Ryne Sandberg Quotes

Mike Matheny, Fernando Vina, Edgar Renteria, Mark McGwire and Darryl Kile... before he died. Those guys took me under their wing and taught me the way to play the game the right way.

I was also very lucky to be a teammate of two of the greatest players to have ever played the game. I learned very early on by playing for Frank Robinson and with Henry Aaron that even the greatest players in the game were just one of the guys.

I was fortunate to play for Pete Rose and have teammates like Ken Griffey Sr., Tony Perez and Dave Concepcion. I grew up in the game with a mature attitude. I've always known it was better to be seen and not heard.

When your best players are really good guys, it's the best.

A lot of my friends and guys who I have watched and grew up with and who have been at my house are Hall of Famers, and I just know them as Ozzie Smith, Eddie Murray, Kirby Puckett, Dave Winfield... I know these guys like my older brothers and uncles, the guys who took care of me.

When he was a player, I was always close to Jim Fregosi.

When I played Little League, I looked up to the big leaguers, too, and collected their baseball cards.

Not one day goes by when I don't remind myself of how grateful I am for those who came before me over the last 25 years. When I see players like Mike Schmidt and Johnny Bench, I thank them.

In baseball, there is something electrifying about the big leagues. I had read so much about Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson. I had put those guys on a pedestal. They were something special. I really thought they put their pants on different, rather than one leg at a time.

I've had a good time here in baseball. I love baseball. That's why I'm still around.

Athletes know kids look up to them, and it's important for athletes to be responsible.

And George Brett. I think most people know that George and I have become pretty good friends over the years.

I don't know where the loyalty lies in baseball. You really don't have to protect each other much, unless there's like a bench-clearing brawl. In hockey, it's important that they look out for each other.

Pitchers really don't deal with the managers a whole lot. When we come in the clubhouse, we see him, we say, 'Hey.' That's really it.

One guy that I wish was here right now, Ted Williams, helped me so much, our long talks, not about hitting but about fishing, one of Ted's passions, and I wish he was here today to share this with me because I owe so much to Ted Williams.

In the very beginning whenever Mia Hamm or Brandi Chastain would call for the ball, I'd just give it to them immediately because it was them and I was nervous.

Whether we like it or not, we are high-profile athletes. We're role models. Kids come up to me all the time to talk and it makes me remember when I was a kid and I got to meet Jerry Rice and how much that meant to me. And how we've got to set a good example.

One of the perks of being an actor is to get to meet athletes that you respect. Especially who played before my time. Brooks Robinson is one of those athletes; they just don't make them any nicer.

I always appreciated the ex-players. Being a Yankee, you get spoiled. Old-Timers Day, all these guys coming back, spring training, being around them, you get a chance to get to know them. So I always think you learn a lot by listening.

My idols are all older.

Baseball is this intense subculture that actually doesn't speak very much for the larger culture.

I admire many people, but I am not sure that I have any 'heroes.'

As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary.

I'm a firm believer in staying out of the way. When you're on a team and the guy's throwing a no-hitter, you don't talk to them. You let them do their thing.

Golf, to its foundation, is a game of integrity and one that encourages us to give back, kind of be ambassadors, role models, I guess, for kids - whether they like golf or not.