He's got skills, but I told him they weren't playing out. And if the skills he has don't play out here, he would have to play Triple-A next year. It's very black and white. And maybe the idea of winter ball spurred him to have a good September.

He is as good as any catcher I played with or had on my team. He has top-shelf skills defensively.

If he's made a better play in his life in a baseball uniform, I'd like him to tell us about it.

Things we have talked about for three months, he has been able to put into play. He has had a challenging season. We've found out about his toughness. We've seen his competitiveness. He has become more coachable.

Hopefully as we go along in the season we play better and we start playing better competition. But whoever you go out there (against), the object is still the same.

That kind of stuff, the notoriety, the pomp and circumstance, I think he's aware of it, but he doesn't get taken aback by it, nor does he get a big head over it. He's a very even-tempered kid. I just think he probably expects more of himself than [the fans and media] ever will.