We have the quotes from last night’s National League Division Series that led to two more Games Five on Friday. Let’s take a look at what we have.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – October 5, 2011
The MLB Postseason continues on TBS tonight beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET with TBS MLB on Deck followed Game 5 of the Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees (8 p.m. ET). 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)Ripken on the potential of the Cardinals being eliminated and how you combat those feelings: “It’s an individual thing. You need to draw on all of your big game experiences – All Star Games, Playoff Games, even Opening Day. You’ve just got to get yourself relaxed and play to your capability. It’s not the easiest thing to do.”
Eckersley on the routine of baseball and how it plays into an elimination game: “To me, baseball is about routine. If I’m on my routine then I have confidence. Mine was about a turkey sandwich with no mayo and it went from there. Ultimately, you’re asking the wrong guy because I was uptight for 1,000 games. I thought every game was a big game.”
Wells on having experience in big games: “The more experienced guys you have, the calmer it’s going to be. Some of these young guys, it’s like En Vogue said: ‘Free your mind.’ Go out there and worry about what you have to do. Don’t add pressure to yourself and have some fun.”
Eckersley on Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson: “He’s been great. This is a power arm…this guy has been dynamite. He’s a power arm and I love power arms in the playoffs.”
Eckersley on Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Shaun Marcum and intentionally walking the Diamondbacks Miguel Montero to load the bases to pitch to Paul Goldschmidt, who hit a grand slam in Game 3: “He [threw] one bad pitch and it cost him the ballgame.”
Wells on Marcum pitching to Goldschmidt: “You’ve got bases loaded so you have to pitch to the guy. But you have to make quality pitches. If you get behind in the count, you better keep the ball down. If you don’t, that’s what happens [Goldschmidt’s grand slam].”
Ripken on the strategy behind intentionally walking the Diamondbacks’ Miguel Montero in order to face the Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt: “The only right strategy is the one that works out. You’re always going to be second-guessed. During the game you have to make some quick decisions and sometimes those decisions are wrong.”
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Philadelphia Phillies (3) @ St. Louis Cardinals (5) – The series is tied 2-2
Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Bob Brenly (analyst) with Craig Sager reportingBrenly on the return of Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday to the starting lineup and the Cardinals record of 70-54 with him in the lineup and 20-18 without him: “If the Cardinals fans needed a reason for optimism they got it when Matt Holliday was inserted in that customary five spot in the Cardinals lineup.”
Brenly on the Phillies quick two-runs after three straight hits to start the game: “If a Cardinals fan had trouble parking the car they’re going to miss a lot of action here in the first inning.”
Brenly on Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson: “Charlie Manuel referred to Edwin Jackson as a guy who likes his fastball a lot. But as the Phillies have shown here in this first inning he’s going to have to mix in some of his secondary pitches and show that you can throw them for strikes.”
TBS’ Dick Stockton and Bob Brenly interviewed Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa during the game:
Brenly: “Is there anything you say to your team when they’re facing elimination?”
La Russa: “When in doubt be aggressive.”Brenly on the Cardinals third baseman David Freese who had a home run and four RBI: “He has been a big-time hitting prospect for this organization. When he’s been healthy and playing regularly he’s got tremendous power.”
Brenly on Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson: “You have to really give a lot of credit to Edwin Jackson and the way he settled in after that rocky start. It would’ve been very easy for things to tumble down the hill after those first three hitters [double, triple and single] of the game but Jackson was able to right the ship and pitch six strong innings.”
TBS’ reporter Craig Sager interviewed Cardinals third baseman David Freese following the game:
Sager: “The Cardinals score a run a game more when he [Matt Holliday] is in the game, what difference does it make having Matt in the lineup?”
Freese: “When Matt Holliday is in our lineup it’s a world of difference. He’s a beast and when he’s healthy, he’s a huge part of our success.”Sager: “You hit a towering home run. What were you looking for?
Freese: “I just try and stay simple and look for something out over the plate. I put a good swing on it and it left.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Game Break
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson: “I was impressed. That was a great trade for them [the Cardinals] to get him in late July.”
