or you have to hope his cutter cuts so much that he walks us or hits us." � Johnny Damon
"The most amazing thing is Mo's demeanor; not too many people have what he has. He's never intimidated, he'll challenge anyone, and you can't tell from his expression whether he was successful the night before or if he failed the night before. You have to have that in the role he has and, more importantly, where he's playing." � Derek Jeter
Phil Rizzuto "He does everything right. He gives you good throws, and he takes your bad ones with ease, nonchalance." — Gil McDougald
Alex Rodriguez "It was always about the numbers in [Seattle and Texas] for him. And that doesn't matter here. Winning is all you're judged on here." � unnamed Yankee on Alex Rodriguez, in 2006
"He puts in the work before games and looks textbook out there. But all of a sudden the game starts, and he quits using his feet and he's fielding with a lazy lower half. That causes his arm to drop, and the ball sails on him." � Yankee coach Larry Bowa, on Alex Rodriguez's fielding problems in 2006.
"If he stays healthy, I'm sure he'll have a crack at hitting 800 home runs." — Derek Jeter on Alex Rodriguez, 2007
Ivan Rodriguez "The squatty build that inspired Rodriguez's nickname became outdated a couple of years ago, replaced by a slimmer, faster frame." — MLB.com reporter Jason Beck, Jan. 2007
Gary Roenicke "I'm going to play Roenicke as much as I can. I still might take him out against certain right-handed pitchers, but we've got to get him between 500 and 600 at-bats. Who knows, he might hit 35 to 40 homers if he comes up that many times." — Earl Weaver in 1980. Roenicke got fewer at-bats (297) in '80 than he had the previous season.
Babe Ruth "I stopped telling people stories about how great he was, because I realized no one believed me." — Hall of Fame pitcher and Ruth teammate Waite Hoyt.
Nolan Ryan "He was throwing the ball harder than any man I ever saw in my life." — John Mayberry, after his Royals were no-hit by Nolan Ryan on May 15, 1973
"If they had a higher league, he could be in it. As a matter of fact, he could be it." — Hal McRae, on Nolan Ryan
Johnny Sain "We threw every single day. Johnny just wanted you on the mound for five or ten minutes. You wouldn’t be throwing a hundred miles an hour or trying to snap off a hard breaking ball, but you’d be out there getting accustomed to the mound and throwing to keep your rhythm. I thought he was one of the best coaches I ever had." — Wilbur Wood on Johnny Sain, his pitching coach with the White Sox.
Steve Sax "First I think, 'I hope they don't hit it to me.' Then I think 'I hope they don't hit to Sax.' " — third baseman Pedro Guerrero, when asked what went through his mind when the ball was hit.
Ray Schalk "Of the Sox' four backstops, [Ed] Walsh seems to like best to pitch to Schalk, although any of the regulars has shown ability to handle him. Only a kid of 20, Schalk has demonstrated that he knows a lot about catching and lacks only experience." — I.E. Sanborn, Chicago Tribune
Curt Schilling "It's probably unfair, I mean, even dating back to the sock, and the soap opera watching him throw in the bullpen and having the doctors and the trainers out there, he really shouldn't have pitched. And I can't remember one moment ever thinking he wouldn't be pitching, and not only that, but that he wouldn't win. And it probably wasn't fair. So I guess that kind of sums up how I feel about Schill." — Red Sox manager Terry Francona on Curt Schilling
Tom Seaver "Seaver's getting old. You don't take anything away from him because he's a helluva pitcher and he was great in the past, but past years are past history." — Houston pitcher J.R. Richard, after the Astros defeated Seaver on April 16, 1978. Seaver would post a 2.88 ERA in 1978, while Richard would finish at 3.11
Jimmy Sheckard "Sheckard was one of the brightest ball players in the business, and he was a bigger cog in the old invincible Cub machine than he ever received credit for being." — teammate Johnny Evers
Gary Sheffield "He's a franchise player. When he's waving that stick around like a Wiffle Ball bat, it puts in your mind's eye what he can do when he gets in a groove." � Detroit teammate Jason Grilli
Norm Siebern "Siebern is tall, fleet, a ball hawk, a lefthanded batter with a knack of hitting southpaw pitching." — The Sporting News, April 18, 1956
Ted Simmons "All you ever hear is Bench and Munson and Fisk. Nobody ever talks about Simmons. He's the most underrated catcher. He's never got the recognition he deserves. But where can you find a catcher that can do all the things Simmons can do? He hits better than any of them, and he calls a great game. And who else in the league can catch as many games as he does?" — Pittsburgh manager Chuck Tanner on St. Louis catcher Ted Simmons, 1978
Ken Singleton "If you talk about consistency, coming to the ballpark day in and day out and getting the job done, then you have to rank Ken right up there with the best of them. As a consistent hitter, I'd have to put him in the class with Brooks [Robinson] and Frank [Robinson] as the best I've ever had play for me." — manager Earl Weaver
"When we got Kenny, we knew he was a good hitter, but I wasn't sure where we'd put him in the lineup. As it turned out, we needed a leadoff hitter, so we used him there and he was excellent. Now, we need him in the middle of the batting order, and we've had to look to him to give us a little more power - and he's done that, too. He's very patient at the plate, a very disciplined hitter, and it looks like he just keeps getting better." — manager Earl Weaver
Lee Smith "[I flipped] a coin with Lee Smith to see who throws the eighth inning of the '91 game. We were behind in Toronto, and we were both tired. I won the flip, so I pitched the eighth, and that means he had to stay out there for the ninth. He didn't get to pitch anyway, because we lost. But what I remember most from that is him coming back into the clubhouse and being ticked off because someone stole his glove. I felt guilty because he loses this flip to me, and that glove probably had 300 saves in it, bound for the Hall of Fame." — Rob Dibble on his favorite All-Star memory
Lonnie Smith "Smith wasn't looking at Knoblauch. He wasn't looking at his coach. He wasn't looking at anything except second base, just looking at that damned base." — Atlanta GM John Schuerholz, on Smith's baserunning mistake in the eighth inning of Game Seven of the 1991 World Series
Chief Sockalexis "He was a huge fellow who looked like an Indian on the warpath and who scapled the grat pitchers of the day." — Connie Mack, in his biography My 66 Years in the Big Leagues
Billy Southworth "Southworth takes all the credit when the Braves win and blames the players when they lose. I think he'll quit the team and Tommy Holmes will get the job. It could happen sooner than you think." — former Braves' pitcher Bobby Hogue, early in 1951, predicting (correctly) that Billy Southworth would step down as Boston manager.
