The more that Japanese players go to the big leagues to play and succeed, the more that will serve to inspire young kids in Japan to want to become baseball players when they grow up.

When people get placed upon a pedestal - when they start chasing after that person on the pedestal - they become mannequin-like.

I've always prided myself in not reveling in past accomplishments and focusing on future achievement, instead. That's been my career motto.

I'm told I either look bigger than I do on television or that I look smaller than I look on television. No one seems to think I look the same size.

The more that Japanese players go to the big leagues to play and succeed, the more that will serve to inspire young kids in Japan to want to become baseball players when they grow up.

I played on the 2001 team, the team that won the most games in the history of Major League Baseball and also I played on one of the worst teams of Major League Baseball.

I want to be the first player to show what Japanese batters can do in the major league.