Ah, this is how we like it from Turner Sports. Quotage from a sporting event on the same night is very much appreciated. So you can relive what was said from this afternoon’s American League Championship Series Game 2 between the Yankees and Rangers.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS – October 16, 2010TBS’ exclusive coverage of the ALCS continues on Mon., October 18 beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with TBS MLB on Deck followed by the Texas Rangers @ New York Yankees (Game #3) at 8 p.m. (ET). The night will conclude with the post-game show Inside MLB.
Quote of the day #1:“The Yankees are scared right now, I’m telling you. Their first two starters got knocked around, they’ve got (Rangers Game #3 starter Cliff) Lee coming up next and they’re hoping as the (ALCS continues) that they don’t repeat these performances against the Rangers.”— TBS MLB analyst Dennis Eckersley on how the Yankees might be scared heading into Game #3:Quote if the day #2:“Advantage Yankees because you’ve got (Andy) Pettitte going. Pettitte can really go after it. Everyone doubted him going into his last start (in the LDS), why doubt him in his second start?”— TBS MLB analyst David Wells on who has the advantage heading into Game #3 between the Rangers and Yankees***** ***** ***** ***** *****TBS MLB On-DeckMatt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells (analysts)Eckersley on if the Rangers can recover from losing Game #1: “They are lucky that it’s Game #1 first of all because you can rebound. It’s not like (the Rangers) are going home. From my experience, the games that I gave away with blown saves, we never did recover. You really have a hard time recovering. In a seven-game series, you really have a better chance (of recovering). But its not a good sign, especially against the Yankees and the way they’ve been going. (Game #1) was a tough, tough loss.”Yankees manager Joe Girardi on teams not panicking after a bad loss in the Postseason: “You go through those things during the course of a regular season and you don’t panic. You look at the whole season, you don’t necessarily look at a period of time. I’ve seen teams that have played great just to get into the playoffs and then get knocked out in the first inning. You have to look at the whole body of work and we have a talented club.”Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter on treating every game the same: “I’ve been fortunate and I’ve pretty much grown up in the Postseason ever since my first year. I think the more you are in situations, the more comfortable you get. I’ve always tried to maintain that and try to treat every game the same. If you treat games in May and June like they are big games and they are important, then it’s no different when you get to the games in October.”Wells on Rangers relief pitcher Darren Oliver performance in Game #1: “(Oliver) went out there and tried to be too fine. When a team is on the verge of making a comeback, you can’t make a mistake (when coming out of the bullpen). In his mind, he thought he was going to make a mistake. We saw how he was pitching away from Swisher like he did. He was just being too fine and he didn’t want it that bad. As a reliever, you have to come in and close the door.”TBS reporter and SI.com insider Tom Verducci interviewed Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Roy HalladayHalladay on being relaxed on the mound: “I think the key for me was being able to enjoy (the LDS no-hitter. It’s definitely a challenge that we look forward to. I think the more relaxed you can be, the more aggressive you can be, the better off (you’ll be).”Ripken on Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton: “Josh’s timing was off (in Game #1). He didn’t get enough reps necessary to get ready for the playoffs. In the (LDS) against the Tampa Bay Rays, they curveballed him to death. The Yankees were watching and (knew) his timing was off. But there were a couple of times in the game when he laid off the breaking balls in the dirt. We used to call those ‘good takes.’ It looks like his timing is coming back a little bit; he’s seeing the ball a little bit better and good things could happen for Josh.”