John Gibbons Ball Quotations

We're on a tough little stretch right now, no question. But we always seem to bounce back, that's the character of the ball club. In this business you take your lumps sometimes, it's just how you handle it that separates you.

He wasn't his sharp shelf, but I tip my hat. The guy wanted to take the ball to help the team out,

He can overpower you. He's got that big, hard breaking ball that's tough to do anything with when he gets ahead.

He's got to pitch ahead to be effective. He was throwing some pitches and he wasn't missing by much if he was missing. When he had to bring it over the plate, they hit him. Then after that, he kind of found his groove and pitched a good ball game and kept us in it from there on.

He's become a better pitcher. He's throwing more strikes. He's got a better feel for that breaking ball now, and he's locating his fastball better. He's ahead more and he's been real tough on right-handers.

He looked really good the first inning, he was getting his breaking ball over. Then he kind of lost his feel for the strike zone.

He is a fly ball pitcher - always has been, always will be - and when you get a windy day like today he is going to give up some homers.

I think the baseball world is not giving them as much credit as they deserve. They're a good ball club, they proved that last year, just too many outside influences affected them.

Our bullpen came up big time tonight. Gustavo struggled. He might be getting a little tired. He's closing in on that 200-inning marker. His last couple of starts, his ball has been up.

I tell you, he is a heck of a player. We were hoping he was going to fling that ball into the stands in the ninth.

His curve ball was missing, ... but he still pitched well.

He settled in with that breaking ball (after the first inning) and we couldn't do much with it.

The home run he hit, when hits balls to the left side, he's usually out in front and hooking them into the stands, but he kept that one fair. I can't remember the last time I saw him hit a ball like that down the line.

There was no reason at all to toss me. Everyone thought the ball hit the dirt. I guess he thought I was arguing balls and strikes.

If he drives in 60, that would be fine. He's got the knack too for some clutch hits because he puts the ball in play and that's a big thing when you have guys in scoring position.

He's not missing by much. But I would say that what's hurting him this year is a few too many mistakes ... like keeping the ball up.