Tommy Lasorda Quotes

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination.

There are three types of baseball players: Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happens.

No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference.

If you don't root for the Dodgers, you might not get into heaven.

Talking about your troubles is no good. Eighty percent of your friends don't care and the rest are glad.

When you're not playing up to your capability, you gotta try everything, to motivate, to get them going. All of them have to be on the same end of the rope to pull together. It's playing for the name on the front of the shirt, not the back. Individualism gets you trophies and plaques. Play for the front, that wins championships. I try to remind them of that.

The best possible thing in baseball is winning The World Series. The second best thing is losing The World Series.

I walk into the clubhouse today and it's like walking into the Mayo Clinic. We have four doctors, three therapists and five trainers. Back when I broke in, we had one trainer who carried a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and by the 7th inning he'd already drunk it.

About the only problem with success is that it does not teach you how to deal with failure.

Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure.

Managing is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard and you kill it; not hard enough and it flies away.

If you love your job, you haven't worked a day in your life.

The saddest day of the year is the day baseball season ends.

The only Angels in Los Angeles are in Heaven, and they're looking down on the Dodgers.

The worst team in baseball's history won only 55 games. The best team ever won 110 out of 160, so you're virtually guaranteed to win 1/3 of the time and lose 1/3 of the time. The difference is the 1/3 in the middle. You don't know what bucket the game you're playing falls into, so if you're smart, you'll fight like everything for all of them.

When you say you're a padre, people ask when did you become a parent. When you say you're a cardinal, they tell you to work hard because the next step is pope. But when you say you're a Dodger, everybody knows you're in the Major Leagues.

I don't like the pitch count! How are you gonna develop your arm? If you're a track man you say, "Hey, you can't run too much." Or if you're a boxer you say, "Hey, you can only box three rounds." It's not right!

You have got to love what you're doing. No matter what it is. Whatever you undertake in life, if you don't love it, and you don't enjoy it, you are making a big mistake. You have got to love what you are doing. You have to appreciate what you are getting, and you have to do it to the best of your ability.

The gym teacher's name was Mr. Caruso. Mr. Caruso did not speak English. He spoke 'Gym.' One day I was playing basketball and Mr. Caruso told me I would have to get an athletic supporter. He didn't express himself exactly that way, though. He said, 'Hey, you, one day you're gonna go up for a rebound and the family jewels aren't gonna go with ya.' I had no idea what he was talking about. Next day I showed up for practice without my watch and my mezuzah. He said, 'Did ya take care of the family jewels?' I said, 'I left 'em in my locker.' Took us a half hour to revive Mr. Caruso.

I love doubleheaders. That way I get to keep my uniform on longer.

My theory of hitting was just to watch the ball as it came in and hit it.

I motivate players through communication, being honest with them, having them respect and appreciate your ability and your help.

Everybody makes mistakes, that's why they put erasers on pencils

Baseball is like driving, it's the one who gets home safely that counts.

When you - when you become the manager of a major league team, particularly the Dodgers, to me, that's a privilege and an honor. No matter where you go or what you do, you represent that position that you have. And you represent that organization that gave you the opportunity to be doing what you're doing.

Think about each pitch like you think about women, then select one which is particularly appealing.

I do not care whether you're a Democrat or you're a Republican or an independent. We must pull for the people who are wearing the uniform of the armed forces. These people weren't drafted. They enlisted, because they believe.

You can wake up every day and make today better than the last.

When I was 15 years old, I used to actually dream I was pitching in Yankee Stadium. Bill Dickey was my catcher.

If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third.

I was told to stay away from pasta and bread for two weeks. Not eating pasta? That'll kill me. Anything else, but why pasta?

All last year we tried to teach him (Fernando Valenzuela) English, and the only word he learned was million.

When I was interviewed after I got hired to replace Walter Alston, a future Hall of Famer, I was asked: “Don’t you feel pressure on you?” I said: “Want to know something, I’m worried about the guy who’s going to have to replace me.”

Listen, if you start worrying about the people in the stands, before too long you're up in the stands with them.

Guys ask me, don't I get burned out? How can you get burned out doing something you love? I ask you, have you ever got tired of kissing a pretty girl?

I've been able to dine with presidents, with leaders of corporations, traveled for 14 years with (financier and philanthropist) Michael Milken, who has taught me so much about life. Hanging around with them, it's nothing I could have believed in grade school. I could be with all of them? Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Dean Martin ... this former third-string pitcher from the Norristown High baseball team and the son of an Italian immigrant? I really am in awe when I think that has happened to me. What a life.

When we win, I'm so happy I eat a lot. When we lose, I'm so depressed, I eat a lot. When we're rained out, I'm so disappointed I eat a lot.

It is a great honor to be inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. When you honor me with this distinction, you really honor the players who put me there. All of the honors I receive became a reality only through the contributions of my players. In addition to myself, you also honor my family and the Dodger organization. I accept this recognition with pride and gratitude.

I've been Catholic all my life, and there's one thing I've never understood. Why didn't the Corinthians write back?

I bleed Dodger blue and when I die, I'm going to the big Dodger in the sky.

One time I was doing a speech to a group of kids, and just before I get there, I see this little kid crying. I found out they just lost a game, and he was the losing pitcher. I went over there, put my arm around him, and said, 'What are you crying for? When major league players lose, they don't cry.'

When we lose, I eat. When we win, I eat. I also eat when we're rained out.

Chan Ho had a great career and was the exemplification of class, dignity and character.

No, we don't cheat. And even if we did, I'd never tell you.

I started in the lowest league in baseball, and I worked my way all the way up to Triple A and then to the big leagues. I never reached the level that I thought I would reach as a player. But that's the way it goes. So then I started from the bottom as a manager, and I worked my way up to managing the Dodgers for 20 years.

My wife tells me one day, 'I think you love baseball more than me.' I say, 'Well, I guess that's true, but hey, I love you more than football and hockey.'

Ernie Banks was a great great player and when he no longer could play, he became a great ambassador for the game. He represented the game with the highest of class and dignity. Everybody loved Ernie Banks. He enjoyed baseball, life and people. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. We have truly lost a baseball giant.

Grownups have to say 'please,' too.

Nothing succeeds like - failure.

The only way I'd worry about the weather is if it snows on our side of the field and not theirs.