You never forget the feeling of not getting to the World Series. Yes, it sticks with you.
Ryne Sandberg
A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn't work hard for validation.
There were a lot of players who worked just as hard as I did, and if you didn't, you didn't stay in the big leagues.
Hit a home run - put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more - a lot more important than the name on the back.
I know I'm appreciated by how fans treat me, and the best way to treat them is play every day, hard. I sign autographs, but if I'm with someone I don't know who doesn't start the conversation, there won't be a conversation. That's just me, living my life. But I'll loosen up after baseball.
No player in baseball history worked harder, suffered more, or did it better than Andre Dawson. He's the best I've ever seen.
If a hitter gets hot, I wouldn't take a hot hitter out of the lineup.
I played it right because that's what you're supposed to do - play it right and with respect.
I was in the postseason twice and I'm thankful for that.
When we went home every winter, they warned us not to lift heavy weights because they didn't want us to lose flexibility. They wanted us to be baseball players, not only home run hitters.
My Hall of Fame speech was about respect for the game.
One of the first benchmarks in a season are far as at-bats is 100.
You want to see energy, and you want to see guys on the same page. You want guys to work together and have that energy come out onto the field. That's a good place to start.
It didn't happen, but I feel fortunate for the two chances we had and it's just a shame we didn't go to a World Series for Cub fans.
If this validates anything, it's that learning how to bunt and hit and run and turning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light at the dug out camera.
Baseball is all about relationships, and in some ways, what know you and who knows you.
I had too much respect for the game to leave it behind or to make it my second or third sport in college.
Tainted numbers, I believe, do not belong in the Hall of Fame.
I've been in baseball my whole life, so I understand there's a lot in baseball that is out of your control, and you have to focus on the things you can control.
I've always had that attitude that things happen for a reason.
I do my homework. I come to the ballpark, and I relay any message that I need to relay to the players. I get that off my chest.
There is a lot to managing, and with almost four years under my belt, I believe I'm ready.
At my growing years of 18 to 21 years old in the Minor Leagues, I dreamed of being a Philadelphia Phillie.
I never forgot the four years I spent with the Phillies, my September call-ups and my big league Spring Trainings. I never forgot that.
I have great memories of being a Cub, and I'm happy building new ones with the Phillies.
I didn't play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel.
I'm not thinking about records. Just winning the pennant would be exciting.
I was taught coming up in the Phillies organization to be seen and not heard by people like Pete Rose, my hero growing up, and players like Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and Manny Trillo.
I think sometimes Hall of Famers might get labeled as guys who aren't suited for a coaching job or to be back at the Major League level.
I was a baseball player at North Central High School in Spokane, Washington even though I was all-city in basketball, even when I signed a letter of intent to play quarterback at Washington State.
My wife Margaret is the best thing that's ever happened to me.
I let the players use their abilities and what they're capable of doing. If they're capable of stealing bases, I'm going to give them the green light. I'm going to teach them to pick their spots and to get a base when they can get a base.
I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponent or your teammates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform.
I don't expect any red carpet to the big leagues. If the opportunity comes, then it comes. But I don't think I'm owed anything.
There was Shawon Dunston and Mark Grace, and together we were a double play combination for ten years.
Your first responsibility is to the organization, to teach and prepare players to get to the big leagues and have them ready when they get there, but everyone in the minors wants to be in the majors.
I struggled many times when maybe it didn't look like I was struggling, and I had to work hard every day.
It's an elite group. And once you're in the Hall, you're in the Hall. Up until now, I think the voting system has handled things very well. And like I said before, there are no suspicions in the Hall of Fame.
I was in awe every time I walked on to the field.
Even if we're in fifth place in September, I get butterflies before a game. I'm nervous.
I am not the type of person who can leave my game at the ballpark and feel comfortable that my future is set regardless of my performance.
The reason I am here, they tell me, is that I played the game a certain way, that I played the game the way it was supposed to be played.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am.
If you played the game the right way, played the game for the team, good things would happen.
My mom was at every single game I played as a kid, rain or shine.
The fourth major league game I ever saw in person, I was in uniform.
When did it - When did it become okay for someone to hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?
In baseball, there's always the next day.
Baseball wasn't easy for me.
I had to prepare physically every day, and I didn't leave many scraps for the writers.
