10 Quotes from Famous Baseball Pitchers

10 Quotes from famous baseball Pitchers about the love of the game, staying focused, and never giving up.

Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 27 seasons, from 1966 to 1993. Ryan holds the record for the most no-hitters of any pitcher in baseball history with seven, and he is tied with Sandy Koufax for the second most career perfect games with five. He also pitched a record five one-hitters. Here are some of his most famous quotes about pitching:

1. “Pitching is the art of instilling fear.”
2. “The toughest thing about being a pitcher is having to face a batter that already has two strikes against him.”
3. “I try to pitch every game like it’s the seventh game of the World Series ”
4. “I think every young pitcher should go through Triple-A because that’s where you learn how to pitch.”
5. “The key to being a good pitcher is to keep the ball down.”
6. “I try not to walk anybody.”
7. “A pitcher has to pay attention to detail or he’ll get hammered.”
8. “Pitchers should pitch, hitters should hit, and fielders should field.”
9. “I’m not an attractive man, but I can promise you I’ll make up for it on the mound.”
10. “I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.”

Sandy Koufax

1. “I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started making them hit it.”
2. “Once in every generation there’s a perfect storm of talent and opportunity and Koufax was that storm.”
3. “I’m plain tired of losing, especially to those guys.”
4. “I’m too old and too smart for that now. I know what I can do and what I can’t do, so I just go out there and try to do the best I can.”
5. “You don’t know what pressure is until you have to sit in the stands with 14 of your teammates watching someone else pitch!”
6. “If you don’t throw strikes they’re going to hit it hard somewhere.”
7. “The key is not minding that it hurts.”
8. “You have to be a little crazy to be a pitcher anyway.”
9. “Every time I went out there, it was like starting all over again.”
10. “Pitching is 80 percent mental and the other half is physical.”

Bob Gibson

“I’m not going to let anything stop me from getting back on that mound.” -Bob Gibson

Gibson was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, and his comeback from cancer in 1974 is one of the most inspiring stories in baseball history

Tom Seaver

“I think the three best things about pitching are the first ball, the last ball and all the balls in between.”
– Tom Seaver

Roger Clemens

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.”
-Roger Clemens

Greg Maddux

“Hitting is fifty percent above the shoulders. I can teach you how to hit, but I can’t teach you how to think.”

“Getting guys out is easy. Getting them out at the right time is the hard part.”

“In baseball, my theory is to strive for consistency, not to worry about the numbers. If you dwell on statistics you get shortsighted.”

“I just try to be consistent day in and day out, giving up as few homeruns as possible, striking guys out when I have to, making good pitches when I have to and keeping my team in ballgames.”

“I prepare to pitch every game the same way no matter who we’re Playing or what the situation is.”

“The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.”

“You don’t know as much about hitting as you think you do.”

“The biggest thing is challenging hitters, getting them out of their comfort zone.”

Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martínez, a Dominician-American former starting pitcher, has pitched in five World Series and is a three-time World Series champion. He is considered one of the best pitchers of all time.

In 2000, he became only the second pitcher in history to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National League

“I can remember every inning pitched, every out… I think about baseball when I wake up in the morning. It’s always on my mind. I’ve already seen today’s highlights.”

“I follow my own rules. My momma taught me that whatever you believe strongly enough, you can make happen.”

“God has blessed me so much, given me so much talent that it would be a crime not to try to be great and give back some of that glory to Him.”

“The day I stop learning is the day I top pitching ”

“I want to be known as a pitcher who throws strikes and is aggressive with hitters.”

“Pitching is 80 percent above the waist; hitting is 80 percent below it.”

Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson was a baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues He was a ten-time All-Star and won five Cy Young Awards. He is also currently second all-time in strikeouts, with 4,875.

“I try to do the right thing at the right time. They may just be little things, but usually they make the difference between winning and losing.”

“The biggest thing is that you have to keep pushing yourself and strive to be the best at everything – not Ust baseball ”

“I think one of the most important things that anybody could understand is you have to have fun while you’re doing this game.”

“I really don’t know what makes me do well against Toronto. I’ve thought about it, but I still don’t have an answer.”

“I’m just out there having fun, whether it’s spring training or whether it’s October or whether it’s in front of 60,000 people or 6,000 people.”

“You know, one day hopefully I’ll throw my last pitch and be able to walk off the mound and get a standing ovation from all 30 ballparks.”

“My main focus every day is trying to be consistent with my work ethic and preparation so that good things will happen.”

Clayton Kershaw

“I really don’t know what my natural capabilities are as a pitcher. I feel like I can always get better.”

“My goal is to be the best pitcher I can possibly be and help my team win a World Series ”

“I love playing baseball It’s the greatest game in the world. I’m blessed to be able to play it.”

“I don’t think there’s anything more important than going out there and performing and not letting your teammates down.”

“It’s one thing to be talented, but it’s another thing to really maximize that talent.”

“I think the biggest thing for me is just consistency — being able to go out there and perform at a high level day in and day out.”

“You’re never as good as people say you are when you’re doing well, and you’re never as bad as people say you are when you’re doing poorly.”

“You have to understand that every day is a new opportunity — whether you did well yesterday or poorly.”

Madison Bumgarner

“You want to be that bulldog out there. You want to be the guy that’s tough to beat.” -Madison Bumgarner

“I feel like I’ve gotten better every year. I don’t think I’ve peaked yet.” -Madison Bumgarner

“I’m just trying to go out there and give the team a chance to win.” -Madison Bumgarner

“I’m just trying to make quality pitches. I’m not trying to do too much.” -Madison Bumgarner

“I just want to go out and help the team however I can, whether it’s pitching, hitting or Playing Defense ” -Madison Bumgarner

“It’s always enjoyable when you can go out there and help contribute to a win.” -Madison Bumgarner

“I try not to put too much pressure on myself. Just go out and have fun.” -Madison Bumgarner

“There’s always Room for Improvement You’re never as good as you can be.” -Madison Bumgarner

“The key is just making quality pitches, getting ahead in the count, putting pressure on hitters.” -Madison Bumgarner