Last night was National League night for the LDS. A very exciting game in the Atlanta-San Francisco game as we’re assured of going four games, the only series that is definitely going more than the minimum. Here’s your quotage from last night.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – October 8, 2010 The MLB Postseason on TBS continues on Sat., October 10 beginning at 4:30 p.m. (ET) with TBS followed by a doubleheader featuring the Tampa Bay Rays @ Texas Rangers (Game #3) at 5 p.m. (ET) followed by the Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees (Game #3) at 8:30 p.m. (ET). The night will conclude with the post-game show Inside MLB.QUOTE OF THE DAY:“(The Phillies) are like a Rubik’s Cube. You can bat them just about anywhere in the (batting) order. You can keep turning it, twisting it, move it around and with all the injuries they had, that’s pretty much what (manager Charlie Manuel) had to do.” — TBS analyst Joe Simpson on the versatility of the Phillies lineup***** ***** ***** ***** *****TBS MLB On-DeckMatt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Ripken on how an offense can rebound from being no-hit: “Strange as it sounds, it’s easy to forget. (Members of the media) don’t forget about it because it makes history and everyone talks about it. But then you think, ‘that doesn’t happen very often.’ You push it aside and try to score runs. (The Reds) have too good of an offense to not score any runs.”Wells on Giants Game #2 starter Matt Cain: “He comes right after you. He says, ‘here it is, hit me if you can.’ I like his demeanor and how he goes out (to the mound). He throws right at you and comes right at you. What I like about Matt is he has a great change-up like (Tim) Lincecum and he keeps that ball below the belt. He can make mistakes and get the ball up in the zone but he’s been pretty good this year.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Game 1: Cincinnati Reds (4) @ Philadelphia Phillies (7) – Phillies lead the series 2-0Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Joe Simpson (analyst) with David Aldridge reportingSimpson on Reds outfielder Drew Stubbs: “He’s going to be a terrific player in this league for a long time. He can do so many things to help the Reds win. (He’s got) great speed and a good arm. He’s a good outfielder and his hitting is improving all the time.”Anderson on why Phillies Game #2 starting pitcher Roy Oswalt enjoys pitching at Citizens Bank Park: “Oswalt said he likes pitching in this ballpark. He said standing on the mound here feels like 55 feet (from home plate) not (the regulation) 60 feet, six inches for some reason.”Simpson: “If that’s the case, he’s thrown some 45 foot breaking balls.”Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips on facing Phillies Game #2 starter Roy Oswalt: “Just get (to Oswalt) early because he likes to throw a lot of fastballs. I just have to jump on the mistakes; you have to hit Oswalt’s mistakes. He makes a lot of mistakes. Once he makes a mistake and you miss it, (that’s tough) because that’s when his nasty stuff comes in.”TBS’ Anderson and Simpson interviewed Reds Pitching Coach Bryan Price during the gamePrice on Bronson Arroyo’s pitch selection: “For me, with Bronson (Arroyo), it’s throwing the right pitch for the situation. Some pitchers always stay with their strength and don’t want to get beat with their third best pitch. In Bronson’s case, he throws the pitch that needs to be thrown.”Simpson on Phillies rookie outfielder Domonic Brown: “(Brown) is a prized outfield prospect in the Phillies organization. With (outfielder) Jayson Werth a free agent at the end of the year, if he doesn’t re-sign with the Phillies, (Brown) has an odds-on chance to be their everyday right fielder next year.”Simpson on the versatility of the Phillies lineup: “(The Phillies) are like a Rubik’s Cube. You can bat them just about anywhere in the (batting) order. You can keep turning it, twisting it, move it around and with all the injuries they had, that’s pretty much what (manager Charlie Manuel) had to do.”Simpson on Reds rookie relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman’s control: “As hard as he throws, and especially with his first tour through the big leagues, he’s had very good control. I know it’s only 13 (regular season) innings but when a guy is throwing this hard, you expect a few more free passes.”Simpson on how the Reds lost Game #2 compared to Game #1: “There is no shame when a guy pitches like Roy Halladay did (in Game #1) and throws a no-hitter. When he’s that brilliant, you just have to tip your cap, move on and get ready for the next game. There’s more embarrassment for the Reds (in Game #2) because of the way they’re losing and the way they’ve played.