Jim Tracy Given Quotations

We've given him a substantial role due to some situations that've come up, ... and he's responded very well.

That was another terrific performance by Derek Lowe . You can't ask any more than what he has given us the past few starts.

You feel like you've done the best you can do. The effort they've given me every day is noteworthy.

Both have very similar stuff, stuff that can beat you down on any given day. But you don't want guys with very similar stuff pitching on back-to-back days.

Colby has worked with him a lot. Oliver is being given information that can help him succeed as a major-league pitcher. Sometimes, the player has to take the information and make certain adjustments in order to be successful.

The one thing I noticed about this team while watching from the other dugout is that it swung and missed too much. The approach had to change collectively, in my opinion, as far as each and every guy approaches his at bats. You need a group of players that understand that in a given situation it's pretty important for them to try and put the ball in play, and not swing and miss.

I laud my players, and I told them that, way back, playing in Philadelphia. The effort that they have given from day to day is noteworthy because, believe me ... if you go back and you research some of those lineups that we had out on the field ... I think it'll tell you an awful lot about the character that these players have displayed between the lines, in going out there and giving you every single thing they've got.

I'm not saying things would have necessarily been different if Sean was in the lineup but I think it would have helped to have a hitter who combined to strike out less 100 times over the last two seasons up in the situation. You need to make contact with a man on second and none out, and I think Sean would have given us a great chance of doing that.

That second run was the result of 100-percent effort that he's given each time he's on the field. It's a very noteworthy play and the difference in the game. You can't teach that, but winners do things like that. You have to want to do it. I'm impressed with this player. If his bat reaches its potential, he's an every-day Major League player, in my opinion.

Those three left-handers -- their mission on any given day, when they're going really, really good, will not be to strike out 12 or 13 guys. That's not the kind of pitchers they are.

It's going to be just another game to those guys because they've been given at-bats. That's why they've been given at-bats, so that in a situation like this, they're ready and not rusty.