I guess I just had to fail so much that I just didn't care anymore before I could start hitting a little bit. I got way under a ball and it floated out, and that made the rest of the day a lot easier.

I like to say that I can hang with anyone (athletically). So to get a chance to show that and help my team out in the process was a lot of fun.

When I'm throwing hard and have all my stuff, you can afford to miss a little bit more. But I needed to go after them. I figured we were going to hit the ball.

It's just a mindset. It's a commitment to not walking people. In my struggles with the running game, I can't allow guys to get on. If they're going to get on, they're going to have to earn it by getting a base hit.

Hitting right now has been a little frustrating. I credit that to me … missing the pitches to hit. I'm a year in, and scouting reports get around the country. I feel like I'm a good hitter, but I don't think it's very hard to get me out if you pitch me right.

They're the standard right now. They've been in the World Series the last four years, to the finals the last two years and won it last year.