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Game 2: Atlanta Braves (5) @ San Francisco Giants (4) in 11 innings – Series tied 1-1Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Bob Brenly (analyst) with Tom Verducci reportingBrenly on Braves first baseman Derrek Lee: “Derrek Lee is the true definition of a ‘gamer.’ He’s played through a lot of back issues this season with the Cubs before his trade to Atlanta. (He’s) playing through a thumb injury now and he’ll never complain.”Brenly on the Giants colorful cast of characters: “They have quite a collection of characters in the Giants clubhouse. None more so than Aubrey Huff. (He’s) all inked up on the upper body. Lots of tattoos and he commands that one side of the clubhouse. He and Pat Burrell really stir it up.”TBS’ Stockton and Brenly interviewed injured Braves third baseman Chipper Jones during the gameJones on the Braves needing to get hot against the Giants pitching: “We need one of two guys in the lineup to get hot. It’s not going to be easy. (The Giants) have a pretty good pitching staff and it’s not easy to bunch up some hits against them. (Tim) Lincecum and (Matt) Cain have been on top of their game (so far). We need to get it going.”Jones on manager Bobby Cox’s retirement after the end of the season: “It’s going to be a sad day (when Cox retires). He’s the only manager I’ve ever known and the best manager I’ve ever known. There’s going to be a hole in everyone’s heart next Spring when we’ll walk into the manager’s office and we won’t see Bobby. He’s left a legacy in Atlanta and it’s a great one and hopefully we have better years to come.”Brenly on Braves reliever Peter Moylan’s surprising velocity from his side-arm delivery: “One thing that fools hitters with Peter Moylan is that he throws fairly hard from the side-arm angle. His fastball will sit in the high-80s with a lot of tailing action. Most side-arm pitchers don’t have that kind of velocity.”Brenly on Braves reserve Eric Hinske embracing his role off the bench: “No player likes to get to the point in their career where they are no longer considered an every-day player. But Eric Hinske has embraced that pinch-hitting role, the part-time player role and has done a extremely well off the bench for Bobby Cox this year.”Giants manager Bruce Bochy on playing in front of the home crowd: “I think the way we play our games, the torture we talk about in tight games, (the fans) live on every pitch. So it was mounting up in the last series (of the regular season) and they did not want to come up short. They found a way to help this team get it done. The players will tell you that. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard it.”Brenly on the importance of a pitcher’s confidence: “When you’ve got confidence in your stuff, you go right at the strike zone and good things can happen. Also, bad things can happen if you leave stuff up in the (strike) zone where guys can hit the ball out of the ballpark.”TBS reporter Tom Verducci interviewed Braves outfielder Rick Ankiel following the gameAnkiel on the Braves ability to bounce back: “It seems like our resiliency has paid off all season and its fun to be a part of.”Ankiel on hitting the game-winning home run in Game #2: “I can’t even explain it. I would say this is the pinnacle of anything I’ve ever done. To hit a home run to win a playoff game…that’s where it’s at.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Inside MLBWiner, Eckersley, Ripken and WellsWells on Braves shortstop Alex Gonzalez delivering a two-run double in the bottom of the tenth to tie the game: “That’s why they went and got Alex Gonzalez. This guy is a big playoff gamer. He did it for the Florida Marlins and he is doing it tonight.”Eckersley on Braves third baseman Troy Glaus’ decision to turn a double-play in the bottom of the 10th, knowing the game winning run would have scored had it failed: “That is a gutsy, gusty play but that is the kind of things that happens when you win ball games. You make the right decisions at the right time. That to me was really an incredible play.”Eckersley on Braves outfielder Rick Ankiel hitting a home-run into the water in the 11th inning and firing up the Braves: “My God, this is unbelievable. They are so fired up. It is so amazing how something like a double-play ball the inning before turns into that. This game is crazy. San Francisco to lose this game in a short series like this is an absolute crusher.”Ripken on Ankiel’s game winning homerun: “Sometimes in extra innings game, hitters get the idea that I’m going to end this game and win it. His was short, nice and compact and that ball went a long, long way and he knew it right from the beginning.”Eckersley on Ankiel’s bomb into McCovey Cove: “I wish I would see the sign that said ‘splash” because that was a splash piece. They don’t hit too many splashers there. Barry Bonds used to do that on the regular. Ankiel absolutely killed that ball. He didn’t even know what to say after the game