We have the quotage from the first half of the MLB Postseason quadrupleheader. As the Rangers closed out the Tampa Bay Rays and the Phillies took themselves a game away from taking their series with St. Louis, Turner Sports provides us with the notes and quotes from the first two games. We’ll get quotage from the two night games later.
Here’s what we have.
Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS: TEX @ TB & PHI @ STL – October 4, 2011
The MLB Postseason continues on TBS on Wed., October 5 beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET with TBS MLB on Deck followed the Philadelphia Phillies @ St. Louis Cardinals, (Game 4 – 6 p.m. ET), Milwaukee Brewers @ Arizona Diamondbacks, (Game 4* – 9:30 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)Wells on Philadelphia Phillies Game 3 starting pitcher and fellow San Diego native Cole Hamels: “He utilizes every pitch with strike ability. His cutters, fastballs, change-ups – it’s like perfection. He’s a gamer. Plus, he’s a San Diego boy… those guys know how to pitch out there.”
Eckersley on St. Louis Cardinals Game 3 starting pitcher Jaime Garcia: “This kid has got great stuff. He keeps the ball down and had a good change-up and curveball. He pitched great in September and great against the Phillies. He pitched 15 innings against the Phillies and gave up only one run so he has to keep that going.”
Wells on New York Yankees Game 4 starting pitcher A.J. Burnett: “His game is in his hands. The whole world is against him right now, but I’m not. His last two starts have been pretty darn good and he knows that. He has to keep that in mind the whole game.”
Eckersley on A.J. Burnett: “This is a huge start for him and there is no room for error here. He’s capable of anything.”
Ripken on A.J. Burnett: “He needs to flaunt his stuff to the hitters. He needs to go after them and see what happens. He has pitched well against Detroit this year.”
Eckersley on Milwaukee Brewers Game 3 starting pitcher Shaun Marcum: “He will need to keep his change-up down. He pitches great at home. He’s been dynamite for them.”
Wells on Arizona Diamondbacks Game 3 starting pitcher Josh Collmenter: “He’s so deceiving because his pitches are straight over the top. Until he drops the change-up on you and it falls right off the table. It’s hard to read him as a hitter.”
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Texas Rangers (4) @ Tampa Bay Rays (3) – The Rangers win the series 3-1 and advance to the ALCS
Announcers: Don Orsillo (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analysts) with Jaime Maggio reportingMartinez on Rangers catcher Mike Napoli this postseason: “Napoli has been in the middle of big innings for the Rangers so far. As good as he has been at the plate, he has been even better behind it.”
Martinez on Rays’ outfielder Desmond Jennings: “Jennings has a very good eye at the plate for a young hitter. He shows a lot of confidence and patience; very selective. The Rays recognized this very early.”
Martinez on the mental aspect of the game: “Our own John Smoltz brought to light that he consulted with an advisor to help him focus, concentrate and create a game plan. Yogi Berra always said, ‘90 percent of this game is half mental.’”
Martinez on the Rangers bullpen: “The Rangers ability of their bullpen to shut down the Rays late helped win the game. They really did a terrific job shutting down B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria who were key to the Rays’ offense.”
TBS’ reporter Jaime Maggio interviewed Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre following the game:
Beltre on making history for three home runs in one postseason game: “The first couple games their pitching was really good and I couldn’t get anything. Today something changed and I felt more comfortable at the plate. I just wanted to help my team win.”Beltre on the Rangers advancing the ALCS: “It feels great to win today and be four games away from the World Series. We are looking good right now but we still have a long way to go.”
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Philadelphia Phillies (3) @ St. Louis Cardinals (2) – The Phillies lead the series 2-1
Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Bob Brenly (analysts) with Craig Sager reportingBrenly on Pujols needing to hit the ball to the opposite field: “Pitchers aren’t going to make many mistakes where (Pujols) can get a good rip and hit the ball out of the ballpark. He’s going to have to be content to hit the ball to the opposite field and set it up for Lance Berkman and others in the Cardinals lineup.”
TBS’ Dick Stockton and Bob Brenly interviewed Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa during the game:
Stockton referring to La Russa’s controversial comments during an in-game interview in Game 2: “Anything you’d like to get off your chest today?”La Russa: “No…my jaw is wired shut.”
La Russa on the pitching in the series: “We all know they’ve got great starting pitching but we do too. That’s why we’re here.”
Brenly on Cardinals second baseman Ryan Theriot: “The way Ryan Theriot has handled himself at the plate, you might think about pushing him up higher in the order. He’s very accustomed to hitting one or two in the lineup.”
Brenly on the Phillies’ deep pitching staff: “When you have a deep starting rotation like the Phillies do, you can survive a hiccup during the regular season. If one of your aces goes out there and has a subpar outing, you’re pretty sure you’re going to get a good outing the next day. The Phillies can throw arms at you all year long.”
Brenly on the two starting catchers in the series framing pitches: “(Carlos) Ruiz and (Yadier) Molina are both very good at making borderline pitches look better than they really are.
Brenly on Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina: “Molina is like having another coach on the field.”
That’s going to end our night.
