QUOTABLES

Rick Morrissey, Chicago Trib on Greg Maddox:

"In the seventh inning, when Maddux walked off the mound for the last time, the crowd rose to give him a standing ovation, to show its appreciation and, maybe, just maybe, to apologize. Sorry it turned out this way. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Really.

He lifted his cap, and if you looked hard enough, you might have seen that he was sorry, too, for how it ended. He had more to give. Later, he said he liked everything about his return to Chicago except the results, which, OK, is sort of like enjoying everything about an orange except the fruit."

*****

Phillies reliever Arthur Rhodes on Cory Lidle following Lidle's trade to the Yankees and his whinge about the losing attitude in the Phillies clubhouse: "He is a scab. When he started, he would go 5 1/3 innings and (the bullpen) would have to win the game for him. The only thing Cory Lidle wants to do is fly around in his airplane and gamble. He doesn't have a work ethic. After every start, he didn't run or lift weights. He would sit in the clubhouse and eat ice cream . . . He shouldn't say that, he shouldn't say anything like that because he is a scab. He crossed the line when guys like me, Flash (Tom Gordon) and (Mike) Lieberthal were playing. He is a replacement player.”

*****

It's not an illusion that David Ortiz comes through in walkoff situations every time.

According to Sox historian Allan Wood, webmaster of the Joy of Sox, Ortiz has come to the plate 19 times in potential walkoff situations since the end of the 2004 regular season (postseasons included) and reached base 16 times. He is 11-for-14 (.786), with 7 HR and 20 RBI.

In 2005 and 2006, he is 8-for-9, with 5 HR and 15 RBI!

Amazing.