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MLB WORLD SERIES: NATIONALS VS ASTROS

October 25, 2019

Dave Martinez

Washington, D.C. - pregame 3

Q. What is it that your pitchers to this point have done so well to record outs when the Astros get runners on base? And what would be a key or two to continue that in this series?
DAVE MARTINEZ: I think the most important thing for us is strike 1. They get ahead of counts and they're making their pitches. When you get ahead everybody knows, you get to two strikes, it's tough to hit in this league.

If they continue to work ahead we'll be in good shape.

Q. Going Asdrúbal over Howie, what was that decision?
DAVE MARTINEZ: Asdrúbal has history with Greinke. Numbers-wise I like that and also, too, analytically. I saw a lot more ground balls in Howie against Greinke. I saw some better opportunities with Cabrera hitting the ball up in the air. I like that.

Q. A lot of Asdrúbal's success against Greinke has come a pretty long time ago, six or seven years. How do you weigh that?
DAVE MARTINEZ: You look at the at-bats. It's not something where he's just 2-for-5 or -- he's had a lot of at-bats against him.

Like I said, I kind of like the left-handed at-bat in the lineup to start off. The other thing is having Howie off the bench ain't a bad thing, neither.

Q. Each of your top three starting pitchers have worked a lot this month, including in the bullpen, too. How closely do you monitor how they're feeling and how closely do you figure following up even through Spring Training of next year?
DAVE MARTINEZ: Yeah, absolutely. Definitely it's based a lot on conversation with them and how they're feeling. I've said this before, all our starters, you see them every five days; I see them every day. And their work ethic to get themselves prepared and ready is incredible. I mean, they really -- I always say they compete every four days to get ready for that fifth day.

Q. You've talked all season long about what Aníbal has meant to you guys on the mound. Picking up with the rest of the rotation. What has he meant in the clubhouse? For all the credit that Parra gets for loosening everyone up, how much does Aníbal get credit for that?
DAVE MARTINEZ: It's huge. He was the guy since day one, since Spring Training, bringing everybody together. I talked about this earlier, in June he invited all of us to his house for a barbecue, and everybody showed up. And we had a great time. It was fun. He talked a lot about family. He really believed that this is his family. And it was huge. The guys loved it.

Q. (In Spanish.)
DAVE MARTINEZ: (In Spanish.)

Q. We just heard you speak Spanish. Aníbal was in here yesterday praising your Spanish. I know that wasn't something easy for you, and it was something you did later in life. Can you talk about how you did that and how beneficial it's been as a coach and a manager?
DAVE MARTINEZ: So my grandmother, who only spoke Spanish, I could understand it really well. I knew the basics to talk to her. I got drafted as a native player in Puerto Rico, both my parents were born there. So I went there as a No. 1 pick in the draft back when I played. When I got there the cameras were on me and they started asking me questions in Spanish, I answered them in English. They weren't very happy (laughter).

As a matter of fact, I got a six foot piece of barbed wire thrown at me in my first game I played. So I took it upon myself after that to learn. And I told all my teammates, I remember Benito Santiago, those guys I played with over there, Juan Nieves, I said, Hey, do not let me answer you in English. I said, Make me, force me to speak Spanish. And spent two years over there. After the first year I came home, told my grandmother the same thing, I'll never answer you in English again, I'll always answer you in Spanish.

So I picked it up. And after playing so many years and coaching with the Latin guys, I just told them, Speak Spanish to me. Sometimes it doesn't come out the way I want but I keep working on it.

Q. Your first base coach Tim Bogar is reportedly a finalist in being the Mets manager. What's your reaction to that, and what's he meant to the Nationals?
DAVE MARTINEZ: I love it. He's been awesome. He really is. Kudos to him. I think he deserves a chance to manage in the Major Leagues. He's put the work in. I've known Tim for many, many years. We played against each other for many, many years, we coached together in Tampa for a year. Just an unbelievable person on and off the field.

But his knowledge of the game, it's incredible. And I lean towards him just like I do all the other coaches to get information.

Q. Do you see any similarities between Soto as a lefty and Albert Pujols as a righty?
DAVE MARTINEZ: You know what, I have to go back and watch video on both. I know what I see as a left-hand hitter in Soto. He's pretty good. I know what I saw out of Pujols as a righty. The similarities for me is that they both are able to hit the ball -- they use the whole field very well. They're very patient hitters. But it will be -- for me I have to look at both to see what similarities there are.

Q. Even though you've announced Patrick as your starter for tomorrow, is there any chance we could see him out of the bullpen in the right situation tonight?
DAVE MARTINEZ: No. I want him to kind of focus on tomorrow's game. That doesn't mean you might not see somebody else, though (laughter).

Q. Was there any celebration today or going to be any celebration for Juan Soto because of his 21st birthday?
DAVE MARTINEZ: It is his 21st birthday, yeah. For those of you who have been here all year, we'll have to keep that in the circle.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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