I think we match up with anybody because our pitching. In a short series you run your big three out there or four out there. That generally is what wins a series - pitching and defense. If we can catch the ball and not give away any runs like we do sometimes.
It's pitching, hitting and defense that wins. Any two can win. All three make you unbeatable.
When you're out there in the heat of the moment and you're pitching, and it's a big situation, you're saying 'Don't throw a ball, don't give up a hit, don't walk this guy.' But the harder you want to control something the more it gets out of your control.
You hear the same thing every year but that is because it is true. In a short series, pitching is very dominant.
I was a really big - I was a big fan of pitching staffs in general growing up, not necessarily teams. So I liked the Braves pitching staff of Maddox, Glavine, and Smoltz, and I liked the A's pitching staff with Zito, Hudson, and Mulder.
What pitching is in a short series in baseball, goaltending is in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
I don't want anybody to panic. I'm not pitching. I'm just throwing out the first ball.
My only problem is the fear that opposition bowlers might go for my fingers and that's why I was scared of the short ball. Now I am struggling with the ball pitching up and swinging away. I just keep nicking that one.
As someone who grew up in Europe, I don't look at TV and automatically think of a primetime network series, created by a staff of writers. I think of 90-minute movies that can break talents out or a three 90-minutes-an-episode mini series that can introduce a fantastic new series like 'The Blechtley Circle.'
And in an Ashes series the best approach as a player is to not get caught up in feeling pressure for your position but to think only about the greater cause. How can I contribute? It could be a single moment, like a blinding catch or a run out. Think only of the team's needs.
Today I said to the calculus students, "I know, you're looking at this series and you don't see what I'm warning you about. You look and it and you think, 'I trust this series. I would take candy from this series. I would get in a car with this series.' But I'm going to warn you, this series is out to get you. Always remember: The harmonic series diverges. Never forget it."
You can't have a family when you're playing because you're away from home so much. So believe me, I won't be pitching forever. I won't make it to 300 wins or anything like that. No way.
We're out there pitching for wins, not for stat lines.
Ball teams do not always run true to form in a short series. In a season's campaign, class will tell; the best team will invariably win, unless disaster overtakes it. In a short series, some freak situation, same unusual play, may prove to be the turning point.
Pitching. You're pitching yourself constantly which is probably why there are so many plays about sales. I think also it's like life.
The art of acting is to pitch good. You do the pitching and hope that the other person catches the ball and does some good pitching back to you.
I'm right now wrapping up the sermon series on grace. I'd like to figure out what this next series will be in January. To do that, I'm going to come up with four or five really good ideas - at least that I think are really good ideas - and if I don't sense God really highlighting one of those, I will go to the elders of our church and my co-pastors.