I've been around baseball for a really long time. I didn't know I could want to be here any more than I do, have any more love or passion for this. But being away, even for just a week, that was the worst. I didn't know what was going on. I never want to do that again.

Dave Martinez

Often, bumpy roads lead to beautiful places.

When you feel like you're going to have a low-scoring game, why not have one of your better hitters have a chance? All of a sudden you're in the ninth inning and you have one of your best hitters on deck that doesn't get up. I always think about that.

Dave Martinez

Chance Your You

I prepared myself for years to be where I'm at now, and I try to focus on the here and now.

Dave Martinez

Years Year Where

I don't care what a guy can't do. Tell me what a guy can do and let's make the best of that. If we can do that, all the perceived things he can't do seem to go away.

Dave Martinez

Car Way Things

I like to hit with men in scoring position.

Dave Martinez

Men Wit T

Umpires are supposed to be non-confrontational - they're supposed to uphold the peace on the baseball field.

Dave Martinez

Peace Up Umpire

Sometimes you need to have a tough conversation or face a tough situation, and take it head on.

Dave Martinez

Time You Tough

At 21, I'm too young to be considered just a defensive outfielder.

Dave Martinez

Young You Us

Through process and preparation and going through all of the interviews, I've learned a lot about myself and my skills.

Dave Martinez

Views View Through

The one thing I always hear from the players is they say, 'You never change… no matter what happens, you have conversations with us, you are always positive.' They appreciate that.

Dave Martinez

Positive Change You

You know, for me, you don't chase wins.

Dave Martinez

You Wins Win

You have to take care of the seconds. The minutes, the hours, and the days will take care of themselves.

Dave Martinez

Car You Will

Every year that I have under my belt, I'm a lot more confident and a lot more prepared for the challenges of being a manager.

Dave Martinez

Age Year Very

Yeah, I grew a goatee, and the next year, everybody had them.

Dave Martinez

Year Yeah Very

I've been around baseball for a really long time. I didn't know I could want to be here any more than I do, have any more love or passion for this. But being away, even for just a week, that was the worst. I didn't know what was going on. I never want to do that again.

Dave Martinez

Time Love Worst

I never took things for granted. I always told myself to keep working hard, come to the ballpark ready to play, and one day I'll get a chance to play.

Dave Martinez

Work Chance Working Hard

My job is to be the bench coach with the Rays and help this team succeed. If another opportunity arises, I'd welcome the opportunity.

Dave Martinez

Wit Welcome Unity

I realized that I still had a lot to offer the game. My knowledge could maybe help younger guys. I enjoyed being around the clubhouse, on the field.

Dave Martinez

Knowledge Younger Young

I'm about as honest as I can get.

Dave Martinez

T Out Nest

I interviewed quite a few times and finally got a job with the Nationals. And I greatly appreciate it.

Dave Martinez

Time Great Wit

I love Chicago. I love Wrigley Field.

Dave Martinez

It would be tremendous… I'd love to be part of winning a championship in Chicago.

Dave Martinez

Honestly, I'd rather not talk about my health.

Dave Martinez

I'm never going to criticize any umpires or anything, because they're a big part of the game.

Dave Martinez

In the heat of the moment things get blown out of hand.

Dave Martinez

There's a lot of good Latin personnel out in baseball, coaching, in the front office, and it's nice to be recognized. But I really believe I'm here because of my merit, not because of any race or anything like that.

Dave Martinez

Everyone keeps telling me how young I am, but if the right opportunity comes up, I'm ready to manage.

Dave Martinez

When you go up there in the batter's box, you're engaged to hit. It's the same thing with baserunning.

Dave Martinez

I've done everything I could as a bench coach. I'm ready to manage.

Dave Martinez

I was thinking it would be nice if I woke up and could play like Roberto Clemente.

Dave Martinez

When I look back, I think I just never got the opportunity to play every day.

Dave Martinez

I can play with pain. It doesn't bother me.

Dave Martinez

I enjoy my job. And I love the city of Chicago, and this organization - it gave me the start to my whole career.

Dave Martinez

In my career, I finished in second place six times. I played on teams that were in it to the very end. It's frustrating.

Dave Martinez

When I was with the Giants, I played for Dusty Baker, and I love Dusty to death. I think he's a great manager and great person, but he platooned me. His reasoning was to get everybody in the lineup. It wasn't that I couldn't play every day.

Dave Martinez

Early in my career when I was with Montreal, we had a lot of good outfielders like Otis Nixon, myself, Marquis Grissom and Larry Walker. We all did the platooning thing, although each one of us could have played every day. We got everybody in the lineup, and everybody got to play.

Dave Martinez

I had some pretty good teachers. I learned how to play the game the right way.

Dave Martinez

I always was the quiet type, never said that much.

Dave Martinez

The object is to win as many games possible.

Dave Martinez

The biggest thing I tell the boys is control the heartbeat. It's hard to do, but we've gotta be able to control the heartbeat in big moments because it goes really quick. So just stay in that moment and focus on the moment, don't get ahead of yourselves, and just play the game that we've been playing all year.

Dave Martinez

I've had many managers, and learned a lot from them, the good ones always stayed even-keeled, never rode the waves.

Dave Martinez

I can remember having meetings with my coaches when things were going bad. I told them, 'Hey, we've got to be positive. This is the time we need to step up. You've got to make sure they know everything is going to be okay. Keep teaching. Once they see you are down, you lose them and that can't happen.'

Dave Martinez

It's all about communication, culture and competing every day.

Dave Martinez

My kids would watch from the window and wave to me during batting practice.

Dave Martinez

The one thing I've known and I've learned from the best managers, it's to stay positive.

Dave Martinez

Let them know that we care, even when they have a bad game and not a good game, let them know that we always care about them. You'll get the most out of every player.

Dave Martinez

Building relationships. Communicating. Trust. Those are three things I've kind of instilled myself with.

Dave Martinez

I love conversations, about anything.

Dave Martinez

In my first press conference I said, 'I'm here to win.' If you don't think that way, or any player thinks that way, why are you playing the game?

Dave Martinez

I've seen teammates who wanted to choke each other.

Dave Martinez