"Billy did a fine job for the Braves. He came to us when we were nothing and by wise decisions and smart trading ability, brought us up into the first division and then to a pennant in 1948." — Boston Braves General Manager John Quinn
Al Spalding "His face is that of a Greek hero, his manner that of a Church of England Bishop... and he is the father of the greatest sport the world has ever known." — New York Times, 1899
Eddie Stanky "Eddie came up in baseball by his own bootstraps. There was no red plush carpet laid out for him. He observed and learned." — Milt Stock
"He can't hit, can't run, can't field. He's no nice guy, but all the little SOB can do is win." — manager Leo Durocher
Willie Stargell "There's only one word to describe Willie Stargell, and that's class. He's been an inspiration to millions of youngsters all over America." — Tommy Lasorda
"That rare combination of athlete and gentleman. He is one of the very few to be a star both on and off the field." — former teammate Ken Brett
Sammy Stewart "If you get lucky and knock out one of their starters, you aren't doing yourself a favor, because they bring in Stewart. He'd be a starter with any other team." — Milwaukee manager George Bamberger on Baltimore reliever Sammy Stewart
Bruce Sutter "I don't think Johnny Carson got a lot of hate mail when he signed for $5 million. But Bruce Sutter probably did. Why? Well, Johnny's a lot funnier than Bruce. I mean, Bruce is a wonderful guy, but his Karnak is weak." — pitcher Steve Stone, after Sutter signed a multi-million dollar deal in 1980.
Charlie Sweeney "One of the greatest pitchers, if not the greatest that ever twirled the ball, was Charley Sweeney, who was with the Providence club in 1883-1884. He was the first and only man that I ever saw who would curve an out-ball to a left hand batsman. Several of the pitchers can get a shoot, but his was a clean curve. He has the unequaled record, up to the present day, of nineteen strike-outs in one game." — Tim Murran, The California Spirit of the Times & Underwriter’s Journal, September 17, 1887.
Nick Swisher "Who cares what he does on his own time? The kid shows up at the park and he gets it done. He's ready to play. He works his butt off. That's all you can ask. He's pretty much carried us most of the year so far, and it's hard to say anything negative about a guy who's carried your team this long." — A's teammate Jay Payton in 2006, when Swisher was criticized for having gone into a slump after it was reported he was enjoying a late nightlife in the Bay Area.
Miguel Tejada "There's no use broaching that. That's Miggy's call. When Miggy says he wants a day off, he'll get the day off. He knows that if he ever wants to DH sometime, he should try to get to me a day or two before so I can maneuver the lineup and work it out for him." — Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo, on Miguel Tejada's consecutive games streak, May 20, 2007
Garry Templeton "We want to keep our prime assets. It's business." Cardinals GM John Claiborne in 1980, when the team shelled out $8 million to extend the contracts of Templeton and Keith Hernandez
Frank Thomas "And we don't miss him, by the way. If you go out there and ask any one of my players or staff members, we don't miss him. We don't miss the attitude. We don't miss the [complaining] and the whining. We don't miss it. Good riddance. See you later." — White Sox GM Kenny Williams, responding to comments Thomas made about the White Sox after they let him go after the 2005 season
Sam Thompson "[Thompson is from the] rutty class of slugging batsmen, who think of nothing else when they go to the bat but that of gaining applause of the 'groundlings' by the novice's hit to the outfield for a 'homer,' one of the least difficult hits known to batting in baseball, as it needs only muscle and not brains to make it." — The 1896 Spalding Guide
Andre Thornton "Andy Thornton is as good a man as you'll find on the face of the earth." — Bobby Bonds
Joe Torre "He's always the same. That's the reason he's been so successful. He relays that to us in good times, bad times, and he's got the perfect mentality, I think, for a manager." — Derek Jeter on Joe Torre
Alan Trammell "It will take Alan a couple of years to get everything together, and when he does he'll control the game. The great shortstops all control the game." — Sparky Anderson, in 1980
"He was in the right position to field groundballs, and as a pitcher, you appreciated that. He didn't dive for the ball like Ozzie Smith did and make it look acrobatic. Tram fielded the ball in front of him." � Milt Wilcox
Manny Trillo "It's like we've been together for 10 years, he's so easy to play with." — Shawon Dunston in 1986
Justin Verlander "One of the best arms on a starting pitcher I've seen. Ever. And I've been around a long time. You don't see too many guys throwing 100 mph." � Paul Byrd
"I don't know how else to describe it. A guy throwing 100 mph in the ninth inning with a no-hitter, I've never seen that before." ¡ Milwaukee pitcher Dave Bush, after Justin Verlander no-hit the Brewers on June 12, 2007
Ossie Vitt "We think we have a good chance to win the pennant, but we'll never win it with Vitt as manager. If we can get rid of him, we can win. We feel sure about that." — Mel Harder, in a closed-door meeting with 10 of his teammates and Indians' owner Alva Bradley in June of 1940.
