I think it was like, 'I don't look like you, Mom. I don't look like you, Dad. Like, what's going on here?' They just kind of told me I was adopted. I was like, 'OK, that's fine with me.'
Any time you play shortstop or center field, the majority of the baseballs are hit in the middle of the field.
I've just got to stay patient, take my walks when I can, hunt the mistakes, and get on base.
You define great players as guys that are out there grinding, battling every day with their team.
I talked to a few schools about playing football, but I had already pretty much made my mind up. I fell in love with baseball at a young age, and I knew that that's what I wanted to do.
Even in the Minor Leagues, I thought you have to go out and earn a spot. Nothing is ever given to you.
Just being in a video game is an honor, and being on the cover, I can't really describe it.
If I'm making consistent contact, even if they're outs or right at somebody, if I'm just making consistent contact, I'm happy.
You're always still trying to win a job. That's everyone's mindset: come in here and fight for your job, win a job.
The New York Yankees' organization - they train us well from the get-go. They tell us how to handle everything.
A lot of people love to watch the Yankees.
I love the city of New York. It's kind of fun. I grew up in the country, so I'm getting a little change of pace. The city has been great.
Once it gets to two strikes, it's time to battle, put something in play, and try to get the job done.
You never hit a good slider or curveball; you just try to go after the mistakes.
When you go to college the first couple years, and you kind of get beat around, you kind of think about, 'Maybe if I went to pro ball, it would be a little bit better.' Now that I look back on it, I made the right choice.
That's your dream, to play professional baseball. When you get the opportunity like that, getting drafted - especially by Oakland, a California team, pretty close to home - it was tempting. At the time, I just didn't think I was ready or mature enough mentally or physically to start pro ball.
If someone throws you a good slider, you're not going to hit it. You've got to always hunt those ones that kind of pop up or hang thigh-high or up.
The biggest thing is, you don't hit the good sliders; you just hit the mistakes. That's what my thing has always been: Just keep hunting mistakes.
I just like music.
If you have a good music tone of the day, it puts everybody in the right mindset.
