The first pitch, he threw me was a slider and I swung kind of too hard. Then he threw me another one for a ball and I stayed with my game plan. I didn’t really...

I haven’t felt this good since my last full year in Kansas City, … Being stronger should help me stay away from injuries, and when I can stay on the field, I know I can...

You just want to do what you’re capable of doing. You can’t worry about what other guys are doing. You got to go out there every day focused on your game. If guys in front...

Kenny Williams showed me on paper what the makeup of this team would be like. I always know that from being around this game, pitching and defense wins,

I knew our starting pitchers and bullpen had the capability to go out there and shut teams down. I knew with our offense we were good. From the start of spring training everyone was hungry,...

It means a lot. He’s been to the dance before. Not in baseball, but he knows this feeling. His heart and soul is in baseball and he’s told me many times he’d trade all his...

It doesn’t matter to me. I’ve always been in the middle of the lineup anywhere.

Last year was the best team I’ve played on as far as an all-around team. Maybe not the best players. But as far as a team in the clubhouse, on the field, pulling for each...

No, we’re not executing like we did before. Once you get in the playoffs, the pitching is going to be the best. [The Angels] are there for a reason, not because they can hit, but...

It hit my bat. I turned around and the umpire said it hit me. I’m not going to tell him I fouled it off.

This is not necessarily a home run lineup, but we have guys who are strong enough to hit home runs. The guys are feeding off each other right now…and we’re playing good team baseball.

It seems like just yesterday, I was sitting at breakfast with [general manager] Kenny Williams deciding on what the makeup of this team was going to be like and just going through a process of...

One of the worst weather games we played in so far.

Just getting back to where I was my rookie year, this is everybody’s dream. We’re just living a dream so far. Hopefully we can get that jewelry at the end.

It was good for him to be down there today and talk to the guys, to have somebody there who actually played and went through all that stuff. He did some good things back in...

I still feel it grab a little bit. If it was September or something I would definitely gut it out, but since it’s the first week, I’ll probably give it another day or so.

It’s the playoffs. You never know what’s going to happen.

It gives your team a big boost. It not only helps the pitcher throw strikes, it takes pressure off the other guys to not try to do too much. We’re rolling now and we have...

Our focus is to get out and win series.

I think his personality rubbed off on everybody,

And from the start of spring training everybody was hungry. Everybody wanted to go out there and win together. Everybody was pulling on the same rope.

He thought it was kind of funny. He said he’s known now. I told him he could probably go to Hollywood now and become a movie star.

It was good. I think a lot of guys enjoyed it. Just to understand what those guys went through.

We had a guy at the plate that hadn’t played in a while, so it’s tough to expect him to go up there and get a hit.

It means a lot not only to us in the clubhouse but to the organization, the fans, the city. It’s a great feeling. We’re just happy to be able to bring a championship to the...

We had a lot of young guys mixed with some older guys who just wanted to win.

We’re going through a tough time right now. But a win is a win, and we’ll take it.

We don’t have any egos on this team, … Everybody got along with each other. . . . Ozzie will say whatever is on his mind and he keeps everybody loose.

It’s going to be tough to pick the ball up in the first three or four innings.

We’re going to be facing pretty good pitching. Some guys I faced in the past. Hopefully they don’t have their `A’ games and we do.

I hadn’t thought of it that way. Our paths have just gone two different directions.

We’re just missing pitches. We’ve got to continue to battle and not put pressure on ourselves.

It feels unbelievable. This is an exciting moment, … It’s something I never will forget.

You can sit back when you are old and gray and remember some of the good old days.

We’re going through a tough time right now, … But a win is a win, and we’ll take it.

Being a rookie, you don’t know what to expect out of a World Series. You’re just happy to be there. It’s basically a lot of rah-rah, … Now, I’ve had a lot of playoff experience...

Just got a fastball out over the plate and did what I wanted to do. I think the ball was carrying. I think the wind was bouncing off the stands and sending the ball back...

When I hit it, I thought it was probably gone.

When he first hit it, I thought it was probably gone. It had just gotten cold. Maybe earlier when it was warm it would have gone out.

Anytime you get extra outs you want to take advantage, because once you get in the playoffs every pitch is crucial, … It’s hard to tell from the naked eye, and the umpire had a...

It’s been a long time since they’ve been in the World Series and won, … And it means a lot, not only to us in the clubhouse but to the organization, to the fans, to...

We don’t have any egos on this team. I think that was what was really special about this club,

We’ve got to play these games out and see where we’re at.

I had a game plan going up there, … I know he throws a lot of sliders. He throws hard, but usually his fastball is just to keep you honest. And I stuck with the...

If you look at the replay, it shows it hit the bat, … I can’t argue with that. I’d tell you lies if I said it hit me.

He’s one of a kind, … I haven’t seen too many guys go out there and throw 100 miles an hour with some cut on it. I faced him in a simulated game the other...

It’s a new year and he caught me when I was swinging good.

I didn’t really try to do too much, … Just tried to hit it hard somewhere and found a hole up the middle.

I was just excited to be there, just having fun. You just never know if you’re going to get that chance again, … Nine years later, 10 years later or whatever, I think I kind...

But the [leg] was feeling better in two months. Now, I don’t even think about it. I just go out and play.