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AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS VS ASTROSOctober 4, 2018Francisco LindorJosh DonaldsonHouston, Texas - Workout Day Q. Josh, what did you gain, motivation-wise, by the trade? JOSH DONALDSON: You know, I mean, I missed a big part of the season this year. I think motivation-wise was just to get out there and be healthy again, and be able to prove that I still have a lot of quality time left in the game, and I can help a team -- I can get to the postseason, but win in the postseason. Q. Frankie, you and Maldonado, when Maldonado was playing for the Angels, you guys were always kind of yapping at each other when you went to the plate. What was behind that, and is that going to continue tomorrow? FRANCISCO LINDOR: Probably will be. He's a cool guy, and I respect him a lot. He's a great player. As a competitor and a friendship, he say some things. When I'm in the box, I look at him like, Yeah, okay, and once I do my thing, I respond back. I love him. He's a great guy. It's nothing against him, but he'll probably be there tomorrow too. Q. Do you think he can stop your running game? You guys, I think, led the big leagues in stolen bases. FRANCISCO LINDOR: He's got a great arm. He's got a great arm. But us runners, we usually don't steal on catchers. If the pitcher gives a good time to steal, we're going to go. That's part of my game. That's part of our game as a Tribe. That's what we do. If we have time to get two runs on, we're going to go. It doesn't matter who's behind the plate. We respect his arm. He's got a great arm, and he can call a great game. But at the end of the day, I'm going to do my thing, and we're all going to do our thing. Q. Frankie, you guys have had success against Verlander in the past. Just how much does the familiarity help when you're going into this type of situation? FRANCISCO LINDOR: Him being in our division the past couple years, it's -- it should be not unbalanced because he's got a scouting report and we've got a scouting report against him as well. But at the end of the day, it's not a guy I've never seen. I know what he likes to do. I know the way he likes to pitch. We've just got to go out there and execute, continue to stay within our approach, and if we don't have success the first at-bat, second at-bat, you continue making a constant adjustment throughout the bats throughout the game, and hopefully we're successful. Q. Josh, what experiences from your 2015 and 2016 playoff runs are you taking with you into this postseason? JOSH DONALDSON: I just think -- I mean, it's going to be emotional. You're going to have adrenaline going. Everybody's going to be excited. I think what you garner from being there before is learning how to harness it and use it for good and understanding that there's going to be ebbs and flows to each game. They're going to make some runs. We're going to make some runs. And it's try not to get too high or too low during those runs and staying focused on -- especially these guys, what got them there and what makes this team successful. That's having quality at-bats, making quality pitches, and going out there and competing to the final out. Q. Tito mentioned that Rajai is going to be on the roster. Frankie, can you just speak to what Rajai's meant in helping develop aspects of your game. And I'm sure, Josh, that you can speak to the impact that Rajai can make on a team as well. FRANCISCO LINDOR: Raj has helped me to become a better base runner, a better person, and a better teammate. He's been a big influence for us in 2016, and he's definitely going to help us. He's one of the best at running the bases, and he keeps the clubhouse loose. He's a great guy, great personality. He deserves to be in the roster. He deserves it. JOSH DONALDSON: I think Rajai just brings that dynamic of speed, and being able to come in and add that dynamic to where he gets to first base, he has the opportunity to steal second, maybe third, and even if he doesn't steal a bag, if there's a base hit, in the gap he can score. In the playoffs, I think what you look for is being able to score in a multitude of different ways: One, the home run ball; B is small ball; and then, three, just pure speed, and that's what he brings. Q. Josh, when you were going through your injury with the calf, I mean, it kind of lingered so long. Was there ever a point where you thought that maybe this was a lost season? And how fortunate do you feel to be where you are right now? JOSH DONALDSON: Yeah, there was definitely a lot of times -- well, not a lot of times, but there was definitely a time period where I didn't know if I was going to be able to come back at all. You know, from something that developed as a small strain, most likely, and going through a rehab process with our rehab facility people and then having a grade 3 sprain, which is a tear off the tendon, and then actually garnering another strain on the outside part of my calf as well. So going through that process and then injuring it the way that I did and to the extreme that I did, I definitely didn't know if I was going to make it back this season, but I was trying to do everything possible that I could, and I feel very fortunate and blessed to be in the position that I am right now and to hopefully help these guys achieve their ultimate goal. FRANCISCO LINDOR: His calves are way too big and strong for too many years. He'll be fine. JOSH DONALDSON: It's a blessing and a curse. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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