|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
AL DIVISION SERIES: RAYS VS ASTROSOctober 4, 2019Justin VerlanderJose AltuveHouston, Texas - postgame 1 Houston - 6, Tampa Bay - 2 Q. Justin, A.J. talked about how hard it is to take you out when you're grooving like you are at the end of games. How do you navigate through games and get better as the game goes on? JUSTIN VERLANDER: I guess just rely on your instincts. You kind of feel out what's working well, what isn't. Reading swings on hitters. I think as the game goes on you have more information just from facing those guys a couple times. So that's kind of what I attribute it to. Q. Jose, you've had, go back to the 2017 ALDS against Boston, you had the three home runs. You've had success in the ALDS, but in game 1 especially. Just the start of the playoffs, not that you need to get going, but does that get you going and give you maybe a little extra energy going into these situations? JOSE ALTUVE: I would say so. I was a lot excited today and it's good to have the first one out of the way. I mean, I don't know. What can I say about that? I'm just going out there and trying to do my best. I'm really happy, like I told Justin, I don't have to face him. Q. Justin, you set the record for Division Series wins, eight now after, I guess it was Smoltz and Pettitte had it. You're always pretty good in the postseason. Anything especially about this round that you've been able to be at your best consistently, year after year? JUSTIN VERLANDER: I mean, I don't know. I wouldn't say this round in particular. I guess it's just kind of one of those stats that sticks out. I think '17 pitched pretty well the next round. And then pitched pretty well in the World Series too. Just didn't come away with the win. So, you know, I think the teams get better and better. It's harder and harder to get wins the further you go. I think in this first series, you have a little bit more of a leash, especially if your team gets you a lead like today. So I think that affords you more of an opportunity to get a win. Q. Jose, this is a question for you. That pitch was a high strike, exactly the spot where you hit a lot of home runs this season. Glasnow said if he had to do it over, he'd probably maybe throw you a breaking pitch. Were you looking for that? What was your thought process when you saw that pitch coming? JOSE ALTUVE: I was looking for a pitch that I can handle. He was throwing so good through the game. His fastball was almost invisible. He got some cut with something. I don't know. I was looking for no one specific pitch. I was just looking up and I got lucky. He threw it there and I could hit it. Q. Justin, Kevin Cash was asked about your performance, and he said that his team got Verlandered. How do you feel about your name being a verb? JUSTIN VERLANDER: I don't know. I mean, I guess it's a pretty great compliment. I don't know what else to say, other than that. Q. This is for both of you guys. Both of you have been in so many games like this. Does this feel normal? Especially when you know the other guys haven't been in this atmosphere very often. JUSTIN VERLANDER: No. I don't think they ever feel normal. I think they're always intense, and it's always -- you know it's going to be a battle, and each series is always kind of unique and fun in different ways. And the atmosphere is just incredible. Me and Jose were texting last night about the game today saying, Let's go. This team has no quit. These guys are hungry. They always are, no matter how many games we win or how good this team, everybody says this team is. Inside the locker room, these guys grind and we work and we prepare ourselves to win baseball games. It's fun to watch. Everybody can kill you. This guy was one of the heros tonight. It's fun to watch him play. JOSE ALTUVE: I think he said it all. Everybody's so happy and so excited about making another playoff. This is my fourth one, and it feels like the first one. I want to go out there and I want to win. I don't think it never gets normal. And what I like the most about our chemistry is that we have guys having really good seasons, but they only talk about winning games. So that set the tone to start winning games. Q. Justin, when did you really think that you had it? No-hitter through 4. When did it click you're feeling good today? JUSTIN VERLANDER: If I'm being honest, the last inning. I think I made some -- mixed in enough quality pitches to keep them off balance. Made some pitches that I got away with. And then kind of as the game progressed, I started to kind of lock it in more and more. Really, the last couple innings that's when I really felt like my location and stuff was at its best. Q. Justin, you've talked about the Hall of Fame and wanting to be in the Hall of Fame. I'm sure you know Hall of Fame voters are very conscious of what happens in October. What do these games mean to you in terms of defining your career and defining your legacy? JUSTIN