“Billy Beane : Would you rather get one shot in the head or five in the chest and bleed to death?
Peter Brand: Are those my only two options?”
-‘Moneyball’.
—Moneyball
“The first and last duty of the lover of the game of baseball, whether in the stands or on the field, is the same as that of the lover of life itself: to pay attention to it. When it comes to the position of catcher, as all but fools and shortstops will freely acknowledge, this solemn requirement is doubled.”
—Michael Chabon
Executive: “This guy here is dead.”
Phelps: “Cross him off, then.”
—Rachel Phelps, Major League
“Baseball was different. Schwartz thought of it as Homeric – not a scrum but a series of isolated contests. Batter versus pitcher, fielder versus ball. You couldn’t storm around, snorting and slapping people, the way Schwartz did while playing football.You stood and waited and tried to still your mind. When your moment came, you had to be ready.”
—Chad Harbach
“If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game.” — Rickey Henderson
“What team do you play for, Jake?”
Taylor: “The Indians.”
“Here in Cleveland? I didn’t know they still had a team.”
Taylor: “Yeah. We’ve got uniforms and everything. It’s really great.”
—Jake Taylor, Major League
“That moment, when you first lay eyes on that field — The Monster, the triangle, the scoreboard, the light tower Big Mac bashed, the left-field grass where Ted (Williams) once roamed — it all defines to me why baseball is such a magical game”
—Jayson Stark
“I love to bat against Nolan Ryan and I hate to bat against Nolan Ryan. It’s like ice cream. You may love it (facing a fastball), but you don’t want it shoveled down your throat by the gallon.”
—Reggie Jackson
Taylor: “Well, then, I guess there’s only one thing left to do.” Dorn: “What’s that?” Taylor: “Win the whole fuckin’ thing.”
