You probably don't call home and say, 'Hi, mom. I am facing Pete Schourek tonight.' Names and stats don't do it. You have to do it out on the field.

I love what I do on the field and that takes a lot of my time. But I also make time to help other people because a lot are not as fortunate as I am.

I learned the hard way. When I started hitting home runs, I thought, I can hit these pitches. Then I started thinking, if I can do this, I can hit the pitch four inches outside or four inches up. I expanded the zone and got myself out. Pitchers are smart. If they find out they don't have to throw strikes, they won't.

If you can't smile and have fun, you're in trouble. So if somebody in the stands says hello, I'm going to say hello back. Why shouldn't I? I know what I'm doing in this game. I'm still going to be ready to hit when I step in the box.

I'm a baseball player, I'm not a political activist.

There's gonna be good times and bad times. When the good times come you got to ride it as long as you can. And when the bad times come you got to battle and try to get out of there as soon as you can.

You probably don't call home and say, 'Hi, mom. I am facing Pete Schourek tonight.' Names and stats don't do it. You have to do it out on the field.