We really struggled at the beginning of the year. A lot of pitchers took a beating. We couldn't miss a bat in the early season. It wasn't so much opposing batters hitting the ball hard; it was bloopers, singles, errors and then a double in the gap. We've stepped it up over the last month.

When I was in organizational ball, I said as soon as I stop moving up, as soon as I get stuck, that's when I'll go get a job. It's hard dealing with playing-time issues, money issues. I have a job in the off-season coaching Northeastern Junior College in Colorado, I get the summers off, so why not play?

It's a different Matt than the tense Matt that we saw at the beginning of the season.

We've had 13 increases and it's finally beginning to hit the market that we are starting to slow down. The market is still fighting the last war and not looking ahead to what's happening.

We're at the beginning of being able to start something really good here. There is a need, so we'll see how far we can take it from here.

I've said that from the beginning. Both of them are good people.