TBS had the two American League Division Series games on Monday, Texas at Tampa Bay and New York Yankees at Detroit. Now both series could end tonight as Texas and Detroit have 2-1 leads on their respective opponents.
Tonight’s going to be a busy day into night as TBS and TNT will combine for four games starting with Texas at Tampa Bay at 2 p.m. on the former Superstation.
There was quite a bit of quotes from last night’s American League action on TBS. We have the press release and it’s quite long. Get ready to scroll. You can actually relive the action as you read the quotes from the game announcing crews and the MLB on TBS studio panel.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – October 3, 2011
The MLB Postseason continues on TBS on Tue., October 4 beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET with TBS MLB on Deck followed the Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays, (Game #4 – 2 p.m. ET), Philadelphia Phillies @ St. Louis Cardinals (Game #3 – 5 p.m. ET) and New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers (Game #4 – 8:30 p.m. ET). The Milwaukee Brewers @ Arizona Diamondbacks, (Game #3 – 9:30 p.m. ET) will air on TNT. The night will conclude with the post-game show Inside MLB.
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TBS MLB on Deck
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on Detroit Tigers Game #3 starting pitcher Justin Verlander: “(He’s had) Absolute dominance over the course of the last couple of months. This is the difference-maker and he is the reason why Detroit could go all the way.”
Ripken on Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez’s Postseason slump: “The real issue is that he didn’t have a lot of reps down the stretch (of the regular season). Then he has to come out and face (the Tigers’) Verlander, Fister and Scherzer (in the LDS). His timing is off and if you watch him really closely, I think he’s getting out (in front) too soon. He’s not in a good position to hit the (inside) pitch. He’s recognizing pitches early but his body is leaking out further. It’s a simple fix…he could bust out. There’s not really anything to worry about right now.”
Eckersley on Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano: “(Cano) is ridiculous. He used the whole ballpark the other night. It’s frightening…this kid can hit anybody.”
Ripken on Alex Rodriguez: “A-Rod doesn’t have the same presence right now, but that could change really quickly.”
TBS reporter Jaime Maggio interviewed Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Johnny Damon prior to the game
Damon on the importance of young players learning how to hustle from him: “I’m showing them how to play the game. Hustling is the one thing you can control in this game. Because of that, over the course of the season, I think we may have won four or five games because of the way I hustle.”Ripken on the Rays being active on the basepaths: “They’ve gotten it done differently this year after losing all those guys with the offense last year. They are going to get it done any way they can and part of that is stealing bases. I don’t know a lot about stealing bases but I do know that’s how they manufacture runs.”
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Texas Rangers (4) @ Tampa Bay Rays (3) – Rangers lead the series 2-1
Announcers: Don Orsillo (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analysts) with Jaime Maggio reportingMartinez on Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton: “Upton has really gotten hot since they moved him up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup. He’s more patient, he’s more selective and most importantly, he’s got Evan Longoria hitting behind him.”
Martinez on Rays Game #3 starting pitcher David Price: “(Rays manager Joe Maddon) called Price the best teammate he’s ever seen anywhere. Everyday he comes to the park and brings enthusiasm. He cheers his teammates on and you couldn’t ask for a better teammate.”
TBS’ Don Orsillo and Buck Martinez interviewed Rays manager Joe Maddon prior to the fifth inning
Maddon on Rays rookie outfielder Desmond Jennings: “Two years ago he struggled but right now, he’s doing pretty well. We talked about him all the time and finally someone thought that he’s ripe and now he’s up here.”Martinez on speed: “(Speed) can be beneficial even if you don’t run. It’s a distraction.”
Martinez on Rangers Game #3 starting pitcher Colby Lewis: “Lewis doesn’t have overpowering stuff but he certainly messes with the hitter’s timing. Plus, he has great location with his fastball. He goes in-and-out and controls both sides of the plate. He puts all of his pitches in the hitter’s mind.”
Martinez on Rangers catcher Mike Napoli: “There are a lot of things that factor into his success. (He’s in) a better lineup with more hitters around him and a very good ballpark to hit in at home. Not to take a thing away from him…he’s had a great year.”
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Detroit Tigers (5) @ New York Yankees (4) – Tigers lead the series 2-1
Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and John Smoltz (analysts) with Tom Verducci reportingSmoltz on Tigers Game #3 starting pitcher Justin Verlander: “(Verlander) has one of the most lively arms in baseball and its tantalizing to go to it and rush it up there at 98, 99 miles-per-hour. He has to pitch to contact a little bit more and he’s learning how to do that.”
