A lot of hitters stay away from the plate, some are close up, some are forward, some are back. The thing about hitting is this: You have to know the strike zone. That's the most important thing. Hit strikes and put the bat on the ball.

The first principle of contract negotiations is don't remind them of what you did in the past - tell them what you're going to do in the future.

I learned to hit with a broomstick and a ball of tape and I could always get that bat on the ball.

I'm a musician. I play harmonica for relaxation. A good way to relax and entertain people. An excellent way to have fun.

I think I had the smallest handle around. When I got my bats, I even trimmed them down. I used to scrape them. Some years later when I started getting older, I used to start with a 33 and in the summer it got down to 31 and then probably in September got down to 30.

There was never a day when I was as good as Joe DiMaggio at his best. Joe was the best, the very best I ever saw.

What made me sign with the Cardinals? Because they used salesmanship, the personal touch.