Buck martinez

He's had a lot of success pitching in international competition, and that gives him an edge. I met him in Baltimore during their first series, and sitting on the bench with him before the game, I was impressed with his composure.

Anybody involved with this tournament would love to see the best teams available. We know that the Cubans have set the standard for international baseball and it would be a good opportunity to measure up their team against the best in the world.

I always enjoyed seeing [broadcasters] Jack Buck and talking to Mike Shannon. I nicknamed him Jack 'Big Money' Buck. I thought he'd go to the bank before he got here to show me he had a whole wad of hundreds. I always asked to see his bankroll. I miss Jack a lot. I like talking baseball with those guys.

They love to run and hit, and that's really what we've had here.

the embodiment of the American Dream.