I think he's made vast improvements. Not only is he one of the better hitters in the league, I would think defensively he's one of the better shortstops in the league, too.

I know that I can get Major League hitters out, so I've got that going for me. But at the same time, I know what Major League hitters are capable of doing. I've thrown some good pitches and seen them hit it. I just need to learn to pitch a little bit better than I already do.

I think he's one of the premier defensemen in this league. It's not just the numbers he's putting up. It's how much ice time he gets, the confidence he gives the team. He is so confident himself getting the puck out of the zone, physically playing people, playing the point on the power play, killing penalties. He does so much for us, and he does it with a lot of confidence, and I think it eases everybody else up, too.

They're Major League hitters. You make a mistake, they make you pay.

I think John has a chip on his shoulder this year to really prove that he deserves this scholarship that Penn State is giving him. It really seems like Johnny's on a mission to make his senior year a special one and to prove to everyone that he is one of the top pitchers in the league, if not the best pitcher in the league.

Why shouldn't we pitch to Babe Ruth? We pitch to better hitters in the National League.