Jim Bowden Respect Quotations

I have a lot of respect for Frank Robinson. He has respect for the game of baseball and the way it should be played. I was pleased because he is a man of his word. He said he was going to do something, and he follows up and he does it.

We had great discussions. I think it's important to understand where each side is coming from. I think we had an opportunity to look at each other eye-to-eye and go through the issues of the club and the issues of where Alfonso is coming from. We have a lot of respect for Alfonso as a player and as a person. And he understands our situation and where we're coming from.

We respect Sammy and what he has accomplished in the game. We wish him well and hope that he is able to come back and perform like he did a couple of years ago. As long as he is not in our division, we'll be rooting for him to win Comeback Player of the Year.

We respect the arbitrators' decision. We feel that it's a good salary for the team and a good salary for the player given his talents.

He's rejected our offer. We respect what he's done on the field, but now we're going to close the book and go forward.

It's a very sensitive issue with Alfonso. We respect him and we respect his ability as a baseball player. The position change and what's important to the team is something we'll continue to address appropriately. We don't want it to become a soap opera.