Nomar Garciaparra
People ask me if my shoes were too small when I was a kid and I say it wouldn't matter how fight my shoes were, I just liked that feeling of them being in there. That's how I started tapping my toes.
People are going to make comparisons and they can do that but I'm definitely not going to compare myself to Derek Jeter.
Back then, my idol was Bugs Bunny, because I saw a cartoon of him playing ball - you know, the one where he plays every position himself with nobody else on the field but him? Now that I think of it, Bugs is still my idol. You have to love a ballplayer like that.
That's basically what I'm doing when I'm tapping them - getting my toes to the end of my shoes.
You know it as soon as you walk in Yankee Stadium. The electricity is there every time, every day.
My inspiration was the game itself, not any individual player in it.
When I go home my mother still makes me take out the garbage.
People expect you to play your best, so I go through a routine to prepare myself so that I know I'm physically and mentally ready - prepared for the game.
It's great that fans have people they can enjoy and watch play.
You can't hit without your hands.Collection: Hands
Get an education because no one can take that away from you.Collection: Away From You
I feel good, and the way I determine it is through my workout. I work so hard in the offseason that if I'm able to do everything I have to, I figure I must be healthy.Collection: Workout
One of my superstitions is I'm not allowed to talk about them.Collection: Superstitions
All players are their own worst critics. We are harder on ourselves than anyone else is.Collection: Player
You'll have games where you're out there a long time. Being able to go through that and not get stiff was a good thing for me, ... As I went along, it felt better, and on that last play [a nifty move to his right and a throw across his body for the final out in the seventh] had a lot of body torque to it, and no problems.Collection: Moving
If it was in my control, Id still be wearing a Red Sox uniform, because its the place I know, I love. All of those fans, Ill always remember. But Im also going to another great place. Im going to a phenomenal city with great tradition as well, phenomenal fans, great organization.Collection: Cities
People ask me if my shoes were too small when I was a kid and I say it wouldnt matter how fight my shoes were, I just liked that feeling of them being in there. Thats how I started tapping my toes.Collection: Kids