So many good things have happened to me in the game of baseball. When I do allow myself a chance to think about it, it's almost like a storybook career. You feel so blessed to have been able to compete this long.

I haven't given it (achieving 3,000 hits) much thought. I was taught a certain approach, how to come to the ballpark. I try not to do too much thinking about things like that. In this society we measure success in different ways. Three thousand (hits) represents success over a career, not a season. It'll be nice to get to that point.

What keeps me going? I guess it's just a desire to keep trying to contribute and do things in life.

I don't love the idea of the responsibility falling on the manager. That just adds to their in-game responsibility.

I always thought being a gamer and someone who had a sense of responsibility to the game and to my teammates was the honorable thing.

Disadvantaged kids many times don't have the support network that we all have. I know how important my parents were in my life and many of these kids don't have that support network.

If you really think about it, the stadium can't last forever. There is going to have to come a time when it replaces.