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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BLUE JAYS VS INDIANS

October 15, 2016

John Gibbons

Cleveland, Ohio - Pregame 2

Q. What's the latest with Devon Travis and his injury situation?
JOHN GIBBONS: Well, he went to get another MRI to check it out, see if there's any difference, see where he's at there. It's kind of up in the air right now what could or what may happen, what would even be allowed. So we don't have any more than that right now.

Q. When do you expect to get back the MRI?
JOHN GIBBONS: Well, I would think pretty soon. But I'm not sure, to be honest with you.

Q. Is it your understanding he'll be out of the World Series if you replaced him on the --
JOHN GIBBONS: Yeah, yeah, that's the rule. Yeah.

Q. How much awareness is there in the clubhouse in terms of Jose and Edwin being free agents and the idea that this core group might be different next year than the last run?
JOHN GIBBONS: You know, really, there was more talk during Spring Training. It was brought up. But really, since the season started it's been a dead issue. Of course it's on guys' minds, it's got to be on their minds, but it really hasn't -- I haven't heard anybody talk about it. But I think everybody is aware of that.

But you earn the right to be a free agent at a certain point in your career and they've both been great players in this game. That's the reality of it. And both those guys have been big players for this organization for a number of years and they really, both of them, came into their own in this league in Toronto. So there's a special bond there, I'm sure. But really, I don't think I've heard a word of it since Spring Training when it was covered quite a bit.

Q. Can you just go into a little bit the decision to flip Tulo and Russ?
JOHN GIBBONS: We sit around and we've been talking for a while, as a coach or manager you sit there and you watch every day who's hot and who's not, that kind of thing. But I also believe we've been on a nice roll, winning a lot of games on a nice little streak. I've watched it and experienced it, when things are going good, don't mess with things. Tulo has been hot, so we'll just flip those today. Since we got beat last night.

But there is something to it, whether you like it or not, when things are going good, get out of the way, don't interrupt. I know some of you may not agree with that or like that but that is a fact.

Q. The rule, it's a little bit vague on whether you can replace someone on the roster if the injury is serious enough. Is it your understanding that if it is serious enough that he wouldn't be able to play in the World Series, we're talking Devon, here, that you can replace him on the roster?
JOHN GIBBONS: Well, there's something to about preexisting injury, which he has. Yeah, if they allow you to do that he couldn't -- if you're fortunate enough to advance, he wouldn't be eligible for that. But there's also I think there's a little gray area, too, whether you can actually swap them out anyway. And that decision will come from the top at MLB. So I'm not sure exactly the route we want to go anyway, that hasn't been decided a hundred percent yet. I don't think it's necessarily automatic that you can do it, either. So we'll have to wait and see on that, too, if we chose to go that way.

Q. Just to circle back on Liriano, is everything on track for him, he'd be able to go for you guys today?
JOHN GIBBONS: Yeah, he's good, he's feeling great. He got cleared yesterday. We'll see, as far as health-wise, he was feeling good and that kind of thing. He's ready to go.

Q. I know you are not necessarily thinking ahead to the next three games in Toronto, but do you factor in any of your bullpen decisions on maybe saving a guy so he could potentially go back-to-back-to-back in those three games in Toronto if needed or would you try to stay away from a reliever pitching in three consecutive games regardless of the scenario?
JOHN GIBBONS: I think this time of year every win makes a huge difference. I don't think any of us are smart enough where you really can plan things out or any of us really good enough to hold back on knowing what's going to happen.

So if you need him you use him and then you just deal with it as you go along game to game. One thing we've always been conscious around here is guarding these guys, protecting them during the season, not overworking them, especially early on. I think it's good for all of them, keeps them strong. And they're usually more productive as you get later in the season. And ideally if you do get to the postseason maybe they're a little more rested than some of the guys out there. We've always been conscious about that.

You get to this time of the year, you've got to win the game, you worry about that when tomorrow comes. These guys are all built and their mindset is, hey, they may not have a whole lot, but they're going to give you what they've got if you need them. And we're there for you. That kind of thing. I don't think you can really plan -- that might end up costing you if you got carried away with that.

Q. Last night something that got a little bit lost in the shuffle here in this room is what Marco did for you, one mistake, but other than that pitched a really good game and pitched a very good game the first time out in the postseason. Can you tell me about what he's done for you in the postseason this year and last year, as well?
JOHN GIBBONS: You know, you probably look at all the postseason games that were played last year and played this far this year, I don't think there's anybody that's been better. I do know Kluber had -- I don't think he's given up a run, so that's pretty good right there. But every time he's taken the mound for us he's given us a great effort in really some shutdown type games. He pitched a couple last year must-win games, elimination games, and came through in a big way. He got us off on the right foot down in Texas last weekend. And he did his job last night. Lindor came through big for him.

But you take everything he's done and with everybody else the last couple years, I don't think there's anybody done any better, that's for sure. He's a unique pitcher, he's a different style than most, but yet he can dominate in his own way.

Q. Your team's very patient at the plate. Do you feel like that kind of backfired on you with the number of called strikes in last night's game?
JOHN GIBBONS: No, I don't think so. That's our DNA, a lot of these guys were brought over here, a lot of sluggers in the lineup. But really, a lot of guys with great discipline. And that's in a lot of ways what has pushed them in the elite class. You have guys that will drive in a lot of runs, slug it out, and yet they'll take their walks. They're not a bunch of guys that hit a lot of home runs and out 150-plus times and never walking. That's what makes them so valuable and so good, really. But sometimes a pitcher makes a big pitch and that borderline pitch, sometimes you have to tip your hat to them.

We've had some struggles this year on and off and even if you get shut out or you don't score many runs in any particular game, even against some of the better pitchers in baseball, we always seem to make them work. They get to those middle innings, fourth, fifth inning, they've been throwing a lot of pitches and that kind of thing. And what it does psychologically, maybe he's not going to be in there much longer, that's not always the case, but that's always on your mind. So it's definitely worked to our advantage more than anything negative.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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