“Don't compare me to Babe Ruth. God gave me the opportunity and the ability to be here at the right time, at the right moment, just like he gave Babe Ruth when he was playing. I just hope I can keep doing what I've been doing - keep taking care of business.”

“I can't do it every day. They're not going to give me much to hit right now. They're pitching me real well. If I get there, fine.”

“I don't like controversy.”

“I don't want to get fat.”

“I have not broken the laws of the United States or the laws of the Dominican Republic.”

“I said to myself I've got to go up there and do it because the New York Mets keep winning every day. The game was on the line and I wanted to go out there and come through for my team. That win tonight means a lot for us.”

“I will calmly wait for my induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Don't I have the numbers to be inducted?”

“If you have a bad day in baseball, and start thinking about it, you will have 10 more.”

“I'm not a racist.”

“I'm not keeping track, but the record is there for someone to break.”

“I'm the type of person who likes to enjoy everything that I do, take advantage of every opportunity in life.”

“It's always an honor to represent your country.”

“I've always swung the same way. The difference is when I swing and miss, people say, 'He's swinging for the fences.' But when I swing and make contact people say, 'That's a nice swing.' But there's no difference, it's the same swing.”

“Make yourself comfortable in everything you do.”

“My situation is different from Mark's. I'm not looking for home runs, I'm looking for the playoffs.”

“When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.”

“You have to enjoy it. It is not going to happen every year, so this is the year that it is happening and we have got to go out there and enjoy it.”