As a team we have to work together and play well. One day we don't throw strikes and another day give them the best opportunities. We just have to work together.

I'm expecting us to play a lot better than last year, I think we have a better all-around team. Everybody has been itching to get out there.

I'm just trying to come out every day and help the team, score some runs and do my job as the No. 3 hitter. It hasn't been working out for me as well lately, but we're trying to turn it around every day.

It just had to do a lot with having more experience and feeling more comfortable within myself.

There's nobody that can fill that guy's shoes. But as a team I feel our lineup is going to be a lot stronger this year, one-through-nine.

You have to grind every single day and work very hard to play here. Maybe it's not for everybody. . . . I can't tell you why they did what they did. I just know we've got a bunch of kids here who are very good players and they are going to continue to work hard.