"Look, I could go old school and meet a player on the top step of the dugout for not hustling and maybe lose him. Or I could talk to him, man-to-man, and get him to understand that I'm responsible for 25 guys, not just him. That we're all in this together to do one thing: win."

"My career might have been a disappointment, but it gave me a chance to learn from a lot of managers. My favorite was Gaylen Pitts, who had me my last year in Louisville. He'd pinch-hit for me late in the game--the right move, by the way--but the next day, he'd come out early to throw me BP. I try to treat every player the way he treated me, with honesty and consideration."

"One of the the reasons I get to the ballpark early is so that I can do all my prep work before the first player arrives. Then, if they want to come in and play [cribbage], I have the time. Tim Wakefield insists we play on the days he starts. When Dustin Pedroia was struggling, he knew he could come in here, play cribbage, talk about things, relieve the pressure."

"Sometimes, I'll get short with the writers, but I like the challenge and understand they're in this for the same reason I am: They love baseball."

"The first time we won the Series [2004] , I wore myself out making appearances and going to banquets. This time I'm taking it easy, going to my daughters' volleyball games and an occasional Celtics or Patriots game. When we went to the general managers' meetings in Orlando. I just slept and did crossword puzzles. I think I set a record for room service. One day I went to the window, looked down at the pool and thought about going for a swim. Then I said, 'Nah,' and went back to bed."

"The light on the phone is always on when I walk in after a game. I't's always a message from my father. If we win, it's, 'Way to go, sleep tight.' If we lose, it's, 'Hang in there, sleep tight.' Not much more than that, but it's always very much appreciated."

"He's a free spirit, pleasant, fun to play with... but he's not the managerial type." - Pete Rose

"We saw a guy who'd care about the players and treat them fairly and have a good personal touch with the different constituencies." - Theo Epstein

"Now it's just three chunks of bubble gum with very little chewing tobacco mixed in. The thing is, Tito doesn't chew at all between the end of the season and Opening Day." - Brad Mills, Red Sox bench coach