Jim Thome

“There's an inner feeling you get when you get in a situation to do well in a game. It's hard to explain.”

“My favorite thing to do is still to go back to Peoria, go to my cabin and hunt with the boys. This is a great lifestyle, don't get me wrong. But fun for me is going back with my buddies I grew up with.”

“I've always enjoyed interleague play. It gives you a chance to see different clubs, to go to different places. It gives you a good chance to see where you are, where you stand with other teams.”

“When do you know it's time to say, 'OK, that's it?' That is the most difficult part of any decision like that because you don't want to throw the 'R' word out there. I've mentioned it a couple times, but not in the sense that I'm doing it. That word is very fragile. We'll see.”

“I really do try hard to be a good teammate. I can't run very fast, but I try to always run hard. I may strike out a lot, but I try to walk to set up the guys who are hitting after me.”

“We all make mistakes and sometimes you say things and you really don't realize what you're saying at that moment.”

“It's tough to strike out. Believe me. I hate striking out. It's no fun. It's embarrassing. But there really isn't anything I can do. It's just a part of my game.”

“The strongest thing I put into my body is steak and eggs. I just eat. I'm not a supplement guy. Steroids are not even a thought.”

“My family has loved Minnesota and that was one of the big reasons we decided to come back. For me, family decisions were a big part to coming back to the Twins.”

“Is my ability what it was at, say, 25 or 30 years old? Probably not, but I like to compete. I like to go out and play the game hard.”

“I don't really like filling my brain with a lot of stuff.”

“Every player that plays for any organization, having great fans on your side every night is a great thing.”

“I sign every autograph I can for kids because I remember myself at that age. I think it's ridiculous that some guys won't sign for a kid.”

“You can't play forever.”

“My dad told me when I went into high school, 'It's not what you do when you walk in the door that matters. It's what you do when you walk out.' That's when you've made a lasting impression.”

“You always want to get at-bats. You always want to contribute.”

“Charisma's good every night. Something special is always about to happen. You've got to believe it.”