|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
MLB EXPANSION DRAFTNovember 18, 1997Roberto HernandezPHOENIX, ARIZONA Q. Roberto, what's your reaction to getting signed by the Devil Rays? ROBERTO HERNANDEZ: Well, first I'm excited, and I knew I wasn't going to go back and be with the White Sox last year when the trade talk was going on. One of my feelings was to be somewhere where I would be part of something, a rebuilding or starting something new. And I was very excited when I talked to my people in Houston this morning and later on this afternoon, it was finally agreed. And Mike Bailey is a lot more excited than I am right now, because that's what we all talked about and dreamed about. Q. Do you mind being on a team that may not win for one, two, three more years? ROBERTO HERNANDEZ: You know, that doesn't bother me, as long as we go out and play the game like it's supposed to be played, and play it hard and go out and do the right things, win or lose, you go out with the right intensity, you'll build character and hopefully build confidence and it probably won't take as long as two or three. We can play together as a team, as a unit, I've learned that you don't have to have a lot of big names to win. I learned that when I was traded to San Francisco, a lot of key players, but they weren't all big names, and they did their roles. If we could learn to do our roles we'll have a great time. Q. Do you feel right now you're pitching better than you ever have? ROBERTO HERNANDEZ: Maybe at this point, yeah, because I've learned what I can do and what I cannot do. I've only been pitching professionally since I was 21 and started late, compared to a lot of guys, at my level, and every day that I get on the mound I learn something new about myself that just wants me to go out and try and compete and give a hundred percent. I try to be perfect, I know I strive to be perfect and I understand I can never be. But one thing is I give everything to the team and to the fans, whenever I get on the mound I'm going to give a hundred percent every day. Q. How do you like pitching in domes, Roberto? ROBERTO HERNANDEZ: It doesn't bother me. Matter of fact, one of my favorite places to pitch is in Toronto, so I like pitching in domes, it doesn't bother me. Q. Given what you just said about wanting to play for a rebuilding, given the fact that you wanted to play closer to home, what were San Francisco's chances of getting you back? ROBERTO HERNANDEZ: It was very close, you know. It was tough. But being in a place where I could be closer to home was a big factor, having my family there, and also being in an area that I know that it's going to be something exciting, not only for baseball but for the fans in the Tampa Bay area that yearn for a baseball team for a long time. So it's going to be exciting for me and exciting for my family. And then I can't wait to get started. End of FastScripts |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|