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

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

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

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

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

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.

I just need to come to the park every day thinking something good is going to happen to me and hoping today is going to be the day.

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

When I was in Kansas City everything was going well for me. My marriage was good and I was very successful in baseball but something was missing in my life. That something was Christ. Every human being is born with a little defect in his heart. That defect is a hole in the heart that can only be filled by Jesus Christ.

I was always thinking, 'One day I want to be like Bernie Williams.'

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

I have more confidence than I ever have before.

It's going to be crazy. I'm guessing when we play against the Dominicans, half the field will be Dominican fans and half will be Puerto Rican fans. With all the big-time players in the World Classic, it's going to be huge.

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.