Keith Law

“Dave (San Pedro, CA): After all the havoc that Scott Boras has created with his “deals”, why don’t teams just blackball him?

Keith Law: Aside from the illegality of it? Maybe the fact that he represents a lot of great players, both in pro ball and in the draft. I really don’t get the casual fan’s antipathy towards Boras. The whole Alvarez thing could have been avoided if the Pirates and MLB had just played by the rules.”

Orestes Destrade

“chauncey (teaneck): Who do you think will win the world series?

Orestes Destrade : Phils over Rays in 5 games…maybe 6 games “

PittsburghLive.com – Pirates first round draft pick Pedro Alvarez talks about his goals and his past.

“Q: Your first days at Pirate City were heavy on basic drills with no live action. How anxious are you to start to face some live pitching/game action in the Instructional League?

A: It’s not up to me. If it were up to me, I want to play every day. I’ve got to worry about getting into the swing of things again and working hard and leave that up to them to decide.”

Sportsday Texas Rangers Blog – Interview with Rangers Minor League Pitching Coordinator Rick Adair.

“MJH: Michael Main: Rumor has it that he delivered an exemplary outing in instructs last week that left you very, very pleased. Tell me what about that outing had you so excited.

Adair: He made a change in his delivery that was a collaborative effort between what he was feeling and what we were seeing. It all just took hold and within two sides he was just unbelievable. He pitched today and it was the same thing as his last outing. He’s throwing an extremely high percentage of major league-quality pitches right now. Michael just has the ability to take in coaching, information and come up with ideas. His makeup is tremendous. Mentally he’s easily the most polished guy out of high school I’ve ever been around. The only comparison I can think of is [Adam] Wainwright when I had him, and you know where Wainwright is.”

MLB.com Playoff Interviews

Jimmy Rollins Pregame

“Q: Can you talk about the importance of closing this series out today?

JIMMY ROLLINS: The importance is winning the series. You know, bottom line, you have to win three games, and it would be nice to get it done today, there’s no doubt about it. You get a couple more days’ rest. You don’t have to worry about tomorrow, who are we facing and what’s on the line. But we just want to win the series. We want to get to the LCS, and today we have a chance to do that. So our goal is definitely go out there and get it done today.
Fortunately, look at his record, Jamie Moyer has been that pitcher for us on close out day, and here he is once again with a chance to do it. So hopefully, his track record holds true.”

Jeff Suppan Pregame

“Q: Is that a weird feeling, am I going to pitch? Are we going to have a game or not? Do you do anything differently prior to that?

JEFF SUPPAN: I liked your word, “weird.” I will use that word. It’s weird. It’s strange.
But with that being said, I get ready to pitch. That’s the only thing I can have control over. I don’t have control over what happens tonight, but I get ready to throw tomorrow because that’s my day to throw. But it’s one of those things where as you get deeper in every series, there’s a possibility you could start or you could not. It’s just one of those things that as a pitcher you always get ready to pitch.”

Charlie Manuel Pregame

“Q: You studied Ryan Howard’s stroke all through the year, what do you see? Is he a little bit off right now, aside from the fact that he had a tough match up the other day, obviously? What do you expect he needs to do to get himself going?

CHARLIE MANUEL: I think, basically, CC was tough on him the other night, without a doubt. But also the type of left-handers they’ve got coming in and out of the bullpen, they’ve got kind of sidearmed left-handers. They can be tough. Basically what Ryan has to do — if you’ve noticed lately, Ryan has been hitting real good, he’s been picking his front foot up and setting it down, and that’s what’s kind of been getting him ready to hit. I noticed the other night that his stride got a little bit bigger. But when he’s hitting real good, his stride definitely gives more power to his swing.

Q: But I think he needs to stay on the ball and start hitting it more in the middle and left field.
You mentioned that to him?

CHARLIE MANUEL: Yeah, we talk about it about every at bat he has.”

Ozzie Guillen

“Q: Ozzie, for those of us who don’t know Danks, can you talk about what kind of guy he is, how is he able to blank out the pressure in the playoff game and do you see him having another game in him like that?

MANAGER GUILLEN: I don’t know if he will pitch the same way as he pitched against Minnesota but mentally this kid is pretty tough. I don’t think he’s always blocked everything out. I think he’s got got a little bit of Mark Buehrle mentally. Don’t let anything bother him on the mound. He is a pretty good competitor. He’s got fire. He wants to do good. But their starters are tough, good pitchers.

But I think I like the make up of this kid. And this kid shows everybody — in the course of a year, every game you pitched it was do or die. Floyd and Danks, if we don’t win with those two guys I would not be sitting here right now. I hope he put a show like he did last time because I think he deserves it and near that spot.”

John Danks

“Q: John, what kind of problems does that Tampa Bay line up present to you? Obviously you’re going to keep an eye on anybody on first base right? Is that a lot of it?