Darling on a starting pitcher’s day compared to a reliever’s: “The starting pitcher’s day starts as soon as he gets his head off the pillow on the day he pitches. The reliever’s day starts as soon as that (bullpen) phone rings.”
Smoltz: “The heart beats are a little different.”
Smoltz on how pitchers should be able to adjust in-game: “Pitching is so finicky. On the fourth day (of rest) you might feel great, on the fifth day, you don’t feel as good. Sometimes your body reacts differently. Every game is different and every five days is not going to be the same. That’s why you do the best you can to try to adjust in-game as much as possible.”
Smoltz on the raised stress levels in the Postseason: “The stress in the Postseason is not the same (as the regular season). It’s like pitching a ninth inning…every inning.”
Darling on the importance of Game #3 in the best-of-five LDS: “A lot of tension here at the ballpark. Not just with the fans but also with the players. Historically, this third game is always the swing game in a five-game series. Whoever wins this game usually goes on to win the series.”
TBS’ Brian Anderson, Ron Darling and John Smoltz interviewed Yankees manager Joe Girardi in the fourth inningGirardi on CC Sabathia’s performance in Game #3 through three innings: “He’s thrown a lot of pitches and I think he’s made some good pitches and some borderline pitches that he hasn’t gotten tonight. But he’s thrown the ball well and to get out of that jam, bases loaded, nobody out and only give up one run after he gave up the first run, that’s pretty good pitching.”
Smoltz on Verlander: “He knows his mechanics and he’s perfected them. You don’t have a 24-win campaign just because you’ve got good stuff. You have to time-in and time-again deliver in the right spot.”
Smoltz on the Tigers’ performance in the Postseason: “There aren’t a lot of teams that would be able to play this game as close as they have. The Yankees and their superstars, they’ve been there, done that. They’ve (the Tigers) scratched and clawed and that’s what makes these games so special at this time of the year. These guys have the flare for the dramatic.”
Darling on Verlander throwing 100 mph in the 8th inning: “Not since Nolan Ryan have I seen anything like this this late in a game.”
TBS’ reporter Tom Verducci interviewed Tigers Game #3 winning pitcher Justin Verlander following the game:
Verlander on pitching on short rest between games: “There’s so much adrenaline in a situation like this. It’s really a non-issue. I was a little out of rhythm in the first, found it and then lost it for three batters. This team has a never-say-die-attitude…tonight is another example of that.”Verlander on teammate Delmon Young’s first pitch home run in the seventh inning: “It was amazing. What an acquisition he’s been. He’s been such a great teammate and he just extends our lineup even further. What a stud…what an at-bat.”
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Inside MLB
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)TBS Reporter Tom Verducci interviews Detroit Tigers Delmon Young following the game:
Young on Justin Verlander throwing 120 pitches: “I’ve seen it ever since I’ve been here – 120 pitches is the norm for him. He’s going to go out there and battle and keep us in a situation where we have a chance to win the game. You need a pitcher like that to counter (Yankees) CC Sabathia.”Young on the Tigers chances of winning Game #4 at home: “We like our chances right now but we have to make sure we come out and play all nine innings because anything could happen.”
Wells on Verlander’s strength on the mound: “It’s incredible to see how this guy throws. When he gets in trouble, he throws harder. It’s consistent.”
Wells on what impressed him about Texas Rangers catcher Mike Napoli’s hitting prowess: “Just the way he stayed composed at his at-bat. With Mike Napoli, the way he’s playing now, you cannot pitch him middle in, unless it is in off the plate because he is going to launch on you.”
Eckersley on Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis: “He knows how to pitch. Good change-up, good breaking ball; a one- hitter in six innings. He pitched a great game.”
TBS Reporter Sam Ryan interviews Arizona Diamondback manager Kirk Gibson following the game:
Gibson on the coaching decisions he has made thus far in Games #1 and #2: “You are forced to make decisions within games, some of them work out and some of them don’t. Ultimately, we haven’t played well. My decisions don’t look good and I understand that. We need to get back to playing the way we play and putting pressure on them in our home environment and getting this series back in our favor.”Gibson on what the Diamondbacks need to do to win Game #3: “We just stay consistent and have a good attitude like we have had all year. We won three or more games 12 times this year. We are capable of doing it. Two teams have come back from a two-game deficit seven times since 1981.”
That’s going to do it.
