I tried to use batting gloves at the beginning of every spring training up until 1999,

I've said from the beginning that I would not play and I haven't changed my original plan.

I swung after they took me out (Thursday), ... I just wanted to make sure I could tell (manager) Mike (Scioscia) I was OK. I didn't want to wait until (Friday).

I always swing at bad pitches, ... But lately I was swinging at even worse ones.

I think it probably seemed like I was anxious because I was swinging at bad pitches. I was thinking about it, but I'm going to keep swinging. Sometimes it looks bad and sometimes it doesn't, but I'm not going to stop swinging.

We're really close, ... My mom's very important to me. It's nice to go home after games and forget about it - enjoy the game and then enjoy the family atmosphere.