Omar Vizquel Quotations

On the road, it's going to be a mixed feeling. But at home, he'll get the support.

Of course everything Barry Bonds says gets multiplied and is huge.

Of course everything Barry Bonds says gets multiplied and is huge. People tend to talk about every thing and every comment he makes. I'm pretty sure there are other players who say that too and they don't even care. 'You are? OK, good luck.' But he's Barry Bonds.

Obviously Barry is being the target of it because of the home run chase.

People want to see everything, ... They want to see him. They want to boo him. They want to watch him hit a home run. He's kind of like a Tyson fight. They don't care about the guy much, but they always want to see him fight. But it's not that people don't care about Bonds.

I don't know why that is such an important thing. The past is the past.

He was a big factor in my decision to come here, to be on a team with one of the greatest home run hitters in the history of the game, ... There is no doubt that if he was here from the beginning it would be a different story for this team.

I am going to wear some extra padding because I'm not going to take any chances. If he hits me, I'll be ready. He still throws hard.

He should've given it to us because of the way he was pitching.

I seem to be more patient with guys on base than hitting on my own,

Just a walk right now would mean a lot. And it would change the way the other teams pitch to everybody else. I just can't wait to see him back. I think it will be huge.

Maybe if the team had been in a different situation, he might have tried to come back. I was really looking forward to playing with him. With all the injuries, it stayed in the back of my mind I was going to have a chance to play with him this year. ... I don't know if it's worth it to him to try to test the knee at this point.

I think if I could have come up cleanly it would have been the same result, because it didn't take me too much to get rid of the ball.

I think that's a bad idea. I would say I'd rather be traded.

I think it's kind of bulls---. It's not right. The past is the past. I don't know if you can test a body from five years ago. They didn't have records back then.

I think it's kind of stupid he still thinks about that. It's something that happened a long time ago. He's still acting like a kid. Whatever he wants to do next, that's OK, I guess. What is said is said, what happened happened. He hit me, no big deal. It's part of baseball.

I think it's because of the controversy that's been around Barry lately and also because Babe is an icon in baseball and America. There's a lot of things involved.

I think it's because there's more energy around the clubhouse. Guys are kind of pulling for each other a little more.

That would mean a lot to me because I'm in a different league.

There is no doubt in my mind I've played a great shortstop this year.

We really didn't have the team I was expecting to have, ... I'm kind of skeptical about what's going to happen next year. This year we had problems getting healthy people. Next year is not going to be any easier. We're still getting older and older. It's not like we're getting younger. Hopefully guys learn from how their bodies react and try to take care of themselves.

We're still fighting for something and when he comes back it will be even better, ... I don't know what type of shape he's in, but personally it will be great. I've never played in the National League and I'm looking forward to playing with him.

We're going to have to win at least 85 percent of our games for us to get there. But at least it's nice to know that we're playing for something, that we still have a possibility to get there. I don't think we should lose hope. I think we should stay focused, give it the best shot we've got and see where we stand two weeks from now.

Wherever he goes, he's probably going to create a lot of controversy. That's why he's one of the greatest.

Everything Barry Bonds says is multiplied. People talk about everything and every comment he makes. I'm pretty sure other players have said (they're retiring) too, and people don't even care. 'Oh, you are? Good luck.' But this is Barry Bonds.

Everybody will know the kind of player he is, and everybody will know, especially with runners in scoring position, not to give him the freedom to drive in runs. As much pride as you have, you still want to win the game.

Every time I get a hit right now it means a lot because I'm not swinging the bat real well. I'm getting better, seeing more pitches and hopefully I can get in a groove.

Every time I get a hit right now it means a lot. I'm getting better and seeing more pitches, being more patient. Hopefully I can find my groove.

I've always said I'd like to dedicate my life to art for a whole year to see what comes out of it, painting, sculpting, everything related to art, then go from there. I feel like I have something with art. I'm connected with art somehow and I would like to do something with that.