JOHN DANKS: Yeah, I mean, I think they’re very similar to Minnesota in that, you know, they have guys that do all the small things. They’ll bunt, they’ll hit and run, they’ll steal. Middle of the line up you got to be careful. You know, guys can hit the ball out of the ballpark.
So, you know, really Minnesota and Tampa Bay are very similar and, you know, hopefully we can pitch the same way like we did the other day.”

Joe Torre Pregame

“Q: If there’s a Game 4, who is going to be your starter for tomorrow?

JOE TORRE: I don’t have a plan for Game 4.”

Dale Sveum Pregame

“Q: Could you give us the details of Cam [Mike Cameron] leaving the team and when he came back and all that, and also his poor planned parenthood?

DALE SVEUM: Well, yesterday his wife unexpectedly has an emergency C-section, and everything is fine. Had a little baby girl. Got on a plane this morning and just got here a few minutes ago. So everything is great, and he’s ready to go.”

Casey Blake Pregame

“Q: There’s been some talk about Manny as an MVP candidate. Just in general, how do you feel about the idea of somebody as a candidate as a half season player in the league?

CASEY BLAKE: I don’t know how many at bats you need to have to be considered a serious candidate for MVP, most valuable player, and certainly from the time he’s been here he’s been the most valuable players for this team and probably as one of the — probably the biggest reason we’re in the post season right now.”

Hiroki Kuroda Postgame

“Q: You said you didn’t have all of your stuff tonight. What was working for you that seemed to shut down the Cubs?

HIROKI KURODA: The last time I pitched against them here at Dodger Stadium I had good command of my slider. And I think I put input there in their mind that that was my pitch. But I really didn’t have my slider today. But I was able to dominate them with my slider.”

Joe Torre Postgame

“Q: Can you talk about James Loney’s series, another huge hit for you?

JOE TORRE: We scratched the surface on how good this kid is going to be. He goes up there and he’s got — I’ve said it all year long, he reminds me a lot of Bernie Williams just for his personality and sometimes he makes you scratch your head and other times you want to hug him. And again, he kept us calm through this series and certainly we were the beneficiaries for it.

He’s a special player. Special player.”

It is about the money, stupid – IIATMS interviews Padres Assistant GM Paul DePodesta of “Moneyball” fame.

“IIATMS: With the increased reliance on data/statistics and the success of proponents of this approach (Epstein, Beane, yourself, etc.), many college grads are clamoring to enter the front office ranks. What advice would you give kids entering college regarding a course of study to prepare them to enter the business of baseball? For those leaving college? For those already working (not in baseball) but looking to leverage other experiences?

PD: My advice would be to look for another line of work. I say that jokingly, but with a hint of seriousness. These jobs are incredibly demanding not only for the individual but also for friends and family. It can be difficult to find any semblance of balance or perspective. As far as an area of study, I would recommend as wide an array of subjects as possible. What’s most important is an inquisitive and thirsty mind.”

RightFieldBleachers.com – RFB interviews exuberant Brewers fan Robert “The Maniac” Beaudoin.

“How long have you been going to Brewers games? And do you have a favorite game
of all time?

I’ve been going to games at County Stadium and Miller Park combined for 20 years. Although we lost that game, my most memorable moment was September 9, 1992, when my all-time favorite Brewer, Robin Yount, hit his 3,000th career base hit.”

MondesisHouse.com – MH interviews Pirates postgame host Rocco DeMaro.

“[MH]: So what’s your gut feeling: will we ever have the opportunity to attend a Pedro Alvarez Bobblehead Night at PNC Park someday, or will he end up back in the draft next year?

[RD]:Gut feeling? Gun to my head? No bobblehead. However…

I think Pedro WILL be ruled a Pirate in the near future (even if the arbiter rules that MLB broke the rules via the deadline extensions, said arbiter seems to have very little authority in terms of awarding relief in this case, hence a likely slap on MLB’s wrist and Pedro becomes a Pirate) but I also believe Pedro will be killed by an errant pitchfork thrown by an irate Bucs fan as he makes his way to PNC Park to finally sign the contract to which he has allegedly agreed to. A tragic ending.”

“MH: After a few years apart, you two were recently reunited, bringing joy to countless Pittsburghers. Were you able to instantly recapture your chemistry, or had Guy already been too corrupted by Eddy Crow?
GJ: Well, we didn’t have anything to do with that breakup. But there were times when I would call him on the phone; we’ll be watching some unbelievable sporting events, we’ll call each other. We stayed in close contact and always talked at the Steeler games and the press box at the Penguin games. I think it’s been a pretty smooth transition.”

” DD: What are the odds that the Mets sign Oliver Perez next season?

DL: Right Now, I’d say 20-1″

“QUESTION: That’s great. Really. It’s a great book. OK, can we start talking about other stuff now? Like, OK, what’s your favorite Pixifood?

