I think anytime that you can eliminate the big hit, it's obviously not only going to be good for your team, but it's going to be good for yourself.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I might have a great game hitting, but if I'm not having a great game fielding, if I feel like I let a guy get an extra base that I could have stopped, that's something I've got to do better, got to get better at.
I play the way it's most effective for the team. They used to say I hit the ball too many times.
It's a very big mental game, all day leading up to warm-ups. You're not sure if your curveball will break, or will you be able to throw it over the plate? It's all negative thoughts going into the game.
Anytime I can get in there, playing every now and then, and contribute some way, whether it's throwing out a guy or calling a good game or getting a hit and RBI, it's big.
You really want to try to continue to pile up outs as often as you possibly can. Whether they get a hit or not really doesn't affect the way you continue to approach that lineup, especially with a five-run lead.
In football, you're hitting, so you might as well hit in practice.
I heard Tony Bennett say that when you're a big deal early on, you have to maintain that level forever, and it's very scary. You have to keep hitting those home runs, turning out hits.
I hate striking out, but at the same time, I'm much better at letting them go rather than, earlier in my career, worrying about it so much before the next at-bat against the guy. You grow as you play, and every year, I work to cut them down.
Hitting is the most important part of the game. It is where the big money is, where much of the status is, and the fan interest.
If you're going to win games, you're going to have to come up with the big hits. That's the bottom line.