I was very concerned. At the time, I couldn't grab a bat. Every time I touched the bat, my thumb hurt. I didn't think I'd be able to play at all. But then, all of a sudden, it healed up good.

It means a lot to me that someone who knows the game so much and has been around the game for so long has that much faith in me. He's been teaching us everything we know, and we're willing to work hard for him. He has a lot of faith in me, letting me steal, and it's good that I don't need his permission. It's not easy to have that responsibility.

As long as my confidence stays up, we should do great. This is our year.

I'm concentrating more and I'm relaxed at the plate. I am a lot more confident. I'm seeing the ball better and just hitting it hard. I think I've been practicing hard, and that has helped me to become a better player.

I kind of like that. I'll play wherever the team needs me to play. I think I'm more of a middle infielder, but I can play outfield and I can pitch. I like pitching. It's good to have the game in my hands.

We had the majority of the team coming back, and I felt like this was the year to do some big things. So I just try to get on base and let the team do the rest. That's my job, to get on base. Everything else follows.