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Going back down to the minors is the toughest thing to handle in baseball.

I'd rather play in the major leagues and have some bad games than play consistently good ball in the minors.

Once you make the majors, it's never a great feeling to go back to the minors - no matter what the circumstances.

I got into pro ball at 18 and played until I was almost 39, non-stop.

If you're in the minor leagues, you want to get to the majors.

You know, I was once named Minor League Player of the Year... unfortunately, I had been in the majors for two years at the time.

Young pitchers don't throw enough in the minor leagues, and when they get to the majors, they don't have the stamina; their arms haven't been built up.

Your first responsibility is to the organization, to teach and prepare players to get to the big leagues and have them ready when they get there, but everyone in the minors wants to be in the majors.

You must remember that anyone under 30 - especially a ballplayer - is an adolescent. I never got close to being an adult until I was 32. Even though I was married and had a son at 20, I was a kid at 32, living at home with my parents. Sure, I was a manager then. That doesn't mean you're grown up.

I enjoyed hitting in the Major Leagues more than in the Minor Leagues. I didn't want to tell anybody it was easier, because I didn't want to sound cocky. But Major League pitchers had better control, and most of them were around the plate.