Before, if I wasn't in baseball, I wanted to become a doctor.

I remember quotes in the paper, 'Here comes the man that New York loves to hate.' Man? None of you have probably ever eaten steak with me or rice and beans with me to understand what the man is about. You might say the player, the competitor, but the man? You guys have abused my name. You guys have said so many things, have written so many things.

I understand business and understand the ugly face of baseball, which is the business part of baseball.

I want to feel secure personally. Have a competitive team out there -- I really want to win; I hate losing -- and, I guess, I want to be treated like a normal person.

I had the opportunity to go with some other teams. But I didn't consider those teams to be contenders, and I was right.

Whether you like it or not, the last few years I'd be the first one to tell you I haven't been the Pedro Martinez that I'm used to being.

My first ball I ever got from a big-league player I actually got to purchase in Dodger Stadium in a silent auction, was Reggie Jackson.