Chris Shelton Playing Quotations

Everyone thinks the clubhouse had problems last year. We didn't have problems. It was just frustration because we weren't playing well. That's when trouble starts.

It was my first opening day actually playing and it was exciting. I didn't expect anything of that magnitude, but it's something special.

It will be good to start playing at home. We have an opportunity to get off to a very good start this season. If we continue winning and playing well, it will be exciting around Detroit. Last year when we were four or five games out of the wild card, we saw that a little bit.

I'm looking forward to the opportunity to be playing for Jim Leyland. Just his track record alone makes him demand respect from the start. He's a proven leader, and he's won everywhere he went. He doesn't care if you are a rookie or a 15- or 20-year vet. You play the game hard, and you won't have any problems.

I love playing first base. It keeps me in the game.

I can control going out and playing hard everyday and trying to improve myself, and Carlos is the same way. I can't control what Carlos does. If we're in a ballgame and he's there, I want to try to help him anyway possible and try to help the team win and I know it's the same way with him.