Ichiro Suzuki

It's very tough for a ballplayer to get proud and keep his dignity.

As long as the ball is thrown by a human being, I have the confidence to hit any pitch, no matter how fast it comes.

I believe that, as an athlete, how you got to the age of 42 makes a big difference. I have learned about my body; I haven't gone off only talent until I was 42.

Many people have this image of me. For a long time, I cared about that.

I think, mentally, you sometimes need a break. But for me, my body is built so that if I don't work out, that's when I put more stress on my body and get more tired.

We have to connect to our fans through the media, and when you talk about that, it's got to come from your heart. And when it comes from your heart, it has to be absolutely consistent. There's a big risk you take without an interpreter because, as professional baseball players, we are here to perform baseball, not to learn a language.

Nobody knows what the future holds.