I struggled in A ball. I wasn’t pitching well, I was getting hit around, and I had to take a step back and say, “Can I do this?” I didn’t know if I’d make it out of A ball. But the next year, middle of May, in Myrtle Beach, I threw a complete game one-hit shutout. I dominated. Absolutely dominated. It just clicked. And they sent me to Double-A. That night they told me I was going to Akron.
The next year I was in the big leagues.
Just that one game.
Talent can take you only so far. This game, definitely, it’s all about mental toughness when stuff isn’t going good.
My mom, she was my mom and my dad. My parents split when I was 12 years old. My mom took on the responsibility of being both parents. She was at every baseball game, every football game, every basketball game.
The Cy Young has probably changed the way people look at me. But it didn’t change me. It just makes you want to work that much harder.
High school.She was a cheerleader. From the beginning I knew. Right away, man.
Two, and another oneon the way. Having kids, being a father, it definitely makes you more patient. It changed my life. That’s the honest truth. As soon as they’re born, something kicks in. You’re their father. You have to take care of them.
Good game, bad game,I put my clothes on, I leave the clubhouse. All my son knows is Daddy’s home.
This has always been a team that learns from experiences. I think last year is going to make us that much stronger, knowing how to finish a playoff series, but first we need to worry about getting into the season and winning the division again. It starts there.
You have to be able to make adjustments from game to game, at-bat to at-bat, pitch to pitch. You can’t come with the same sequence. This game is constantly changing.
I’m going to stay away from the steroids talk. Obviously people know I’m not on it. Not with this gut.
You would think it would get easier, but I think it gets harder, just to maintain, just to keep up. You’re not tricking anybody out there. Everybody knows what you have and what you’re going to do. It definitely gets harder.
Skill or opportunity? Both.
Boxers or briefs? Neither.