VERLANDER: I don't know. I mean, they mean a lot when you kind of take a deep breath at the end of the season and look up. It's, I guess, having good performances in the past has nothing to do with the future. So I never get complacent about what I've been able to do in the playoffs. Each and every game is a new opportunity to go out and re-prove myself. Q. Justin, you talk about the command in the game. Did you feel like the fastball wasn't necessarily sharp early? Were you using, particularly on the double-play balls, were you looking to other parts of your arsenal? JUSTIN VERLANDER: Yeah, I was. I got a double play out of the fastball as well to Pham. So that was kind of one of those lucky pitches that really just, I mean, just kind of look took off and ran in on him really hard, was able to get a rollover. I don't know if that's the first game all year I've gotten two double plays. These guys always give me a hard time because I don't get them enough ground balls. I was able to get them a few in the game today. Q. Can you talk about the defense. One of the underrated abilities of this team is the defense. You talked about the two double-play balls and him hanging in there. But then the scoops from Yuli at first base too, the defense was fantastic today. JOSE ALTUVE: Absolutely. We talk about it and we take pride on the defense side. Like in the ground ball to Bregman, he made a really good play, gave me a good throw. I didn't give a good throw to Yuli. He pick it up. Like I said, we complement each other. We try to encourage each other because we know defense is big in playoff situations. Q. Justin, I know you've been here for a couple years. When you came here in '17, you kind of jumped on a moving train that was late in the season, et cetera. Do you feel a different level of leadership at this point with the team and a different type of camaraderie with the group? JUSTIN VERLANDER: The camaraderie, yes. I mean, you can't really connect with people that quickly. But as far as the leadership goes, I mean, when you've got Jose saying, you know, he literally loves me in '17, that goes a long way to your teammates kind of buying in. Really, truly, Jose's the leader of this club; and when he gives you his stamp of approval, that goes a long way. Q. Kind of piggybacking on that, Justin, I want to get your reaction to when Jose hit the home run. It was four very stressful innings with you and Glasnow going toe to toe. When he broke it open a little bit, what was your reaction? JUSTIN VERLANDER: I mean, kind of stoic. I mean, really happy that we got the lead, but also it's a two-run game. My job is to maintain the lead. So, I mean, in these moments in the playoffs, as long as I'm still going out to the mound and going out to still pitch, I'm trying to keep myself in my bubble as much as I can. Obviously, I'm aware of what's happening. It's a huge moment in the game, but I try not to let my emotions get too high or too low. I try to kind of like keep that focus that I have. Q. Jose, A.J. talked about how you have been through so much with this team. You were here the lean years and how you're kind of the heart and soul. How do you keep the even keel, but continue to have the energy and the optimism for this game? JOSE ALTUVE: I think you learn from being in the two sides of baseball. I was here when we lost 100 games three years in a row, and I don't think I can be the player I am right now and be the team we are right now without losing 100 games three years in a row. So, I mean, I just try to live in the moment, try to learn every single day, and work hard to stay in the team and keep winning some games. Q. Justin, we'll have Gerrit Cole out there tomorrow. As a fellow ace pitcher, what do you most enjoy about watching him pitch? JUSTIN VERLANDER: I mean, I think how quickly, and this is a testament to Gerrit, how quickly he adjusted his pitching style when he got here. How quickly he's kind of mastered that art of pitching. I mean, you think it's easy to do, to sit here and say, Okay, well, you know, the Astros, you know, you come to the Astros and they throw out a lot of analytics to you. That's not what this is. That's not pitching. Gerrit's pitching, and he uses the numbers. He looks into stuff, but he also trusts his gut and trusts his feel. I can't tell you some of the conversations that we've had, one-on-one, just about pitching and, I mean, how in-depth it gets sometimes. It's incredible. To watch him take that information and apply it during a game, really, he was stellar last year. What he did this year was nothing short of incredible. So, I mean, just the maturation is something that is incredible. Q. Jose, after a performance like today from Justin, do you love him even more? JOSE ALTUVE: Absolutely. I mean, like, you don't believe me, but I texted him yesterday and I said, I'm really happy I don't have to face you tomorrow. (Laughter.) FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|