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NL DIVISION SERIES: NATIONALS VS DODGERS

October 6, 2019

Rich Hill

Washington D.C. - pregame 3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So you had a pretty lengthy recovery from an elbow injury this year. You get back, then you're dealing with a knee. It's late in the season, I'm sure a lot of guys at that point of the year probably would have punted on their season. What was your mindset then and how much doubt did you have about whether you could be in this situation right now?
RICH HILL: Oh, obviously I put in the time and the effort to get back. I worked really hard with our training staff and took their lead with Johnathan Erb who was, him and I worked really closely together. And also with Brandon McDaniel and Travis Smith in the strength and conditioning department for us. So those guys put in a lot of time and effort to make sure that the program that I was on was correct for getting back and being efficient on the hill and getting back to not where I was, but just getting back to where everything felt comfortable enough and strong enough to go out there and compete. But with that said, I think it was just something that I wanted. This is what I have a love for and to be able to go out there and, I'm not going to say, obviously, it was easy, but the mindset was of the sort that I was going to get back. There was never a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't get back. The unfortunate part, the second time with the MCL with the scar tissue breaking up, I think I was fortunate that it was just scar tissue and it wasn't a bigger injury. With that, to be able to have an MRI, find out that it was just the scar tissue was obviously something that I knew would be better within a few days of the injury. So and it was. It was within three or four days and it felt good after that to get back out there.

Q. Off that, how better does the knee feel than that first start in San Diego? And when did you throw your bullpen and how intense was it?
RICH HILL: So bullpen after Baltimore or --

Q. No, this time off, this week.
RICH HILL: Oh, so in San Francisco?

Q. Yeah.
RICH HILL: Okay, yeah, it felt great. The bullpen was great. The last bullpen I just had was really good and it felt great in San Francisco. The ball came out really well, felt like I was able to spin the ball the way I wanted to. And those are really the two things, obviously, if I feel like I'm doing that pretty well, then more often than not the results will follow.

Q. Having the last two years end the way they did and then this year, when you get the start tomorrow, is there any kind of -- or do you guys feel any kind of more pressure because of the way that happened?
RICH HILL: No. And my answer to that question is because the last two years, and really the last three years, the way things have ended we have gained a tremendous amount in experience. And I think if we look at it as a failure of sorts of, yeah, we didn't accomplish our goal, which we didn't in the last two years, we wanted to win the World Series, everybody wants to win the World Series. But if you just take it at face value as that, then it is, it is a failure. But at the same time if you look at it and you see how much experience is gained from those two times going to the World Series, I mean now you have an entire clubhouse full of guys that can explain to the younger guys what the environment is like, what the level of heightened excitement is going to be and how to control your emotions and go out there and really just let things play out and do your best to put yourself in a good spot to have the outcome come in your favor.

Q. What are your memories of the last playoff game you started here and just what a grind it was and the way you guys were able to get through that, and what are your expectations for tomorrow just in terms of pitch count, how deep you might be able to get?
RICH HILL: Well, I'll answer it backwards. Pitch count, whatever it is, I can't control that. Whatever I can give the team, I'm going to give the team. And the decision that's made is going to be made obviously beyond my control. So that's first and foremost. And my expectations are to go out there and have the ball come out of my hand the way I want it to every time. So that's something that hasn't changed in a long time for me and that's been pretty consistent and it will be tomorrow.

I think the one thing that I remember last time here is the intensity from the fans and just the great amount of energy that the fans brought. It's obviously, as of recent a newer fan base, I guess you could call it. I love the history of baseball, so to understand where Washington was, where they went, and how they came back, and new stadium, being able to play at RFK and see where everything has kind of built up over the last decade or so has been tremendous for baseball, and obviously tremendous for Washington and for the fans of Washington. It's a lot of transplants, a lot of transplant fans, but they have come to love the team here in Washington and that speaks to the environment when you go out and play.

Q. Seems like you're always talking and showing an appreciation for where you're at in this stage, given your journey in the game. Along those same lines I'm wondering what your thoughts are going into tomorrow against Max Scherzer, knowing that the series or the season will be on the line.
RICH HILL: Sure, Max is a tremendous competitor. And being able to spend a little bit of time around him in spring training in 2015, I believe it was, knowing that his intensity and his love for the game will obviously be there and that's something that you always see. He brings his best every time he goes out there and that's what you want to play. You want to play the best because at the end of the day I feel like it's much more gratifying to have somebody at the top of their game. At the end of the day if the outcome falls in your favor, then, as opposed to not having that. So that's something that I think I've always had. Looking across the way, when you talk about guys that you really enjoy watching pitch, you get that question sometimes and he's definitely up there for me the way he competes and his intensity out there on the mound.

