Toughest thing for me as a young manager is that a lot of my players saw me play. They know how bad I was.

Even when you have three strikes, you're still not out. There is always something else you can do.

To me, there is no more conscientious umpire in the Major Leagues than Jim Joyce. He gives you a hellacious effort every time.

The thing I learned when I was playing was that your best way of winning was to make it difficult for the other team to score in the last three innings.

In the end, as a manager or coach, you have to keep your heart pure and do your best as a manager or a coach.

Just because you're down to your last strike, you're not out yet. You can always do more. You'll always have more at-bats to take. That's true in baseball, in rescuing animals, and in life generally.

I'm a great believer in the character of the club. To me, character has a lot to do with how you compete. That creates urgency and toughness. That elevates the talent that you have.