I wanted the challenge of competing against the best players in the world.

I've made far too many mistakes. That's the way I feel.

When you mail Ichiro something from the States, you only have to use that name on the address and he gets it (in Japan). He's that big.

I love baseball, but being here (in the United States), I've been able to play golf every day. I can't play in Japan because every course has caddies, and the caddies all want autographs and don't want to let me golf.

I heard that in the United States the level of baseball was the highest in the world. So it was only natural that I would want to go there, as a baseball player.

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

People striving for approval from others become phony.