Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
You're going to have your struggles every now and then, but you've just got to always keep it in perspective and try to have a good time.
If I could help the pitcher as much as I can, or I could save three to five errors a year with my defense, then that's just a big help for my teammates.
I think any way you can help offensively or defensively, and if you can get both in one day, that's a huge confidence booster and everyone wants to do that.
I didn't want to go to college. I went to Oregon two days to visit. And they were two sunny days. But me in college was not something I really wanted to do.
We know how hard it is to make the World Series; to do it two years in a row is really special. I know how lucky I am to be a part of it two years in a row.
I think about my dad and how tough he had it. They treated us a lot better in our minor league system, especially with the food. But the bus rides were no joke.
I still think that rookie season was the most shocking to everyone, at least in my hometown here. I mean, it was insane. They couldn't believe I was doing this.
I grew up playing in the outfield and junior year of high school I went over to first base and got some tidbits from my dad, but it kind of came naturally to me.
The pressure of the World Series and the playoffs, it gets to you. But I hope I feel like that every year. Because hopefully we're playing into November every year.
I'll be the first one to admit I had some bad at-bats. But I've had periods where I've struck out four times and then struck out four times again. It only takes one swing to get out of it.
I am pretty laid back, I think, and I don't so much want the spotlight on me. I just like to go to the field every day, do my routine, talk baseball, and have as much fun with it as you can.
Baseball is just a game you go out every single day and try to win, go in the cage every day and stick to your routine and try not to be results-based, even though that's what the game is based on.
I don't really miss pitching in games, and I don't think my arm could hold up. I would still love to try the radar gun, just not pitch on a consistent basis. I'd love to go and try to fire up the gun, though.
In the pursuit of a championship and beyond, I'm determined to take my performance, on and off the field, to the next level. I'm confident that MET-Rx and their great lineup of sports nutrition products is the perfect partner to help me do just that.
I created a little thing with my hands, just to create a more consistent plane to backspin balls, and obviously growing into your body helps. It's kind of complicated, more about starting the barrel flat and then creating a movement - flat to up, I guess - going towards the pitcher.
The offseason after the 2014 season, I worked with hitting coach Damon Mashore. I always had power in batting practice but couldn't take it into a game consistently. We made a little adjustment with my hands, lowered them a bit to get a consistent path to the ball, a natural uppercut to elevate the ball and backspin some balls.
I don't really look at stats or whatever. You see them on the big screen. But other than that, I don't pay too much attention to it. I did know about my dad's home run total. Other than that, I don't like to know. It's pointless. Whether you know or don't know, you don't want to think about it. You just want to go out and play the game.