I figured that pitchers had a better chance of getting drafted than fielders, so I decided I should be a pitcher. But I never expected to be picked in the first round. I wasn't even sure I'd get picked at all.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I thought I was a pretty good shortstop, but I also wanted to play in the major leagues.
I was a pitcher, shortstop and outfielder, and the Yankees tried to sign me out of high school as a first-round draft pick in 1981. I turned them down to go to college.
In the minor leagues, previous to 2008, I took a lot of pitches. I prided myself on on-base percentage. I made sure that I made the pitcher work.
I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.
I was a thrower. I think I'm more of a pitcher now.
I was in the big leagues my first year in pro ball - pretty fast. I really don't think I had an understanding of what it meant to be a pitcher at that level at that point.
I was a professional baseball player from the time I was drafted out of high school in 1981 until the time I retired in 2003.
I'm a baseball fan, but I'm not qualified to make baseball decisions, and I don't want to pretend to be.
I took a huge risk leaving baseball, because I was predicted to play in the big leagues. I'm kind of a prototypical second baseman.
I expected to get drafted. I knew that I wouldn't get drafted on that first day due to the fact that not a lot of people had the opportunity to see me play much.