MICHAEL: On one of my many drives back from Columbus, I suddenly found myself in the mood for Combos – those pretzels with cheese filling – for the first time in 15 or 20 years. So when I stopped for gas, I bought a little bag, because I figured if I bought a BIG bag I’d eat them all on the ride home and feel sick. I ate the first one and thought, “Why the hell did they wrap a pretzel around a piece of poisonous chalk?” It was beyond awful. I had a similar, though not as brutal, experience recently with a Charleston Chew.”

“Q: Manny Acta — How do you think he’s done this year, and how does the front office feel about him?

I’m a big supporter of Manny. I think Manny has done an excellent job with this team. He stayed positive through the most difficult times. It’s hard to do. Like all of us that are young in the game, he continues to develop. You know, I told him the stories of when I was with the Pirates and we first hired Jim Leyland, and they lost 100 games and people were questioning him: Should he come back? And when he had the horses, Jim Leyland won. And I believe that when Manny Acta gets the horses, Manny Acta will win. … I support Manny Acta and the job he’s done.”

UmpBump.com – UmpBump talks with Paul Hagen of the Philly Daily News.

“Umpbump: Fair enough. We’ll agree to disagree. One last question: do you read blogs? And if so, which ones?

PH: As for blogs, I frankly don’t make a point of finding them. If I run across one or somebody brings one to my attention, of course I’ll read it.”

GasLampBall.com – GasLampBall serves up an MP3 interview of Kevin Towers.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – PTR interviews Pirates third base coach Tony Beasley. What do you do when you get the opportunity to ask 5 questions to a major league coach … You ask him 5 questions about singing the national anthem … FAIL

“Q: Other than “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” you’ve heard “The Star-Spangled Banner” more often than any song in your life. Do you rate other singers and performers?

A: Sometimes, yeah. (Hitting coach) Donny Long messes with me every now and then, saying, “That guy was better than Beasley.” One of my main things is not to wind up on one of those bloopers shows. I wanted to keep it nice and clean and get through it.”

Boston.com - Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe sits down with injured Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain.

“NC: Are you pleased about the way your rehab is going?

JC: “I’m getting excited. I’ve been able to throw off flat ground without any discomfort. Throwing fastballs and changeups right now, and I feel it’s coming along, so I hope it won’t be too much longer.”"

Pittsburgh Sports and Mini Ponies: An interview with Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette to talk Pittsburg sports.

“BS: I saw the Costas show with Bissinger and I was shocked at Bissinger’s attack mode. There was no call for that and I certainly don’t share his views.

I am 100 percent behind freedom of expression. Absolutely, blogs can write whatever they want. But when one goes to extremes, it hurts all; just as one mainstream media outlet can hurt the rest with irresponsible reporting.”

BattersBox.ca - Interview with Antonia Caceras, the pitching coach of Blue Jays Single-A affiliate Auburn Doubledays.

“BB: Finally, three quick questions, who has the best fastball on the team?

AC: I think Marcus Walden, Castillo Perez and Josh Wells are all in that 90-94 range.

BB: Best change-up on the team?

AC: Bobby Bell, he has a big league change-up, I know I said Liebel has a good one too, but Bell’s is too good for this league.

BB: Best breaking ball?

AC: it’s tough to answer that in this league, these guys are inconsistent, one day these guys have a good breaking ball and the next day they don’t have it. When Carreno is on Carreno has a good one and Perez and Huggins are good too.”

GaslampBall.com – Sandy Alderson discusses Padres and Olympics baseball on the XEPRS 1090AM.

Whygavs.com – Rocco DeMaro of WPGB radio is interviewed to discuss Pirates baseball.

“WHYGAVS: How tough is it doing a stats-based show on the Pirates’ flagship station? Obviously a lot of people don’t want anything to do with that, especially in a general audience.

RD: Well, if I didn’t discuss the statistical side of things, I wouldn’t be doing my job. Baseball, more than any other sport, is driven by numbers…both in a predictive sense and a reactive sense. That SO MANY media outlets bypass true performance analysis for easier to digest generalities (and, usually, misconceptions) has always been a frustration for me. It’s all about homework, really. It’s about being willing to put the work in to truly understand how the game works.”

Baseball Digest Daily – Eric SanInocencio will be interviewing Nationals’ Aaron Crow today at 12:30. The podcast begins at noon and goes through 1.

Live from Mickey Mantle’s – LfMM interviews Erik Hahmann, Tommy Rancel and Paul Testa of MVN and also Aziz and Dave Nekoukar of NJ.com

RightFieldBleachers.com – RFB interviews Charlie from Bucs Dugout for insight into the Pirates world.

“ RFB: After impressive 2007 campaigns both Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny have struggled this season, is there any chance they rebound next season? Which is more likely to find his form?

Charlie: I’d say Snell has a better shot, just because his struggles this year don’t seem to have anything to do with his health. He looked filthy Tuesday night against the Cardinals. “