Time flies really quickly. It feels like only a few months ago that I was traded over here and started my career as a Cub in 2013.
It is good to kind of put your pride aside for the betterment of the ball club. We are all on board for that, even if you want to go another inning.
I'm extremely hairy. It pretty much connects from the top of my head to my toes with a nice upper body sweater/track jacket type of thing.
I eat plants. I eat lean meat. I work out.
'ACE' is one of the acronyms I've used over the years. It stands for 'Acting cures everything.' You weren't promised to come to the ballpark and feel great on your start day. Basically, how can you put something on display to the opponent that gives the appearance of 'OK, this guy is locked in today,' whether you are or not?
As a kid, you put yourself in those positions. Bases loaded, two outs, you're at the plate. That's kind of the way I envision it as a kid playing whiffle ball or whatever the case was.
We're tested eight, nine times a year - blood tested, urine tested, so I mean, if people think I'm doing something, tell them to increase the testing.
I like to get the body temperature up, the heart rate up. I'll do anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes either on a bike, a rower, a StairMaster, or a combination of the three of those. And then I'll normally run through a 20- to 30-minute session either on the Pilates reformer, the Cadillac, or the Pilates chair.
There were so many things in Baltimore not many people know about. I had struggles with my pitching coach. A lot of guys did.
The preparation is what allows the success to happen naturally.
I watch what I eat, and I train properly.
At this point, I'm just grinding through it, trying to establish strikes in the zone with my pitches, using some information the opposition gives me, and kind of moving forward in that regard.
People had lost faith in me in Baltimore, and rightfully so. I knew that was not the guy I was.
The contract stuff will work itself out. If we keep winning, those kinds of things all work themselves out in time.
I want to shoot an elk with a bow. Mind you, I've never hunted in my life. But I feel like if I'm ever going to hunt, it's going to be with a bow. I just feel like a bow requires more skill.
What I don't like to see is a lot of chirping and guys just talking crap to each other. If you got something wrong with a guy, go see him.
I think the beard plays a slight factor to my presence on the mound. It's kind of part of the persona now. Everyone in Chicago embraced it, so I got to keep it. I can't ditch it now.
I try to start every day with some sort of vegetable and fruit juice before I eat any kind of solid food. Because that really jump starts your body and digestive system with the high content of micronutrients that your body needs.
I personally don't think guys should get multiple chances when guys fail a steroid test.
If two guys want to go see each other, let them be in the middle, let them throw some punches, then break it up.
