As a ballplayer, you just want to feel respected. I like the way Washington presented the team to me and I feel good about what was being said.

I don't think about how many people are watching me. I'm just happy to play baseball for myself.

I think it looked like I was a little more aggressive than I was, ... I swing at bad pitches anyway, but I was swinging at even more bad pitches and missing. It looked worse. But I was thinking about [the milestone], no doubt about it.

I don't have to get a pitch down the middle. If I like the pitch-even if it's 15 inches off the plate, and that's the pitch I wanted-I'm swinging.

I just have to come back tomorrow and try again, ... I have to look at the ball and keep swinging.

I dedicate all my time to baseball, because when you come from where I come from, you don't want to risk anything.

I tried to use batting gloves at the beginning of every spring training up until 1999. It just didn't feel good.