Jose Contreras quotes:

Pitching in the Olympic Games, Pan Am Games and Central American games prepared me to pitch at the big-league level.

The government is one thing and the country of Cuba and my people are something different completely, .. It's like the United States government and your country. You don't have to agree with the policies to be proud of your country.

I'm Cuban and I always will be.

Sometimes I just stand on the beach and look at the water, and Cuba feels so close it's unbelievable.

Don Cooper is an incredible person. He's not only a great pitching coach, but he's a great human being and a great friend.

It's amazing how everything here seems like it's in abundance. In Cuba, there is a shortage of everything.

The day I pitch, I feel confident I can stop the other team.