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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BLUE JAYS VS INDIANS

October 15, 2016

Andrew Miller

Cleveland, Ohio - Pregame 2

Q. There's been so much attention put on you this postseason, but the way Tito uses you, how much of that would not be possible if you didn't have Cody and Shawn and those guys behind you to kind of allow Tito to do that?
ANDREW MILLER: I don't think it would be possible. To make it to this point you have to have depth at every position. And I think the bullpen has a lot of it. I think the flexibility of everybody, whether that's Dan or Bryan maybe pitching some different innings than they were before I got here. Just having Cody being able to get multiple outs, whatever it is. I think that flexibility allows us to move around and let's Tito put guys in better situations, and that's what it's all about.

Q. If there wasn't so much emphasis placed on the save stat itself, do you think more relievers might be open to doing what you're doing now?
ANDREW MILLER: Yeah, I think the save stat is what gets you paid in arbitration, gets you paid in free agency in a lot of cases. So players are certainly aware of that and want to take advantage of that. It's just the reality of the system. We all want to be taken care of as well as possible.

I think maybe as relievers get recognized for their work outside of the ninth inning, guys are more flexible. I think we've already got there. I think we're at the point where you see it, whether it's guys moving around and getting traded or guys with free agency. People recognize there's value outside of the ninth inning, and you can be recognized for your efforts.

Q. When you became a reliever was it with the mindset that you would close or did you really have kind of a set position in your head?
ANDREW MILLER: The mindset, I didn't want to go back to Pawtucket. I pulled my hamstring in Spring Training, I was one of those token guys that was nine guys fighting for the fifth spot in rotation in Spring Training. I had burned through all my options. I had ups and downs. The year before I felt like I made a lot of progress and turned the corner and knew what direction I was going.

But at the same time I wanted to be in the Big Leagues, I wanted to be a part of a good team in the Big Leagues, and I had that in Boston. And it turned out to be a real blessing because I got to pitch a lot. I think that helped me even expedite the direction I felt I was going and getting better every day. I warmed up a lot. I pitched a lot in the middle of the season and I think that paid off and just the repetitions.

Q. What have these three months been like for you, fitting in with a new team? And the chemistry among you relievers in this place just overall?
ANDREW MILLER: Yeah, I think it's a little nerve wracking and it's a little tough to move, but these guys made it easy. It's been a lot of fun playing here. A lot of fun playing in front of the crowds.

And with this team, you mentioned the unit that we have, the bullpen, I think the camaraderie out there is great. We have a good time. We have a lot of different personalities, but I think that's typical across the league.

I don't think it's hard for a bullpen to come together and get along. We spend so much time sitting out there and watching the game chitchatting, probably not as much about baseball as we should. It's a good group of guys. They're good people, even if we weren't playing baseball together, but it's a lot of fun.

Q. Is there any kind of pressure when you're traded? The Indians paid a lot to get for you and players, and to come in in such a situation like this that you have to perform almost immediately?
ANDREW MILLER: Yeah, I think anytime, it's human nature. I went through it, I was a prospect that got traded earlier in my career. And I went through it when I went to Baltimore a couple of years ago. I think that's the reality. I think we all think about that stuff at times.

But ultimately if I prepare and I get out there and when I'm on the mound and I think about the pitch at hand and all those cliches we like to tell you guys, I think everything will be all right. And I trust that all my preparation and all my hard work has paid off and I'm ready to go. That kind of stuff is a distraction away from the field and you get over it pretty quick.

Q. What do you do to stay centered especially during a situation like last night, you're wading through the heart of one of the best batting orders in Major League Baseball. What do you do to stay centered out there?
ANDREW MILLER: Same clichÃ©, pitch by pitch. Just focus on the task at hand. Try to get ahead, try to execute a good pitch to the game plan. In a sense hope you get these guys out. They're so good. You can execute the perfect pitch in your mind and they can hit it a long ways.

But it's a fun challenge, but just try to slow down, take your breaths and just execute as best you can. And hope it works out.

Q. Would you ever consider starting again? Could you ever start again?
ANDREW MILLER: I don't think so. I think that ship kind of sailed. I had my chance. There's times where I'm out there and I'm locating pretty well, and I feel like I can kind of command all over the place and I can move the ball around and make it do what I want. I think about how nice it would be to throw a hundred pitches and have the schedule they have. But ultimately I think I've kind of found what fits for me.

The bullpen is a lot of fun. I like coming to the ballpark every day knowing I have a chance to pitch. And it's worked out really well for me, so I don't see a reason to look for anything else.

Q. What is the mindset, Tito always says when you're building a bullpen, sometimes you get a veteran reliever and he's kind of locked into one inning or one role. What allows you to be kind of so flexible and pitch in different innings?
ANDREW MILLER: I don't know. I keep getting asked this question. I think it's being overplayed. I think the majority of relievers are ready to pitch from the moment the first pitch is made until the last out is made. There's very few guys that have structure, they know they're going to pitch in this inning or that kind of thing.

So I don't think it's that big of a challenge. You stretch a little bit earlier because you might come in earlier. I'm certainly kind of watching where we're at in the lineup, where the pitch count is, that kind of stuff. But that's the job of the reliever is you come in when called upon. And I think we're all prepared for that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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