“It doesn’t take any talent to play hard.”

Defense usually doesn’t make many headlines, but it goes a long way towards winning baseball games. There are a number of ways to make an impact during the course of a game, and playing solid, sound defense is one of them.

As long as I’m having fun I’m going to play.

This is why you play – to get an opportunity to play in the playoffs.

I can have fun anywhere, as long as I’m with good people. But in the offseason, I like to go somewhere warm, a nice spot in the Caribbean.

In order to lead people, you have to get to know them.

During the off-season, I go to the movies almost every day.

My best vacation is somewhere I could hide, somewhere warm and not a lot of people around.

I’m not perfect; no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. I think you try to learn from those mistakes.

If I put my name on something, I’m going to be involved. I’m not just going to put my name on it and not pay attention.

Work hard, love what you do, put your best foot forward and never forget the kid in you.

I’ve hung out and dated people I’ve never even met before.

You gotta have fun. Regardless of how you look at it, we’re playing a game. It’s a business, it’s our job, but I don’t think you can do well unless you’re having fun.

You don’t just accidentally show up in the World Series.

Good teams make the playoffs, hot teams win the playoffs.

You have to be confident, if you’re not confident you might as well go home.

Obviously, you’re known for what you do. But you still want to be known as a good person. You’re a person a lot longer before and after you’re a professional athlete.

It takes a huge effort to free yourself from memory.

Nations consist of people. And with their effort, a nation can accomplish all it could ever want.

Don’t ever let anybody tell you that your efforts don’t matter or that your voice doesn’t count. Don’t ever believe that you can’t make a difference. You have.

Every effort under compulsion demands a sacrifice of energy. I never paid such a price.

My mother understood human nature better and never chided. She knew that a man cannot be saved from his own foolishness or vice by someone else’s efforts or protests, but only by the use of his own will.

Whatever we accomplish belongs to our entire group, a tribute to our combined effort.

Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.

The one thing that matters is the effort.