Jim Tracy Players Quotations

I would be remiss if I said there were not philosophical differences as far as the club and how we put it together, what would work and not work. The disruption and focus loss with players is not good for anyone. That's where I felt strongly that it was important to wipe the slate clean.

One of the things that young players have to not only learn but gain an admiration for is the respect factor of the game and the people who have participated in previous years, and an understanding of the history of the organization they are playing in. It's an organization very rich in tradition.

He's a clubhouse leader, great for young players to be around, knows how to play the game, accepts his role willingly and does it as well as any of the other top flight guys that come off benches and play, that you can think of. What's there not to like about this guy?

I am a firm believer in the fact that a group of guys needs to understand the importance of 90 feet, that it makes the difference in a baseball game. These players will gain a strong realization of that.

He gets it. He gets situations. He gets who's batting ahead of him in the lineup and he gets who's batting behind him. To have a winning-caliber team, you need players like that.

I think you bring the best out of your players when you sit and study and look very closely at what their capabilities are and then try to find situations where their talents have the best chance to come out,

The allure, for me, was, No. 1, the stability of the front office. The other thing was looking at a group of players I'd managed against the past couple of years and realizing there's some terrific young talent here and asking myself the question 'Why can't it be better than it has been?

We obviously came to a point in Los Angeles where there was a difference of opinion between Paul and I as far as how players are evaluated.

As the players get older, the problems become a little bit larger that you have to periodically deal with.

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 mean, how do you play winning baseball that way? I challenge players to understand how the game's played.

If our young players weren't developing, if I didn't see passion or energy, then that falls into my boat,

I'm looking forward to spearheading this ball club to back to some of the days when the Pittsburgh Pirates were somebody you really had to deal with. I'm very anxious in making the players understand there is history here - history for them to be proud of and history for them to follow up on.

It's important that this entire group of players are involved.

I think a group of players has to understand the type of baseball you have to play to play winning baseball. You have to realize the importance of the intangibles, the little things.

He's one of those special players I've dealt with in the six years I've managed in the big leagues.

The main thing that I wanted to get across to both of them is to not feel compelled to force things, because the important thing for both of them to realize is that we have two very special Major League players here. We have to find playing time for both because they really kind of complement one another.

You can't ask a group of players to play any harder than they have for two days and, especially tonight, take the kind of at-bats that we took all night long.

For a guy to come in here and work to improve his versatility, to put on that catcher's gear ... I admire that. I had a 15-minute talk with him, and I told him so. Like I told him, it takes a hell of a lot more than nine players to win. ... I appreciate the demeanor he's shown coming into this camp.

It's a two-way street when you give somebody information. We don't take information to the players unless we think it will be very useful to them. As a player, you have to do something about it and take a step forward and try to make some of the adjustments that are being suggested.

It was exceptional. And that was from day in, day out, working with John Shelby. One thing you'll see us do is constantly work with players on their versatility. Having Shelby around makes a big difference.