Pete Rose Quotes

People say I stole a lot of bases. I stole the bases for a reason. I crossed the plate.

Boys, I'm one of those umpires that misses 'em every once in a while so if it's close, you'd better hit it.

A lot of these catchers don't understand that they are blocking the plate and they don't have the ball. You're not allowed to block the plate without the ball.

I always liked the defensive part of baseball.

Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.

Sliding headfirst is the safest way to get to the next base, I think, and the fastest. You don't lose your momentum, and there's one more important reason I slide headfirst, it gets my picture in the paper.

Of all the plays in baseball, stealing home is by far the most exciting.

Certain guys, they can see a guy do a certain thing with their glove and know what pitch is coming. I couldn't do that. But I can get on first base and I can tell you by his move if that pitcher is going to first base or home plate every time.

American League teams don't bunt very often. National League teams bunt a lot.

We always had to play the game and play for the team. It is a Kent tradition.

The base paths belonged to me, the runner. The rules gave me the right. I always went into a bag full speed, feet first. I had sharp spikes on my shoes. If the baseman stood where he had no business to be and got hurt, that was his fault.

If you're going to play the game properly you'd better know every rule.

I let the players use their abilities and what they're capable of doing. If they're capable of stealing bases, I'm going to give them the green light. I'm going to teach them to pick their spots and to get a base when they can get a base.

I'm more conscious of where the outfielders are playing when I'm on base, and I don't take such wide turns anymore running around the bases. I'm still learning.

There ain't no genius here. Strategy in baseball is overrated. People say, 'That Weaver, he plays for the long ball too much.' You bet I do. Hit 'em out. Then I got no worry about somebody lousing up a bunt, I got no worry about the hit and run - and that's really overrated - I got no worry about base-running errors. And I can't screw it up myself.

What I liked was to set the tone - set the pace for the team. I know when we're starting the game, I can get on and steal a base, then a guy bring me in. Then we're in the lead and in a good position to win. That was the most exciting thing - to help the team.

Baseball players are not specialists; they all have to do it all. That is why I, and many aficionados, dislike the American League's practice of replacing the pitcher with a designated hitter. This creates two players who do not have to do it all.

If anything, make a 50-yard field goal worth four points instead of three.

When you allow stolen bases, that changes the game.

If I can get on base once or twice a game, steal a bag, do something, then I'm happy.

Sometimes you are going to have to games where you are going to have to manufacture runs, stealing. Particularly when you face real good pitching.

I wasn't going to be drafted to steal bases at 18.

You try to take advantage of taking control of the game when you know you may have guys on base and counts aren't in your favor or whatever. You just try to figure out ways to slow the game down to get back to the pace that you want it to be at, to try to get the momentum back on your side.

I'm just trying to affect the game in some way whenever I get an opportunity. If that's stealing a base, making a catch, beating out a double play, whatever it may be.

There's nobody on my ball club that doesn't go from first to third on a base hit, or from second to home. Every time you steal a base, you're taking a gamble on getting thrown out, and taking the bat out of the hitter's hand.