I’ve always felt that I need to be somebody in the middle of the lineup that’s going to drive in runs and come up with big hits.

It’s an honor to be playing with these four players and to be a part of their fifth World Series title and my first.

There’s no question that I love playing in Texas. I love the fans. I love everything about Texas.

The Red Sox didn’t handle negotiations with any kind of respect for me and my family, and the Rangers were the total opposite.

It’s not a fun process. There is no need for the team and a player to be on opposing sides a week or two before spring training. It’s good to be on the same page.

You can never completely get it – being a Christian – but I think I really got it when my first son was born in 2006. I just realized the love that God has for all of us. It was seeing my son born and knowing the unconditional love that I have for him.

I expected to be in the big leagues soon. I didn’t know exactly how soon, but I wanted to be here soon, and I wanted to make a difference soon.

I have a lot of watches that need to be kept wound, so if I take two of them on a trip, there’s always one sitting around. And if it sits around for a day, then it’ll stop working. And then you have to reset the time and date, which is annoying.

I usually don’t look at at-bats where I get out. I look at my hits. I look at good swings I put on balls. Because of that good swing or good at-bat, I can see what I need to continue to work on and recreate.

I’ve been very fortunate to play for four great organizations, but New York really takes the cake. Wearing the pinstripes is something that’s very special to me, and it’s the greatest organization in sports history.