My mom without her job is a like a baseball player without a bat. My mom with her job is a like a cat lover with 20 cats.

It doesn't wear me out - I enjoy it. We've won five in a row in baseball and I like to run the track meets when I can, so it's not a big deal to me.

Baseball is a significant part of the American landscape, as are stuffed animals, and that is why this partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals is such a fit. The Cardinals are our hometown team and we have been working with them for many years. Having a store in the new stadium was the logical next step in our relationship.

We were looking for the same objectives that the baseball writers and the veterans committee look for -- longevity, an outstanding career and character.

Major League Baseball has created a Pete Rose purgatory, and that's where he is. And that's where he's always going to be. It's unfortunate that the commissioner's office has decided to allow that to be the reality. I don't think Pete would mind if they said 'No' to Pete. Pete wants them to go one way or the other and get him out of the void he's in.

I think the Baseball Hall of Fame should take a stronger position on a lot of issues,