John Vukovich "I watched him grow up in baseball, give every ounce of himself to reach his goal in the major leagues and stay there. I respected him for his baseball knowledge, dedication to the game and the Phillies, his loyalty to his managers and organizations, his honesty and his work ethic. He was one of the best baseball men I've ever been around." — Dallas Green
Rube Waddell "He was the aom bomb of baseball long before the atom bomb was discovered..." — Connie Mack, in his biography My 66 Years in the Big Leagues
Todd Walker "There's a comfort level between him and myself. We had a great year and a great time when we were together in Boston. I'll get to play alongside a great player and a good friend." — Nomar Garciaparra on Walker re-joining him with the Cubs in 2005
Bobby Wallace "The Scot was not the most robust hitter that ever lived, but he was no pigeon at the plate. Save for that, Bobby had only one weakness as a shortstop - that was that he played in the same era as Hans Wagner." — sportswriter Bill Corum, 1952
Earl Webb "The reason he hits so many doubles is that he hits a long, hard ball, and he's too darned slow on the bases to get to third." — manager Shano Collins
Vernon Wells "He's an incredible talent, The city of Toronto is going to be very privileged to see one of the best players in the game play into the prime of his career. I think that's special, and hopefully we can get a championship while he's here." — teammate Gregg Zaun, after Wells signed a lucrative deal to stay in Toronto prior to the 2007 season
Zack Wheat "What Lajoie was to infielders, Zach Wheat is to outfielders, the finest mechanical craftsman of them all." — Baseball Magazine, January 1917
Frank White "You watch Frank at second base every day and you realize how good he is. He's got super range. He's very quick. He has sure hands, and he can throw and make the double play. I don't think anybody, anywhere, is his equal on the artificial turf." — Whitey Herzog
Dontrelle Willis "Dontrelle is the heart and soul of this team." — Marlins teammate Dan Uggla, 2007
Ted Williams "They can talk about Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby and Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial and all the rest, but I'm sure not one of them could hold cards and spades to Williams in his sheer knowledge of hitting. He studied hitting the way a broker studies the stock market, and could spot at a glance mistakes that others couldn't see in a week." � Carl Yastrzemski
Dave Winfield "If a fellow can make a fortune somewhere else, let him go ahead." — Padres owner Ray Kroc on the prospects of signing Dave Winfield, 1980
Harry Wolverton "He is a natural hitter, hits equally well from either side of the plate." — The Sporting News, July 9, 1898
Joe Wood "Can I throw harder than Joe Wood? Listen, my friend, there's no man alive can throw harder than Smoky Joe Wood." — Walter Johnson
Wilbur Wood "The funny thing about Wilbur is that he wasn't overjoyed in the beginning to be made a starter. He suspected it might be jeopardizing his career." — manager Chuck Tanner, who plucked Wilbur Wood from the bullpen and made him a starting pitcher.
"You know what you ought to call him? Wilbur Wonderful!" — manager Chuck Tanner after Wilbur Wood tossed his third straight shutout in eight days in early 1973
Butch Wynegar "what he has going for him is, he's unimpressed with it all. An uncomplicated kid, as against simple. A kid who listens instead of just hears." — Twins manager Gene Mauch
Rudy York "He's part Indian and part first baseman." — unidentified sportswriter
Mike Young "Michael Young is a tremendous hitter. I'm very happy for Michael, we played together in Texas and I know he's special. He's one of the best two-strike hitters in baseball." — Ivan Rodriguez, on Young's game-winning triple in the 2006 All-Star Game.
Ross Youngs "He was a smaller Ty Cobb. He was built like Enos Slaughter - had the same hustle, and even more ability." — Waite Hoyt
"Everybody has Cobb. Ruth and Speaker on his all-time outfield. But, somehow, I've got to find a place for Pep Young. Don't ask me to take one out, I've just got to put Pep in there somewhere." — Ford C. Frick
