Scott Soundbytes

 Listen to Scott's comments after a great win in the 1997 playoffs

Listen to Scott's comments after a tough loss against the Yankees

Quotes by Scott

"I just go out there, take it one game at time and try not to get too caught up in
what's going on around me" --on his approach to the game

"I figured it was more important to get an education in my background before checking into professional baseball, because who knows what could happen after that." --on his decision to go to college rather than sign with a team out of high school

"I just tried to do the best I could all year" --on his twenty-win season in 1991

"If I do my best and work as hard as I can and still go 10-10, I have no choice but to be satisfied." --dismissing the importance of win-loss record to a pitcher

"I was not a pitcher's guy.  I read Ted Williams' book every year when I was in Little League." --on his childhood baseball heroes

"I don't want to ever swing again. I'll concentrate on hitting a golf ball now."--after a tough spring game with the bat in 1993

"A no-hitter is as hard to explain as it is to throw" --to reporters after his no-hitter

 "I loved the infield, they've 45,000 fans a night, and a nice, thick grass surface," --on  pitching in Camden Yards

"I feel better about letting the hitters hit the ball. I've got great defense behind me, so why not rely on those guys to make the plays." --on his preference to get groundball outs rather than strikeouts

"If the can't see it, they can't hit it." --a brief synopsis of his pitching philosophy

"I'm pretty laid back off the field.  I get once every five days to play, four or five, and that's my opportunity to be out there, so I have to devote basically everything to it." --on his focus on the field

Quips about Scott

"It felt like I was trying to hit a rock" --Red Sox hitter Steve Lyons, on trying to hit Scott's sinker

"Scott has heart.  You can teach fundamentals and you can teach mechanics, but you can't teach heart. He's intense." --Twins' pitcher Jack Morris, on Scott's famous intensity

"The first half of the season was just amazing.  His sinker was breaking 4 feet. His ball was exploding." --Twins' catcher Junior Ortiz, on Scott's remarkable first half in 1991.

"He's got the desire, and you just hope the rest will fall into place." --Twins' GM Andy MacPhail, on Scott's potential as a pitcher

"He's probably in the best shape of any pitcher I've been around in a long time" --Twins' pitching coach Dick Such, on Scott's physical conditioning

"Scott Erickson will take the baseball whenever you offer it to him.  He wants to pitch." --Twins' manager Tom Kelly, on Scott's willingness to pitch even in the face of twenty losses in 1993

"He was strong, he was sharp, he was awesome" --Twins' catcher Matt Walbeck on Scott's performance in his 1994 no-hitter

"Scotty's taken so much abuse.  'He ain't the same this, he ain't the same that.' A lot of abuse, man. I'm happy for him." --Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett, after Scott's no-hitter

"He still throws the ball well. In and out. Both sides of the plate. There's a lot to work with." --Orioles' great Jim Palmer, on Scott's potential with the Orioles

"He has a good sinker, he goes after people with that.  When his sinker-slider is working, it's as good as any pitch there is in baseball." --Orioles' manager Davey Johnson, on Scott's sinker

"He's an animal.  He's always giving himself the best chance of winning because he's in great condition." --Orioles' catcher Lenny Webster, on Scott's workaholic attitude

© 1997-1999 ericksongirl