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A ball player has to be kept hungry to become a big leaguer. That's why no boy from a rich family has ever made the big leagues.

To be a big league ball player, you have to love the game.

If you're in the minor leagues, you want to get to the majors.

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'm in the major league now.

Today's Little Leaguers, and there are millions of them each year, pick up how to hit and throw and field just by watching games on TV. By the time they're out of high school, the good ones are almost ready to play professional ball.

Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.

I'd rather play in the major leagues and have some bad games than play consistently good ball in the minors.

I just wanted to go play in the big leagues. But possibly playing for the Yankees is very special.

When you're a kid growing up, you say you want to make it to the Major Leagues, and when you reach that dream, that's what it's all about.