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Game #2: New York Yankees (2) @ Texas Rangers (7) – Series tied 1-1Announcers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and John Smoltz (analyst) with Craig Sager reportingDarling on the influence of Yankees’ bench coach Tony Pena on the Yankees pick-offs: “(Pena) was renowned catcher when he played. He has a great feel for the running game. He is the one that will give those signs to (catcher) Jorge Posada to tell the pitcher to throw over (to first).”Smoltz on the Rangers taking advantage of Game #2 being the day after Game #1: “One of the things with the quick turnaround (between Games #1 and #2) that I felt was going to help the Rangers was that they didn’t have much time to think about (Game #1). They didn’t have to answer (questions) during the off-day. If it had happened in Game #2, imagine having to talk about it during the workouts in the press. This team has dealt with adversity all year and they are saying that they are going to put (Game #1) behind us.”Darling on Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz: “What Texas fans have known for a long time and the rest of the country is finding out is how strong Nelson Cruz is.”TBS’ Johnson, Darling and Smoltz interviewed Yankees manager Joe Girardi during the gameGirardi on his designated hitter platoon of Lance Berkman and Marcus Thames: “(Berkman) and Marcus (Thames) have formed a really nice tandem and we’re really happy with that.TBS’ Johnson, Darling and Smoltz interviewed Rangers manager Ron Washington during the gameWashington on the Rangers mindset in Game #2: “In the game of baseball, you have to be able to take a shower and forget about it. (The Rangers) mindset is to come out each day and play the game that is being played that day. They try to do the things that are asked of them that day.Smoltz on the Rangers bullpen wanting to prove themselves in Game #2: “If I’m (in the Rangers bullpen), I know I’m going to pitch and I want the opportunity to get back in the saddle to prove that (Game #1) was just a fluke.”Smoltz on the three Molina brothers, Bengie, Jose and Yadier, who are all MLB catchers: “Oh to have them in your neighborhood growing up as a pitcher. I couldn’t find anybody to throw to back then.”Smoltz on players taking advantage of big moments to reset their mindset: “What’s amazing about this game, it doesn’t matter about how many innings and how many years you’ve played, there are such things as big moments and big games to prove to yourself, ‘ok, lets reset all of this.’Smoltz on the Yankees not getting quality starts from their pitchers in Games #1 & #2: “The Yankees have been able to get by at this point. If they can get the split, they’ll need a perfect game out of Andy Pettitte (in Game #3).”Smoltz on how Rangers closer Neftali Feliz needs to utilize a secondary pitch during the ALCS: “I know he’s blessed with a fastball but at some point in this series, especially in New York, he’s going to have to get another pitch over. The short porch in right (field at Yankee Stadium), with the way the Yankees’ hitters stay in there and beat you to death on fastballs. He’s got a great fastball but at some point, he’s got to get that second pitch over.”TBS’ reporter Craig Sager interviewed Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz following the gameCruz on what it means to win Game #2 to tie up the ALCS: “(Winning Game #2) means a lot. We defiantly had to get a win here at home. Colby did a great job and the bullpen did their job as well. I don’t think that the Yankees are going to do every day what they did yesterday (in Game #1).”***** ***** ***** ***** *****Inside MLBWiner, Eckersley, Ripken and WellsEckersley on Robinson Cano’s upper deck home run in the sixth inning: “You wish it was a (grand) slam or something because that ball was hit too hard to just only get one run.”Eckersley on Yankees Game #2 starting pitcher Phil Hughes: “Phil Hughes was not himself today. He pitched so well against Minnesota (in the ALDS). He just wasn’t the same with two strikes, he couldn’t put anyone away.”Eckersley on how the Yankees might be scared heading into Game #3: “The Yankees are scared right now, I’m telling you. Their first two starters got knocked around like that, they’ve got (Rangers Game #3 starter Cliff) Lee coming up next and they’re hoping as the (ALCS continues) that they don’t repeat these performances against the Rangers.”Wells on who has the advantage heading into Game #3 between the Rangers and Yankees: “Advantage Yankees because you’ve got (Andy) Pettitte going. Pettitte can really go after it. Everyone doubted him going into his last start (in the LDS), why doubt him in his second start?”Ripken: “You’re a Pettitte guy all the way.”Wells: “I just go with the experience and that’s what he has.”TBS’ reporter Craig Sager interviewed Rangers outfielder David Murphy following the gameMurphy on how the Rangers rebounded from their Game #1 loss: “It’s just the brand of baseball we play every day. There’s no reason to change it. (Game #1) left us with a bad taste in our mouth. The mood was great before the game in the clubhouse and we knew that we didn’t have time to dwell on it. I knew we would play hard today and it worked out.”Murphy on the Rangers’ runners being aggressive: “We’ve tried to become a team in Tampa (during the LDS) and today that is aggressive on the base paths. We’ve got guys like Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero who can hit the ball out of the ballpark. But it’s awesome when you’re a complete team and you can manufacture runs.”
That is it. Game 3 airs Monday night at 8 on TBS.
