Sometimes you just don't feel the same everyday, it doesn't matter what you do, but when you have people looking forward to seeing you perform for them, that puts you in the mood, and that's natural in Boston. That's why it's such a special place to play.
I just love the feeling from the fans and when I'm walking on deck I can hear people screaming and wishing you the best. That puts you into the game more than anything.
Everybody has something to prove each year. Everybody has a responsibility in this game. Even the batboy.
You don't get better as you get older in your career. It's not natural to have your best years late in your career. So I'm trying to do whatever I can to keep my body feeling good for as long as I can.
Through the years I've been getting better and better and better, and it's what you learn though the seasons.
I showed people that it's not about guessing what people can do. It's about saying, 'Here, show me what you can do.'
If I can't hit at a high level, I won't play, and I know there comes a point where my body won't be able to do that.
You just have to go as far as you can go. Everyone works his way up.
I'm the same guy I've always been. I'm the same guy now as when I was hitting 50 home runs. I don't change.
People, man, they love hurting people. It's not even fair.
Whatever country you go to, you need to definitely follow the rules. So I believe it's very important for people, wherever they go, any immigrant should know or should try to learn something about the culture.
A lot of people write books not at the end of their career. Why you gotta wait until then? When you're momentum's going, that's when people really want to get to know about you.
Negativity doesn't help me.
I just want to play baseball.
Sometimes when you're fighting, fighting, fighting, the mind needs some time off and you regroup and get back to normal.
My whole career, my swing has always been the most important thing to me. Even when I'm taking a shower, I work on my swing.
I'm the kind of a player who, if you give me something good to hit, I'm going to swing at it. Otherwise, there's nothing else you can do.
I never thought that buying supplements and vitamins, it was going to hurt anybody's feelings.
Everybody goes through some tough times in their life, no matter what you do. Man, I've had my tough times.
Trust me, I play the game for the fans, my family and myself.