They told me I didn't pass the test on my knee. It was kind of a shock. I was really looking forward to coming back and playing for the Mariners.

I'm a young 37, ... I can still steal bases. My legs feel great. I consider this still young. I don't know why people think it's old.

I'm pretty sure he can do it just because of his natural talent,

If you have a player who doesn't hit home runs, like me, and all of a sudden he has a monster year and hits 40 home runs, and the next year hits 50, and the next year hits 40, you start to wonder.

The ball was jumping out of his arm. It was nice to see.

Everybody knows what he can do. Personally, I'm one of those players who came here to watch him play. Finally, the moment has come. Being on the field with him is going to be exciting.

It's tough, because we're losing some tough games. It's not because of the weather. Any time you win, you're going to have energy, no matter what. When you lose, your energy drains out.

Doing all this crazy stuff is what makes the coaches and managers consider voting for you,

I guess I won't be using that glove anymore.

I haven't heard anything like that since John Rocker , ... I think an apology is not going to be enough for that type of comment. I've said things I've regretted, too, and I wish I could take them back. I would give a guy a second chance if I knew him better, but I don't know him.

I haven't heard anything like that since John Rocker. I think an apology is not going to be enough for that type of comment. I've said things I've regretted, too, and I wish I could take them back. I would give a guy a second chance if I knew him better, but I don't know him.

He's the kind of guy who can come back after a two- or three-month period and do what he's used to doing.

He's way better than I thought he'd be. He was a good player, but I didn't know he had that kind of power. He's been tremendous for us. He has power, gets on base and can run.

It was pretty cool. I just thought he was going to be a judge. As long as you have fun you connect with each other.

I never thought they were serious about that: 50, 100 and lifetime, ... Wow, that's just really crazy. I agree they should raise the number of games, but that's a lot of games right there.

I never thought I was gonna come up with a game like that today. Sometimes you rest 11 hours and feel strong and you go 0-for-4. So, that's the way baseball works sometimes.

After being here last year and being here this year, I think it's two different teams, as far as chemistry and guys getting along. I see more smiles on people's faces.

After being out for so long now he's going to come back and he his going to feel that kind of pain, the aching of the muscles and all that. I think it's just part of the game and part of the human body. ... He's 41. Every year it's a lot harder. I think it's just how he's feeling right now. When you get used to the groove again, the traveling and everything else, you're body starts feeling the same.

The guys who are hitting behind Barry are going to be a little busy.

It's not easy to perform in front of your teammates and make a fool out of yourself.

It's too early for him to say he's going to retire, knowing that he can still go to the American League and be a DH and do whatever he wants.

There's always one guy to jump up first.

It's an honor, really. To not only represent my country but to have that as well, I want to make sure I do my part.

Everybody behind Barry is going to be a little busy. I'm glad Mo is healthy, and he's going to have a lot of fun driving those guys home.

There wasn't anybody out there telling you not to do that.

There seems to be excitement building around the whole thing, especially in Venezuela because they just got the Caribbean Series title, which they hadn't won in 16 years. So everybody is talking about baseball, baseball, baseball, 24 hours a day.

It is strange to see a team play .500 and get into the playoffs. But in this division, they are the best. They played the best baseball. They were able to hold onto the lead.

It's a challenge you set within yourself, to prove you can play beyond 42. There haven't been many shortstops who have played at that age.

It's like we have to win almost 80 or 90 percent of the games. Can we do it with him? That's the question. They say one guy can't carry a team. In these games, when we're not scoring too many runs and we lose by one or two, he can be a huge difference.

It's always emotional. For guys who have been in the playoffs and the World Series, they know how important and awesome it is to celebrate and be in the playoffs. That's what everybody is shooting for from spring training. We had the opportunity. We just found ourselves in a big hole.

The Gold Glove surprised me a little. To tell you the truth, I didn't expect it. I feel I played at the top of my game, but I was new to the league and I didn't think that many people would vote for me.

He works fast. He throws a lot of strikes. That's what an infielder loves. It gets you into the game.