It was a real rough year and a half. I was getting 80 shots every four weeks.

It's unusual that four have left in the last year and a half. In my 21 years here, I can't remember another group of that size all going to the same setting.

We started a little rough the last couple of weeks (in the return game), but Johnny is going to break one, ... I call him Johnny. I don't think he likes it. But he's a rookie. He's going to have to deal with it until next year.

We spent four weeks discussing a one-year deal and drawing lines in the sand. Then it took an hour to get a multiyear (deal) done.

And Michael likes to read a lot. People don't realize that about him but he reads a number of books per week and he's fascinated just about every subject.

Nuno has a thigh strain which looks like keeping him out for another four weeks, maybe even more.