“I’m not trying to be the Most Valuable Player of the American League. I want to have a good year and play hard, that’s it.”

“I think I can play in the big leagues 10 or 15 years. But more important to me is winning—win, make the playoffs.”

“I like people talking about me, about my defense or what I’m doing. I like to see that, and that makes me work hard.”

“I was always thinking, ‘One day I want to be like Bernie Williams.’”

“I don’t feel any pressure. I want to show people that I can be a great player at this level.”

“They pitch you differently the second time around, and I take that as being a kind of respect.”

“I can’t change something that I’ve been all my life. But I can work to express myself and talk more.”

“I like to be aggressive. I like to swing the bat.”

“I learned that I have to work hard every day, that I can’t get down if I get in a slump.”

“When you’re close to your family, you want to be close to them.”

“My mom and dad gave me everything they could have given me.”

“I have more confidence than I ever have before.”

"I pray to God to be a great player, but I want to keep my life."

"I don't want to be hiding from people. It would be difficult to be recognized everywhere, so that I couldn't do things ordinary people do."

"Running after balls, diving, taking a home run away, it gives me such a good feeling. I am happy to do it."

"I used to think it would be neat to play my whole career with one team. But as a baseball player you want to come to the ballpark every day knowing you have a chance to win and that the games mean something."

"I know there are a lot of expectations of me, and I will do the best I can."

"I'm a family man. I just love being around my family."

“Now that I feel 100 percent, I'm looking forward to playing my game the way I want to—getting on base, stealing bases and trying to help the team any way I can."