The thing he really brings to the team is his competitiveness.

His velocity is good. He doesn't throw 90 or anything, but he throws a good fastball, a breaker and a splitter and he throws them all for strikes. Something that is huge is that he doesn't walk people. He has a lot of success because he allows less than a walk per start, and if you can keep people off the bases, you can win a lot of games.

He's been doing that the whole year. He's that dominant. He has an earned-run-average under one and has developed into a very dependable pitcher.

I think we have guys that will be able to come through, it is just getting the game experience. It is my philosophy that no matter what happens, it is just the next kid's turn to step up for us.

This was a waterfall of emotional selling.

Nobles, citizens, farmers, mechanics, seamen, footmen, maid servants, even chimney sweeps and old clothes women dabbled in tulips.