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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ROYALS v ORIOLESOctober 10, 2014Brian MatuszDarren O'DayBALTIMORE, MARYLAND: Game One Q. Brian, when did you find you were going to be on the roster, and what was your reaction, what does it mean to you? BRIAN MATUSZ: I found out, it was yesterday after practice. Buck pulled me into his office and said I'm going to be on the roster. Obviously playing in the postseason is an exciting time, something I want to be a part of, and to be able to be a part of this bullpen that's done such a good job all year, even in the postseason, and to be able to contribute. Q. Darren, you're kind of the big brother of the bullpen, if you will. And you've known Brian for a while. What was it like, you watching him when he was not able to participate in the first series and when he got the news now? Did you guys talk at all during that time? DARREN O'DAY: Yeah, for sure. We went out of our way to ask that he and T.J. came down to the bullpen with us and joined us for the game in that first round, just because that's how much they mean to us. We've been through this whole season together. We have a really nice dynamic going down there, we have a lot of fun. We enjoy each others' company. I know where he was that first series, I've done it before in 2011 with the Rangers, I had to watch three rounds and it's tough. It really is. I can't speak for him, but I felt like I was in the way. If you're not contributing, you feel like you're just in the way. And you do everything you can to do something, whether it be tell funny jokes in the bullpen, which Brian is good at, or a little arm rub or something, he mixes those in, too. It's great to have him back, it's just another late inning, high leverage guy that's been there before and done it. Q. Brian, echoing what Darren just said, what was your reaction, was it very difficult just being in uniform out there and knowing you weren't going to pitch? BRIAN MATUSZ: Oh, yeah, sure. At first it was not a good feeling. But obviously just understanding the situation and trying to put together the best roster to win. And fortunately, it worked out and we're in the second round and fortunately, it's a good situation to be a part of now. I'm happy about it. Q. Guys, so much has been made of this bullpen, both sides, and how good it is, but do you see any differences between the two pens or not? Other than obviously the success you enjoy, but are there any differences? DARREN O'DAY: I don't know. They're both quality bullpens. Kansas City has a long tradition of having a good bullpen. In 2008 they had Ramon Ramirez and Joakim Soria. I remember thinking, seeing these guys in the rookie year, and I looked at them and said, Is this how all the bullpens are? They keep finding these guys that throw upper 90s and keep showing them up there and they all have good secondary pitches. I guess you could say ours is a little different. We kind of came together in different ways. We had some guys that were starters, and now we've ‑‑ been stuffed off to the bullpen and kind of come to the dark side. And we're happy to have them. Miller, Britton, Matusz, Hunter, myself, and Brad Brock are the only guys that never started a professional game in our bullpen. But you look at guys like Kevin Gausman, who was in our bullpen last year. He spent time when he was a rookie in the bullpen, he learned how to get out of jams. That's an acquired skill, you don't come with that. When he went back in rotation, he said to me that he learned from his time in the bullpen how to be his own reliever. When he gets in the sixth inning, when he gets in the jam, when he comes in the last series, when he pitched against the Tigers, he knows what it's like to be in a jam. We come together in a different way. I'll take our bullpen any day of the week. I have a lot of respect for those guys. It's a lot of fun to watch them go about their business. Q. Brian, going back to the 2012 postseason, obviously remember the Ibanez home run, how many times have you thought about that, and is there any sense that you'll be looking at that as a positive experience now that you're in the postseason? BRIAN MATUSZ: Try not to think about it. Try to forget about it. But that's part of the game. You give up hits. Unfortunately sometimes they're home runs. But it's a learning experience. There are some good parts of that postseason, too. And I try to remember the good moments and remember those and carry it on to this year. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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