NL DIVISION SERIES: BREWERS VS BRAVES

October 8, 2021

Ozzie Albies

American Family Field

Atlanta Braves

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. What did you see from Charlie and Max down the stretch this year? Is this something that you did not have in previous postseasons, that 1-2 punch?

OZZIE ALBIES: Yes, they're both great pitchers. I think Charlie, as we saw every outing he goes, he just go and compete. The same as Max. That's what have led them to be one of the best pitchers this year.

Q. What's going to be the biggest challenge for you guys going against the Milwaukee pitching staff?

OZZIE ALBIES: We've got to attack those pitchers, give them more quality ABs we can, to go through their pitches, and just put quality ABs in and let them come to the zone so we can be aggressive on them.

Q. I was curious, in a situation -- because you don't play each other much during the season -- do you view it as an advantage or disadvantage for the hitter, for the pitcher?

OZZIE ALBIES: With our team, I think our lineup is very, very good. We're just going to -- we don't face them that much but we have great numbers against even Burnes. We attack them early and that's how we got the lead against him before when we win the game. I think we have to go do the same thing today.

Q. What do you know about Terrance Gore?

OZZIE ALBIES: He's really fast. That's what I know about him. Great that he's on our team, in the situation we might need him. And it's great for him -- I know he's so fast he can steal two bases and be in scoring position for one of our guys to drive him in.

Q. Nice to have in this situation?

OZZIE ALBIES: Absolutely, yes.

Q. The infield is doing things as a group that we rarely if ever see. I'd like to know -- we see on you the field with each other. What's your relationship with the four of you off the field?

OZZIE ALBIES: The four of us on the field and off the field is pretty much the same thing. We have fun. We laugh. But between the lines, you know we go take care of business. We go do what we need to do best.

It really surprised a lot of people what we did this year. But since day one of spring training you see each of us working harder to be better every single day. And I think that's what's paying off.

Q. To follow up on that, you guys do have fun. And we can see that on television or in person. Who is the one of the four who leads the fun? Who is in charge of the fun?

OZZIE ALBIES: Me, myself, I talk a lot of crap. I've got to be honest. But sometimes Freddie comes and jokes around something out of nowhere that you weren't expecting. That's when the conversation is going to be just fun talks.

Q. You have plenty of playoff experience now, but when you look back at last October, what would you say is the top thing that you learned from that experience that will help you going into this?

OZZIE ALBIES: That each game matters. So when we had the chance to win, we should win the game so you can go to the World Series, yeah.

Q. When you think about Corbin Burnes, like you were saying, you mentioned being aggressive. Does a mindset change more so than an approach would change in a game like this for you? Does that make sense?

OZZIE ALBIES: For me, I'll stay with the same approach. But because I know how good he is, too, just got to force him to come to my zone and do damage on that. But my approach is always going to be the same. Even with a different pitcher.

The velocity of the pitches change and movement and all that. But I think once you want to say through the ball good things can happen, instead of pulling.

Q. Wash's name has been mentioned in a couple places for managerial openings. I know you're really fond of him and you want to see what's best for him to happen. But how hard would it be for the team to replace him if he got the job?

OZZIE ALBIES: Like you said, not just for me but for the team, all the infielders, other position guys that sometimes do the drills we do on the side, Wash really means a lot for us on the team. He prepares us every single day to be the best on the field and even off the field, mentality-wise. He's just an example of a great player, great coach that was there before, and he's everything for our team. That's why we love him a lot.