because he was so excited.”Wells on Ankiel’s amazing career revival from highly touted pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals to a hitter for the Atlanta Braves: “It is a great story for Rick Ankiel. It is a great story for Rick Ankiel. You go from a pitcher, a pretty good one at that. And then all of a sudden you go in the tank, you can’t throw strikes, you can’t do anything and you are out of baseball. All of a sudden you go to winter ball and develop some hitting skills and now you are a hero in the playoffs. That is a truly dramatic story for that guy to come and do that.”Wells on Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth scoring in the top of the ninth inning: “This guy is just clutch in the post-season as well. He gets opportunities. When he gets guys on base, he makes things happen. In fact, that whole line-up makes things happen.”Wells on Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo staying in the game longer: “I think he should have. I think he should have argued with (manager) Dusty Baker on that. He’s been their ace all year, seventeen wins, you have to give him that opportunity. I think as a starter you need to go deeper in the game. Dusty is playing favorites. He needs to give his starters a bigger chance. If I’m out there, I’m arguing with him. I want to go deeper. It is a two-run difference. The guy made errors, you get over that. He made a big pitch on Ryan Howard and got out of the inning. You have to give him that opportunity, he’s a veteran guy.”MLB TBS analyst Dennis Eckersley interviews New York Yankees closer Mariano RiveraRivera on expressing his emotions: “You know I think the pressure is there. Obviously it has to be there. The adrenaline and nervousness is there but in the bullpen. But once I cross that door, everything is like ‘bang.’”Rivera on being moved to tears in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS: “I’m a Christian and I depend on my God. I depend on Jesus Christ. Before the game started in the morning, I feel a tremendous amount of pressure, kind of like a big load on my shoulders. I told my wife ‘we need to pray because this isn’t going to be easy. We were losing 5-1 and that’s when everything started changing. I was throwing. I am quiet but praying at the same time. All of a sudden we tied the game. It was so strong and vivid. I stopped warming up and started thanking God. I went into the game and one inning, two innings, three innings. We were facing one of the best teams in the American League. I was prepared for the fourth inning and said there is nothing more; we have to do it here. (Aaron) Boone came in and hit that big homerun. I went to the mound because that is the place I work and I just thanked the Lord.”Rivera on his signature pitch, the cutter: “No one taught me the cutter, it just happened. I always say God gives you purpose in your life and I say he taught me the cutter.” In ’96 I was all fast ball straight up. It was kind of like a riser. And the following year I became the closer and the ball started moving. We worked with (Yankees former pitching coach) Mel Stottlemyre to get the ball straight. I would throw the ball and didn’t know where it was going. I told Mel let it happen, wherever it is going to happen is going to happen. The same way I gripped the ball before in 96. In 96 it was going up and now in 97 it is going that way.”Rivera on maintaining his pitching skill and ability: “You have to be mentally strong. You learn more, you become wiser, older but wiser. To me that is important. You see the guys over and over but they have seen you too. So they adjust to you and you have to adjust to them. But at the end, it has been a great career.”Eckersley on which of Rivera’s attributes has most contributed to his long career: “There is a gentleness to him and a peace about him. He is definitely a gentleman. He is so humble. I admire this guy not because he is great, but when you are around him you feel the aura that he has. I’m jealous of that. Not by how great he was but the guy he is. He is very spiritual to say the least. There is nobody like him. There will never be another Mariano. That is the man with the cutter and it was given to him by God. That is an incredible story. You want guys like that to be successful.”Ripken on Rivera ‘s pitching strength: “I’m fascinated that he can repeat his mechanics so often on the same side of plate. No pressure bothers him at all. His demeanor, the way he goes about his job and his perspective that is a sign of his strength and that is why he keeps doing it and doing it.”Wells on the success of Rivera: “It is a phenomenon, that’s what it is. When you can repeat your mechanics and pinpoint that ball wherever you want it, you can’t sit on it. He throws cheese. When he developed that cutter that made him Superman and no one can replicate it.”
That will do it.
