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NL DIVISION SERIES: ROCKIES VS BREWERS

October 5, 2018

Craig Counsell

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - pregame 2

Q. Craig, what did you see yesterday just kind of in terms of handling the moment out of Woodruff and Burnes, two young guys that you asked to do a lot in their very first playoff experience at all, not even playing, but just being in the playoffs?
CRAIG COUNSELL: Well, I mean, they obviously handled it really, really well. I thought Woody was probably a little bit nervous to start the game, but you know, I really believe that -- I don't care who you are, you're going to be a little nervous to start the game. I think that's being human. We all would be, no matter -- even if you've been in it before, you're going to be a little nervous.

So they handled it perfectly, and they got quickly kind of into their process, and what I saw is they let the moment take them to a better place. And that's really -- the playoffs can do that for guys. And that's the spot you want to get yourself into as a player. They were able to do it, and I thought we had a bunch of guys able to do it yesterday.

Q. I was wondering if you can tell us anything about your possible Game 3 pitching plans and particularly maybe if you know who your initial out getter is going to be.
And also, how hard is it with the Rockies being so good against lefties and Gio and Wade have been two of your starters down the stretch, and they're not great matchups against lefties?

CRAIG COUNSELL: Well, thanks to Tom's ringing endorsement, Wade Miley is still going to start Game 3. (Laughter).

But I'll tell you -- I will tell you that Wade is also available out of the bullpen today. So it could change. And we're allowed to change our starter, actually.

That's what we're going with. If we have to use Wade today, we have a different scenario we can put into action, and we'll do that, but that's the plan.

Q. Is it tough with the lefty matchups? Does that make it harder?
CRAIG COUNSELL: Look, I believe in Wade Miley, and I believe in Gio Gonzales and getting outs. Wade has been really good against right-handed hitters this year, so it's -- I'm very comfortable with it.

Q. Your organization as a whole deserves a ton of credit for being where you are, but particularly in the last month or so, you guys finished so strong, and a lot of that is a credit to you pulling the right levers and things like that, and so I'm curious, as a manager, where some of your inspiration comes from as far as like your leadership style, how you manage the team?
CRAIG COUNSELL: I don't -- I don't know if I have a great answer for you. I mean, I think we're, like most people, I'm a product of my experiences and the people that I've been around and the people I've watched do this job. You know, the names that -- and they're largely from when I was a player. That's where my experiences about how people do this job and how they -- cultures they desired to kind of set came from.

You know, I think everybody, but I would specifically mention Jim Leyland and Bob Melvin as who people who I tried to soak everything in that they did. And Bob Melvin, you know, I've often said, I was playing for him, but he kind of allowed me behind the curtain of managing as a player, which was a rare opportunity, and took the time to explain things to me about why this and why that and what I'm thinking here, that sometimes it's hard to figure out as a player. And so I always appreciated that, and that's always meant a lot to me.

Q. The way the bullpen game kind of worked so successfully for you guys. I'm kind of curious why you think people haven't done that as much before? And then also in the shorter series, I can see why it would be an advantage, but if you got into like a seven-game series, would it be tougher to do just given the rest and not having expanded rosters like you did in September?
CRAIG COUNSELL: Yeah, I mean, two things. One, in a seven-game series, it's a difference series. I'll tell you it's a different series, and we'll have to look at our pitching differently in a seven-game series.

I really don't think anything we did yesterday was that unorthodox. I don't. I mean, in the American League Wild Card game, a really good starter pitched four innings. Our guy pitched three.

Q. With Travis in here, he's one of the guys that was part of that infield mix for you down the stretch where you had a lot of guys for not a lot of spots. How do you think your players handled that, and can you shed any light on how you handled it in terms of keeping everybody in the loop about how it was going to go, keeping everybody happy basically?
CRAIG COUNSELL: Yeah. I mean, I think the first -- I think when we acquired all these players -- and it started really in the offseason for when we acquired Christian and Lorenzo and kind of what it did to Jesus Aguilar to start Spring Training, you know, guys were going to have to make some sacrifices.

I think the next big sacrifice that was made was that Travis -- when we acquired Moose, Travis said, I'm happy to play second base; let's go, I want to do it, let's get out there and start working right now. And so he was the first one that kind of started and said, yeah, I'll do whatever you want. Let's go.

And so I think during the course of -- that makes it easier for everybody, as an example for everybody to follow.

I think as we've gone along here, we've asked guys to make some playing-time sacrifices. And in some cases, it's been significant, and in some cases, it's probably cost a guy five games over the course of two months. But it's been a little bit of a sacrifice for everybody. It's been shared. And I think we've communicated it. It doesn't mean that there aren't upset players from time to time, as I expect, and as I welcome, and we talk about it, and we kind of move past it.

I think we've tried to -- I don't like getting away from guys. I think there's a role for guys, and I think it's important that each guy helps us. And I think in the long run, that's going to be how you have a very productive team is that you include -- you're inclusive to it because you're going to need more guys than you think as the season goes.

Q. Because you're from here, and you have long ties to the team through your dad and everything, and that kind of gives you a fuller and deeper understanding of how much the Brewers mean to the community, what's it been like and what are you hearing now and how important has it been for you to just see how excited everybody is about this?
CRAIG COUNSELL: I think we're at the -- I'm looking at it like we're at the start of this for the state and the Brewer fans. It's picking up steam, and I'm happy about that. I am -- the biggest satisfaction that you get out of it, I think because I'm from here and grew up here, is to see all these happy people around the organization and people that have been with -- because I've had this perspective of time with the organization, not just as a player, but kind of as a kid, there's a lot of happy people around here that have been here for a very long time. And that's rewarding. It's very satisfying.

And so as we go here, you're looking to pick up more of those people really and make new fans. I think this is a great opportunity to make new Brewer fans, and I hope that's what we're doing.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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