I benefited from tremendous encouragement as a kid. So many people reached out to me, helped me, and believed in me even when I didn't always believe in myself.

I always wanted to be a shortstop so I could play more often!

I wanted to be like Nolan Ryan. I didn't want to be like Pete Gray...And I don't want kids to be like me because I have one hand. I want kids to be like Jim Abbott because he's a baseball pitcher at Michigan and he won the Big Ten Championship game, and not because I can field a bunt and throw to first.

I believe that challenges can push us beyond what we might otherwise be able to accomplish.

What's cool about baseball is you don't have to see someone for years, but when you see them, you just hustle up and give them a big hug. Those friendships endure.

I could always throw the ball pretty well and I worked pretty hard at learning how to play the game. But I didn't consider it work as a kid, since I just loved playing baseball.

If you keep harping on a disability, then you'll start believing there is one. So I don't.