There are really smart baseball players. It's a thinking person's game.

Some of our favorite films are obviously not written by the person who directed it. And yet a 'Taxi Driver,' or some Nicholas Ray movie, like 'In a Lonely Place,' seems so personal or obsessive or whatever.

When I saw 'subUrbia' on stage, I started having those feelings inside me. I saw it as a film, and I felt I knew the characters, or I was the characters. It really dredged up all this stuff in me that never went away.

It's not in baseball's interest or the players' interest to be taking this stance. It's the people's game.

Albert is a great teammate and a great person who is one of the best players in baseball. I take advice from him. He wants to know how you're doing and is willing to help make me a better hitter. He always has been that way since I've known him. I'm lucky to be with him right now.

I'm a very passionate person when it comes to this game. I want to give my players every ounce of energy that I have in my body, whether it's on the field or in a meeting.