“He’s cocky. So am I. You have to be cocky to be good.”
—Teammate Curt Schilling

“He’s never going to be a touch and feel guy. He will challenge hitters with his fastball.”
—Former Red Sox coach Al Nipper

“He’s loving life in Boston.”
—Former teammate Carl Pavano

“He’s very ambitious, very outgoing, confident in his abilities. Those are good qualities in the big leagues.”
—Former Marlins scouting director Al Avila

“He is special. With him it’s so easy. The ball comes out of his hand so easily. He has a real feel for pitching. He is intelligent and his mechanics are solid.”
—Former Marlins manager John Boles

"He's a competitor. He has tons of confidence in his stuff and he's unique in the sense that he has three legit pitches. Hard-throwing right-handers don't throw too many changeups to other right-handers. That's something special he has, plus a nasty curveball.”
—Teammate Mike Lowell

“He’s got a chance to be a premium pitcher for a long time.”
—Former Marlins GM Dave Dombrowski

“He’s a kid who wants it badly and he’s in no way, shape or form trying to big-league anybody. He wants to impress but not in a way that is immature.”
—Former Marlins manager Jeff Torborg

“He feels like he belongs here. There's no better compliment I can give him than to say that about him."
—Former Yankees manager Joe Torre

''He's an old-schooler. He's really caught everyone's attention … not only his stuff, but what he does with it.”
—Torre

"I've had a lot of young pitchers. Believe me, this guy here is, I'd have to say, by far the most outstanding young man I've had as far as mental toughness in the big leagues.”
—Former Marlins manager Jack McKeon

“This guy has the guts of a burglar.”
—McKeon

"I don't think he's a cocky kid. I think he's just a very confident young man that goes out there and tries to do the best he can. One thing about him: He may talk a lot, but he walks the walk as well."
—McKeon

"He's got tremendous upside. I might have had to push him a little, but basically he deserves all the credit. This guy is going to be something special."
—McKeon

"He has one of the best young arms in the league. And he's going to get better and better."
—All-Star Albert Pujols

“He’s making adjustments. The stuff is there. Now he’s got to just make it consistent.”
—Former Marlins coach Wayne Rosenthal

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