Jim Tracy
Jim Tracy
advocating bad good pitch preaching swing time walk weak winning
I'm not advocating we take the first pitch every time we walk up there. But, if you're going to take a swing at a first pitch, have it be a really good swing. If we keep preaching that, there won't have to be a whole lot said if you make a weak out on a marginally bad first pitch. It's not the way you play winning baseball.
advocating approaches ball continuing couple guys pitch smart swung taking time
I'm not advocating taking a ball on the first pitch every time up there. A couple of times (yesterday), the first pitch was there, and we swung at it. But I'm continuing to see these guys take smart approaches to hitting, and that's encouraging.
baseball challenge players understand winning
I mean, how do you play winning baseball that way? I challenge players to understand how the game's played.
clarify law says state strong study sure
I know the state law already says that, but I just want to clarify it. We want to study it and make sure that the law is strong enough to keep that from happening.
breaking good impressed interested numbers strikes threw
I know the numbers didn't look too good. However, the thing I was very impressed is that he, for the most part, pitched ahead, threw a lot of strikes and threw some very good breaking pitches. He went after hitters, and that's something we are very interested in seeing.
anxious ball club days deal follow forward history looking pirates pittsburgh players proud somebody understand
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.
ball fact good recognize strike swing
If you want to swing off of live pitching, go right ahead. But recognize the fact of what a strike is and what a ball is. Let's get a good swing at a good pitch.
belongs convince helps knows major playing winning
It helps convince (him) that he belongs playing in the major leagues. He's a winning player. He understands situational baseball, he can steal, he knows how to read pitchers.
baseball group importance players realize type understand winning
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.
sort work
We have a lot of different things to sort out, ... He's got a lot of different things to work out.
angeles came difference far los obviously opinion paul players point
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.
ability allow approach baseball best continue developed environment genuine league major man natural opportunity player position talent type unexpected
The best way to approach a player with his type of ability and talent is to feel like you've developed a type of environment to allow his development to continue on its natural course. With what we have done this winter, we have put this young man in a position to where his natural progression as a Major League Baseball player has a genuine opportunity to take place without heaping any unexpected expectations on him.
attention bit greater span speak
the attention span is a bit greater when he does speak to something.
behind fall relying saw throwing
(Sunday) I did not see Oliver pitching. I saw him just throwing and relying on stuff. If you do that and you fall behind in the count, you're not going to have much success.