The season-ticket one with Crosby was a good one.

We didn't have Crosby in April and then (starter Rich) Harden went down. We had our No. 3 hitter out of the lineup, some young guys in the rotation and we played the Yankees and Red Sox 12 straight games. That will give you a slow start.

I looked at some of Frank Thomas' on-base percentages, they're frightening for a full season. He's one of the marquee offensive players.

Walks and hit batters are not a good formula against this club. They worked the daylights out of (Zito). One guy after another having five-, six-, seven-pitch at-bats — that's a task at getting through that batting order.

Walks and hit batters are not a good formula against this club, ... They worked the daylights out of (Zito). One guy after another having five-, six-, seven-pitch at-bats — that's a task at getting through that batting order.

Walks and hit batters are not a good formula against this club, ... They worked the daylights out of [Zito]. One guy after another having five-, six-, seven-pitch at-bats -- that's a task at getting through that batting order.