Gene Orza Quotes (32 Quotes)

We are very disappointed with the government's decision to deny the participation of a team from Cuba in the World Baseball Classic. We will continue to work within appropriate channels in an attempt to address the government's concerns and will not announce a replacement unless and until that effort fails.

I think the success of this first tournament will be measured by one thing--that's players coming out telling other players they should have played, that it was fun. My guess is that next time we will not have all the same questions we've had this time.

I'm not sure what Alex is doing right now. I think, most likely, what U. S. A. Baseball will do is leave a few spots open for players who are on the fence.

In my experience with talking to players who have opted out of the tournament, it's not pressure from the club, it's the pressure they themselves feel. Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but it may not get you a spot on the roster.

We have a clock. We're not going to play this event without umpires. And I believe that the basic problem the WUA faces in our continuing discussions with them is that that clock may have stopped before they became more reasonable in their demands. And so

We've long known we have our work cut out for us in Europe, but this tournament represents a decent positive stride in Europe, in addition to the enormous success it has been elsewhere.

That's as many tickets that have been sold for the Winter Olympics.

Our understanding is that Pedro, very frankly, is doubtful. It's still possible he will play, but I think it's at best 50-50 right now.

Seattle will not want for a personal argument, I'll tell you that much, ... The weather might not be optimal, but we know (CEO) Howard (Lincoln) and Chuck are big supporters of international baseball.

We're delighted we could reach agreement with ESPN on what will prove to be, I'm confident, historic broadcasts of the sport. There is a style and intensity that ESPN brings to baseball that makes this agreement the perfect fit for the inaugural games.

There is actually a thought out there that the Korean who did test positive, tested positive because he failed to properly process a therapeutic use exemption. I don't know if that's a fact. Appeals come after the event.

I think Cuba could host games in the next edition, although not the games in the last rounds, but I don't see why it couldn't host the first round games.

I think there has been a failure by some people in the press to distinguish between a player who's not playing because he feels he can't and the guy who's not interested in playing in this kind of tournament. The latter kinds of guys are very few in number.

Every player has a right to play or not to play. You only hope the player who says no has a full understanding of the tournament and the consequences of his nonparticipation, especially when it's a player who wouldn't be here and who wouldn't have the new contract he has but for the association.

It's a far cry to say that because it's bad for you, a union should participate in a structure which allows your employer to punish you for doing something that you shouldn't be doing, ... That's not my understanding of what unions do for their employees.

We don't believe the tournament is going to create any greater number of injuries than spring training itself would.

Coming to camp on March 1 doesn't bode well for Manny's participation.

I have not spoken with Manny himself, but I have spoken with people who represent him. Coming to camp on March 1 does not bode well for Manny to be able to play. But Manny is eligible and obviously the Dominican team would love to have Manny play.

Let's assume steroids are very bad to take, but I have no doubt that they are not worse than cigarettes, ... I would never say that to the clubs as an individual who represents the interests of players, 'Gee, I guess by not allowing baseball to suspend and fine players for smoking cigarettes, I am not protecting their health.'

It doesn't make sense. That's my only comment.

We hope they come to the talks without a closed mind.

We've notified Major League Baseball we may or may not disagree.

This is Olympic-style-sponsored and WADA-sponsored testing. The International Baseball Federation would not sanction it unless it could have the same testing with the same frequency for the same substances in the same laboratories.

The success of the tournament can be measured by one thing and one thing principally. And that is to the degree players come out of it telling their fellow players that it was a lot of fun and they made a mistake by not playing.

We had medical reports in which the doctors suggested the player was ready to play. I'm troubled by it. But you take me back to the moment I said Luis Ayala should be able to play, I have no doubt I made the right decision.

There was a time when people were saying, 'Will there be a next time' Now it's a given. That's a tribute to the tournament and how it has been conducted. It is now a given there will be a tournament in 2009.

No one would want to broadcast the event or at least pay anything substantial for it, coming as it would on the heels of the World Series and the onset of the football and basketball seasons.

If someone who is one of the best players on the planet isn't playing in the tournament, then there's something wrong with the tournament. I think it's the right conclusion.

We don't want the world to know if a guy tested positive in out-of-competition testing -- that's part of the arrangement we made. If they're playing in the tournament and test positive, their removal will be an indication why they were removed.

There will be no split season. It's not a negotiating ploy, believe me. It's their decision and that's what we will do.

No one wants to play more than Pedro does. So if it's at all possible, he will play. Obviously, his toe is still an issue. I spoke with a representative of Pedro within the last 24 hours. It is still possible he will play, but at best it's 50-50 right now

There are a lot of other great players in the tournament of course in addition to Manny, which is one of the reasons Manny would probably want to play, with the talent at that level. But I haven't spoken with Manny himself, and, in fact, I think I spoke to one of his representatives as late as yesterday and he hasn't ruled out playing. What he decides is really ultimately going to be up to him though.