Rafael Palmeiro
I respect the Hall of Fame, and if they think that I'm worthy enough, I would be very honored. And if they don't, I gave it all that I had to this game.
Rafael PalmeiroThey try to say this era was a tainted era. But so many great players played in the last 15 to 20 years. This is going to be the best era in the history of the game in my opinion.
Rafael PalmeiroYou know, when you first come up, and you get called up to the big leagues, all you want to do is just, you just want to have a career, a nice career. You want to make a living at it.
Rafael PalmeiroWith all the great products that are apparently out there that are undetectable, for me to take something like that... when people take things that now aren't even being tested for, does it make any sense?
Rafael PalmeiroI don't think anybody ever saw anybody taking anything.
Rafael PalmeiroI don't know who took what. That is pretty private with an individual.
Rafael PalmeiroI still feel like I can play defense at first base at a very high level.
Rafael PalmeiroI'm very happy for the Contreras family. They're out. Now they've got a chance to experience life the way I did as a kid. You know, his kids are going to have a real chance in life now, and the same way that I had it.
Rafael PalmeiroBut I think mainly, you know, just up in the East Coast, it's where it all originated. You know, Philadelphia. It goes back to the beginning. So, you know, fans have a lot of history, and they love their teams up here.
Rafael PalmeiroIt was a hard time. It was something I would love to erase from my memory.
Rafael PalmeiroI said what I said before Congress because I meant every word of it.
Rafael PalmeiroI have never used steroids. Period.
Rafael PalmeiroI hope that people look at my whole career and appreciate that I've given everything that I've got.
Rafael PalmeiroI don't think that - you know, I'm sure that there's guys that are doing it, because I'm sure in every sport there's players who want to get the edge. But I think that it's been blown overly - way more than guys are using it in our game.
Rafael PalmeiroYes, but I - you know, it's been such a long time, I'm sure that I've got cousins and uncles that I've never met before, you know, that I've left behind.
Rafael PalmeiroYou know, my family stood for something that they believed in, and I wasn't about to turn my back on them.
Rafael PalmeiroI love baseball, and the door remains open.
Rafael PalmeiroI don't see myself as someone that brings a lot of luggage.
Rafael PalmeiroTo snap my fingers and let it go away. Even if it takes the 3,000th hit with it, just let it all go away.
Rafael PalmeiroI would love to go back and help rebuild that country and help - you know, kind of like what's going on with Iraq right now. You know, they've got a new government in place. They're trying to rebuild the country. I would love for that to happen in Cuba also.
Rafael PalmeiroYou set your goals to a point where they're attainable, but far enough away that you have to really go get them. And every year I push my goals a little bit farther away, and every year I work a little bit harder to get them.
Rafael PalmeiroWhen I testified in front of Congress, I know that I was testifying under oath and I told the truth.
Rafael PalmeiroThe tragedy of all of this is that it happened to me and it shouldn't have happened. It ruined my life and my career. That's the tragedy of this.
Rafael PalmeiroI wish that they could have more freedoms to be able to come and play. I know that the only way that they can get out is by, you know, defecting to another country or whatever, or getting on a boat.
Rafael PalmeiroThe other deals with my life and my livelihood and my family and all that I stand for.
Rafael Palmeiro
