The Big Hurt describes me perfectly-not as a person, but as a player. It's what I do to a baseball.

You just can't wake up out of bed and think you can figure out a gym. You definitely need some personal training.

I always try to overachieve. I feel I have something to prove every day.

I always took my workouts serious because I have a football background. I came from football, so when I got to baseball, I continued my football workouts in the offseason.

I do feel I was overshadowed by some of those guys (who took steroids) . . . I had a diminished-skills clause written in after I hit 29 home runs and drove in 92 RBIs, and I think those (steroid-aided home run hitters) are partly to blame.

My maturity level is rising. I think there are certain situations that I'm handling better than in the past.

I just have to be myself, and not worry about everyone looking at me and watching.