Q. To piggyback on what I asked you before, do you think -- I know players do, but do you think fans and the media appreciate what it takes to get to this point in the season?
RICH HILL: Yeah, I believe so. When you go out there and you see how difficult it is to play the game, I think that's what the appreciation is, where that factor comes in. Much like maybe a caddie in golf. You get to see how difficult it is on a daily basis when you have that relationship with that player. And you see the ups and downs and the grind of the season or the grind of the TOUR on the PGA TOUR. It's just, that's what I think is the intricacies of the game, instead of the immediate gratification. So the fans who kind of understand that long-term play of what the game, why you play 162 games, and how do we find ourselves at the point of the end of the season, whether you're playing for game 163, as we did last year, and understand, wow, this is amazing, you played all these games and you have to play a 163. There's an appreciation there, I believe, from the media and from the fans' standpoint. The other side of it, too, is from my perspective is that through the media is how the fans get to know the players. So obviously given part of our job is to give time to each and every one of you and understand that we all work together, and I think through that fans can appreciate maybe that individual player or get to know and understand what makes him tick or where that level of, again, appreciation comes from for the long duration of the season. I hope that answers it.

Q. You were in independent ball. What's it like for a professional ballplayer? You ever think you would be back here pitching such a crucial game when you're playing independent ball?
RICH HILL: I don't know. I mean obviously the situation is dictated that I'm getting the opportunity to pitch in these heightened moments of the offseason. Certainly did have the feeling or the understanding and the idea that if given the opportunity that, yes, I would have a chance to get back, just given the way that I was throwing the baseball when I was in independent ball. And I think that getting that opportunity at that point was crucial. And I think also lessons that are learned as we go through our journey in life is to always bet on yourself. I think that's something that, I had opportunities to go back and be in the bullpen or continue to pitch out of the bullpen at the professional level, not the major league level, but at the same time having that feeling and understanding of how I was throwing the baseball at that time I felt that I could get back as a starter and perform well.

Q. I'm sure it could feel pretty daunting to sort of lose at the end a second straight year. I'm curious what was it that let you know that this team was going to be okay, that the mindset maybe was right, approaching this season?
RICH HILL: As far as after last year ended?

Q. Yeah.
RICH HILL: Yeah, I think last year -- so going back to 2017, coming into spring training we started off slow in 2018. And I think the hangover that everybody talks about was real in 2018. After 2018 and losing the series last year to Boston, I think guys were, had a huge chip on their shoulder coming into this season. And understanding that the hangover was not there, there was no World Series hangover was, all right, we have a job to do, we all have experience, there's no excuses to be made going into the 2019 season, and you could see it in spring training. So in spring training in 2018 there was times guys kind of eased their way into spring training, guys were starting a little bit later as far as innings. And we have all seen this, guys get pushed back and well, how come player A isn't making a start until whatever, March 12 or whenever it might be. And doing that may have kind of in some senses slowed our ability in 2018, coming out of the gates. And I think that in 2019 guys were, no, I don't want to take time off. I want to get right back on the horse and get out there and get ready out of the gates in 2019, for this season. And you certainly saw it. You saw it right from the beginning of the season and that was a huge difference that we had this year from 2018.

Q. You've seen how veteran players have been welcomed on the free agent market the last couple years. Does any part of you think that this might be your last chance to do this and was that a motivating factor in getting back from the injuries at all?
RICH HILL: The motivating factor to come back is I believe that have I something to give and I can help this team win. I'm not really using anything, outside factors, other than the moment in what I really enjoy doing. I think that that's the main factor. I love the competition part of this. And as you have seen all last three, four years, is going out there and bringing intensity and having a passion about playing this game. And that's the part that for me, which makes it, I don't want to say easy, but when you're doing something that you love, it's something that's gratifying to go out there every day and enjoy it. As far as the free agent market and whatever may come out of this year or after this is over with, again, I have no control over that, except for continuing to want to play this game at a high level and play for a competitor and play for a team that's going to win. I think that certainly that's something that I knew coming into 2019 that we had and that's why we're in the position we are in now.

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