I've always had that mindset of, 'OK, I may be hot this month or doing really well this month, but don't get too high, don't get too low - just enjoy it.' Don't ride the rollercoaster, basically. I always thought about it like, I'm not going to an amusement park, I'm going to a baseball field.
When I think about 2017, I feel like it was just another year. It was a whirlwind, but I wouldn't have wanted it to play out any other way. I'm glad I was in New York. There's nowhere else I would rather play, and there's no other group of teammates that I would rather be around.
As a kid growing up in California, I collected autographs.
My main focus is, 'What can I do today to help the team win the ballgame?' You have those blinders on. It helps you focus.
If my barrel meets the ball, I think good things are going to happen.
Defensively, hitting-wise, running the bases. There's always room to improve. That motivates me to get a little better every day.
If I know it's going over the fence, I am going to start jogging and just get around the bases and get back in the dugout.
I had a lot of fun playing football and basketball, but deep down, the chess match or cat-and-mouse game between the pitcher and batter in baseball really drew me in. It's a thinking man's game, and for me, nothing can compare to that.
In my early work, my time in the batting cage, that's serious, and that's when I feel like I'm really working. That's where I have to lock in on my approach, make sure my mechanics are right, and make sure my mindset is right for the upcoming game. But then, when the game comes up, it's a game! You're supposed to have fun when you play games.
Sometimes you've got to tip your cap when they're painting stuff on the corner. But you can't give up, got to keep battling and make some adjustments.
You define great players as guys that are out there grinding, battling every day with their team.
When you go to college the first couple years, and you kind of get beat around, you kind of think about, 'Maybe if I went to pro ball, it would be a little bit better.' Now that I look back on it, I made the right choice.
Even though it feels like you are so far away from the big leagues, my love for the game kept me motivated to get through the hard times in the minors.
When you're on the road, fans pay to cheer on their team and boo the other team; that's just part of it. That's what they're supposed to do. I expect it. I think everybody expects that.
My dad told me, 'If you're going to go out there and play baseball, or you're going to play basketball or football, work hard at it no matter what. I want you to have fun with your buddies, but you have to put in the time because this is your craft.' He didn't just want me to be good. He pushed me to that next level.
To a certain extent, I enjoy failure. It's part of the game. There's always room to grow; there's room to improve.
They just brought it up to me and said, 'Hey, this is what we're going to do.' They're going to put out a section and call it Judge's Chambers and give them little judge outfits, and we'll see what happens. I think it turned out great.
In baseball, you have to remain calm, cool, and collected. In football, you can let out a little anger sometimes. It was a fun game, and I liked it, but I knew in my heart I was going to play baseball.
One and done, Home Run Derby champion. It was a cool experience. I enjoyed it all, but I don't think I really need to go out there and do it again.
I know I wouldn't be a New York Yankee if it wasn't for my mom: the guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff.
