He never gave the impression that he was, you know, a national guy. He was always a genuine, down- to-earth guy to me.

He is a genuine, good guy, one of the best teammates that you can have. He lights up a clubhouse with a smile like Cliff Floyd has, and he has it every day. Some players are jerks, but it is fun to root for him. His homers kill the other team, and he does it with a smile on his face.

My belief is you have one chance to make a first impression.

I saw Richard Linklater's film 'Slacker' for my twenty-first birthday. That was the moment when it all seemed possible. This guy gave me hope.

We called him one of his native state's most vocal ambassadors.

That's the impression I was given — if Ricky isn't there, Sammy is the guy that would be the backup. That's what he's been told. We believe that to be the case.