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MLB WORLD SERIES: NATIONALS VS ASTROS

October 30, 2019

Jose Altuve

Houston, Texas - pregame 7

Q. In today's world where football players have a choreographed end zone celebration, why is it a big deal with Alex and Juan carrying their bats to first?
JOSE ALTUVE: I don't know, you said it. It's a lot of big celebrations lately in the game. But I think that's over, you know? Hopefully Alex hit three more homers today and see what he's going to do. I don't know.

But I told him yesterday that he might be -- he's my pick for the World Series MVP. He's made for this moment. He likes to go out there in these kind of games. And I'm really happy to have him on my side and not on the other side.

Q. Did it bother you when he did it?
JOSE ALTUVE: I mean, he's more serious. I think every single person reacts in a different way. We all do. And the fact that I don't do it means I don't like it.

If we talk about Alex, he might be the best, one of the best -- because we have a lot of great guys in there -- best teammate we ever had. He does everything right. He does everything to help the team to win.

Yeah, yesterday a lot of talking about what he did, but in the bottom line, he's a great guy and I wish I have guys like him in the past when we were losing a lot of games because he's an MVP. He should be the MVP this year. He's going to be the MVP tonight, and see what goes on.

Q. What do you remember about your emotions, your nerves from Game 7 two years ago? How does maybe that experience help you tonight?
JOSE ALTUVE: Probably the same thing, was a little nervous, I think. I think we all are a little nervous. The thing is how to control that for the game. I think we know how to control that just because we've been playing so many last games in playoff; Game 7 against the Yankees, Game 7 against the Dodgers. This year again five games the Rays. Now Game 7 with the Nationals. So we've been here before.

And it seems like when we need to win, we go out there and win. Like I always said, when we feel all the pressure, all the teams going against us, we go out there and make it happen. So I really believing in my whole team and we'll be good tonight.

Q. Winning a second World Series in three years would mean what to you and would mean what to this franchise?
JOSE ALTUVE: Means a lot. Because the first one we didn't know how to react. It was like a dream come true. But before we won it, we didn't know how it was like to win a World Series. Now we know. Now we know is big for the city. Is big for us. And that's the reason why we want to go out there and make it happen again.

I still think about the first day in Spring Training this year, everybody just locked in on that same page talking about winning the World Series. And today we're one step away to make that dream come true.

Q. You walk in with a big smile on your face today.
JOSE ALTUVE: Yes. I work hard with a big smile on my face.

Q. I would think that has something to do with the faith that you have in your teammates. Can you just talk about that, what you've learned about your teammates through this process and the faith that you have that you detailed to us a little bit last night?
JOSE ALTUVE: Well, I woke up today and I have a lot of text message from different teammates. They all talking about, Let's go out there and make it happen tonight. So how cannot be happy about it. We all rooting for each other.

Last night was last night. Obviously Strasburg pitched a tremendous game. He was really good. I don't think he's available for tonight, so that's really good.

Like I said, the whole team is locked in with the chemistry is good. We never lose the chemistry between us. We never lose the good relationship we have. And that always ended up being the key for us to win.

Q. It's been 20 years since any team repeated. Do you think there's anything to coming off the LCS elimination last year, there's any more hunger at the start of the following season than coming off the championship?
JOSE ALTUVE: I would say so, yes. We won 2017. We couldn't make it last year. We try really hard. You know, the Red Sox play really good. And this year just because we won -- we lose the following year, we're like, Okay, let's take it back. Let's go out there. We're hungry.

All the players that help us to be here in this situation are just thinking about World Series. And I said it many, many times, we have guys that had really good season. We're going to have a Cy Young, we're going to have a Rookie of the Year, we might have an MVP. But all they want is win today. They're not thinking about their personal goals. They're thinking about winning. And that's really hard to find.

Q. Is it more this year than last year?
JOSE ALTUVE: I would say the same. But just because you're coming from playoff, losing against the Red Sox and they ended up winning the World Series, you might think about if we would have been there maybe we won the World Series again.

But I think we're always going to be hungry every single game, every single year. It doesn't matter the situation.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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