As soon as I touched home plate I knew that question was coming. As far as hitting left-handers, I think it's a matter of seeing them down here. The more I see them the more things I can pick up and take into the season. |
Even though it's raining outside, it kind of brightens the day. |
Every game is tight. Every game is a must-win. You've got to go out there and handle your business. Hopefully, you're there at the end. |
For me, it's just a part of the process in trying to get ready. There are still some things out there that I want to try to get better at. |
For us younger guys, we just want to perform. The veteran guys are prepared to steer. They'll take us wherever we're going. |
He used to try to overpower people, and in the minors, he could. He had to learn [to use his breaking pitches], and you could tell, just since last year, he did that. |
He was putting it right where he wanted to put it. |
He's meant a lot as far as being able to watch him play and see what he does. One of the things he told me was to stay on an even plane and slow everything down. I watched him growing up, and to learn from him now has been great. |
I don't know. I saw the travel list [Friday]. The first thing that came to my mind, well, after [Friday] was hopefully we won't have the same thing [a sludge spill causing a typical three-hour trip to take more than five]. |
I hope to represent this award in a way that would make your father proud. |
I just got a good pitch to hit, a fastball up in the zone, and fortunately it landed on the other side of the fence. |
I just showed up and my name was in the lineup. After the second (home run) everyone was saying, 'Hey, give me the flu. |
I think it gets guys fired up. If it doesn't fire you up, you've got issues. |
I was just sort of oblivious to what was going on. When Thome had surgery, I knew I'm the guy for the long haul and am trying to step it up. Knowing you're going to be in there every day is a big thing. |
I'll miss the pies in the face. |