Wells on Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson: “He solidified the [Phillies] four, five and six hitters to nothing. He shut those guys down – [Ryan] Howard, [Shane] Victorino and [Raul] Ibanez. That’s the key to shutting down the Philadelphia Phillies. They [Howard, Victorino and Ibanez] had nothing to do in this game whatsoever.”
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Milwaukee Brewers (6) @ Arizona Diamondbacks (10) – The series is tied 2-2
Announcers: Victor Rojas (play-by-play) and Joe Simpson (analysts) with Sam Ryan reportingSimpson on the Diamondbacks Ryan Roberts grand slam in the first inning: “Wow, four straight home games with a grand slam for Arizona.”
TBS’ reporter Sam Ryan interviewed former Arizona Diamondbacks Luis Gonzalez during the fifth inning:
Ryan: “Kirk Gibson in his first year as manager of the Diamondbacks. What is he doing to get these guys playing for him?”Gonzalez: “He’s done an incredible job. Him and the coaching staff. They have all the credentials. He’s pushing all the right buttons. This team has bought into whatever he’s preached since Spring Training.”
Ryan: “They certainly have the swagger but what else is it that is bringing this team back from an 0-2 deficit?”
Gonzalez: “They believe in each other and have a certain swagger, especially playing here at home [in Arizona].
TBS’ Victor Rojas and Joe Simpson interviewed Brewers manager Ron Roenicke during the third inning:
Roenicke comments on his team falling behind early in the first inning: “It was a tough inning there. [Diamondbacks starting pitcher Joe] Saunders is a good pitcher. But I’m happy the way we’re coming back swinging the bats and we’re going to keep coming back at them.”Simpson on the hitting prowess of the Diamondbacks and Brewers: “Neither one of these lineups give you any room to breathe. They’re just going up there looking to tee off – both teams.”
Simpson on Arizona’s clutch-hitting: “What an exhibition in these two games by the Arizona hitters [having gone 9-19 with runners in scoring position through seven innings in Game 4].
Simpson on the Brewers’ efforts offensively in the 8th inning: “The Brewers never feel like they’re out of a ball game. They just haven’t been able to keep the Diamondbacks from scoring.”
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Inside MLB
Matt Winer (host) and Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on the Diamondbacks’ explosive offense at home: “(The Diamondbacks) go down 1-0 and then they drop a 5-spot on you. They are a different team at home.”
Ripken on the Brewers’ second baseman Rickie Weeks: “He’s going to be a big player here if they go deep into the playoffs. He’s got a lot of power, he drives in big runs. He is hitting behind (Prince) Fielder so he’s going to have to provide some protection. In order for Milwaukee to really get rolling with their offense, (Weeks) is going to have to be part of the ‘big three’ (with Fielder and Ryan Braun) and he needs to get hot. Weeks is going to play a key role.”
Ripken on pitching and hitting perspectives: “From a hitter’s perspective, sometimes pitchers like to save pitches and just get through the first inning with just their fastball. From a hitter’s perspective, if you establish your curveball and off-speed pitches early it gives them more things to think about.”
Eckersley on St. Louis Cardinals: “That club has been fighting for the last month. They have been eliminated almost every game. They have to be psyched. St. Louis is loving life right now.”
TBS reporter Craig Sager interviewed Cardinals’ third baseman David Freese and outfielder Matt Holliday following the game
Freese on teammate Matt Holliday: “When he’s in our lineup, it’s a world of difference. He’s a beast and when he’s healthy, he rolling and a huge part of our success.”Holliday on playing the Postseason: “This is why you go to spring training, work hard in the off-season and play hard in the regular season for an opportunity to be out here in the Postseason.”
TBS reporter Tom Verducci interviewed Detroit Tigers Game 5 starting pitcher Doug Fister
Fister on playing in an elimination game in the Postseason: “This is the opportunity that every kid dreams of. But, we need to focus on each pitch and the task at hand. We need to rely on what we have been working on all year.”
That’s it.
