Buck showalter

I love (Ellis) defensively at second base,

One of the things I love about Mark, Mark attacks his weaknesses. He turned himself into a Gold Glove first baseman. A lot of people would have used the position change as an excuse. He's very driven, a self-starter.

We had our hearts broken last year, and this year we've seen our off-season dreams of a World Series erode and go away, ... It's normal human feelings to be disappointed. In this game your IQ changes with wins and losses, and right now we're not real smart. But the guys are competing. We haven't given up.

He's managed his rotation and especially his relievers beautifully. You never see him leave guys out there too long or use them too often. You might wonder why he's taking somebody out after 10 pitches of a 9-0 game in June, but it's paid off. His guys have stayed fresh. He gives guys fresh innings.

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.