Next up is General Manager John Mozeilak. Let’s get right into it.
Thoughts on the Winter Warm-Up:
“The atmosphere is two-fold. First, it’s one of reflection on 2011. Obviously it was a fabulous memory for all involved and an amazing experience. It’s also a great opportunity to look at 2012 and where the club is going. There’s a lot of hope that we’ll continue to be successful.”
On the team:
“Our roster is something that’s always fluid. Going into Spring Training, we have a good balance. A veteran club with youth. … The team seems to look good on paper, but games aren’t won on paper.”
On a potential addition before Spring Training:
“Closing the door on that option would not be prudent. In a nutshell, we will still consider all different angles.”
On Waino:
“I’ll have a much better feeling after seeing him on the mound. … While pitch counts are important to pay attention to, it’s more important to pay attention to not putting him in situations that will be stressful.”
On Molina:
“He’s someone we’d like to keep here long term.”
On second base:
“We want to see Tyler Greene get a good look there. I’m not going to write in concrete what it’s going to look like, but I think there will be lots of ABs for him. He’ll have a lot of opportunities this spring to win a starting spot, but so will Daniel Descalso. Descalso gives us that flexibility in the infield. But second base is open. It’s where we’re going to give Greene a shot. He’s an unbelievable talent, and it makes a lot of sense to give him an opportunity to play.”
On Skip:
“He’s a super utility. He gives us tons of flexibility and is a great teammate.”
On the bullpen:
“We have a balanced club, and our bullpen is a lot stronger than a year ago at this time. With McClellan, Rzcepczynski, Lance Lynn, we’re just deeper this year.”
On the role of the closer, and whether it exists:
“I think that label exists, but I won’t name it today.”
On Allen Craig:
“He’s meeting with the trainers this week. He can help dispel time at first base, right field, left field. I think getting him ABs won’t be an issue.”
On Albert Pujols:
“It was an exhausting process. Fans want to see a good club out there. They’re fans of the name on the front, not the back. The club made a good effort, a strong effort. … It was a phone call and then BOOM. How should we handle this, how should we approach this? We put our best foot forward, and it didn’t work out. The initial feeling was down, but we took a quick time out and assessed the situation as best we could.”
