NL DIVISION SERIES: GIANTS VS DODGERS

October 8, 2021

Logan Webb

Buster Posey

Oracle Park

San Francisco Giants

Postgame 1 Press Conference

San Francisco Giants - 4, Los Angeles Dodgers - 0.

Q. Logan, first of all, how would you describe kind of the feelings as you take the mound for your first playoff game and what was sort of your plan of attack because you used your changeup a lot more than you had been certainly since early in the season?

LOGAN WEBB: There was definitely some nerves that first inning. I think throwing more changeups, I feel like that's just kind of the way the game was going, and Buster saw that it was probably the best pitch I was throwing today and he just kept going to it, and it worked out.

Q. Buster, it had been awhile since you had hit a postseason home run and awhile for the postseason. Nervousness coming into it and can you take me through that at-bat?

BUSTER POSEY: Yeah, I mean, like Logan said, there's definitely butterflies, but I think those can be helpful, kind of heighten your focus.

And, yeah, Buehler's tough. He doesn't give you a lot of hit, a lot to hit sometimes, and fortunately there got a pitch I could handle and got the barrel on it and the dang column kept me from a splash hit (laughing).

Q. And to follow up, also, this year you swung at more 3-0 pitches than at any point in your career. It's way up there. How freeing is it to be that aggressive in the batter's box?

BUSTER POSEY: Yeah, I think it's just on the attack from pitch one, trying to get something that you can drive, and not necessarily letting the count dictate that approach.

Q. Buster, getting back to Logan and his changeup, we talked about that pitch a lot in spring training, but just how rare is it for someone who has basically been two-seam slider and very successful, to have that pitch in your back pocket and bring it out in a moment like this?

BUSTER POSEY: Yeah, I mean, he's got three pitches that are elite, and so it's definitely a luxury on my end to kind of pick and choose depending upon the game and the lineup that we have and the action that I'm seeing on his pitches to which one we want to lean on more.

Sometimes it's going to be more of an even mix and today we saw the changeup was used more. But he's got the ability to get guys out in a lot of different ways and it's a recipe for success. That's for sure.

Q. Buster, not asking you to compare, but this franchise has had a lot of great pitching performances in the last five, seven years, and you caught a lot of them. In your mind, do you flash to some of those or do you think Logan was comparable to some of those?

BUSTER POSEY: Yeah, I actually thought it was, it felt a little bit like Lincecum's against the Braves in 2010. I think Timmy ended up nine shut on that, but I think Logan had the potential to do that tonight if he stays out there.

But, yeah, it was a great performance, as he mentioned. I think what's impressive to me is him being able to control the extra energy and nerves, not only in this game, but the last game of the season, and has really taken it up a notch.

Q. Buster, were your kids here tonight and have you been able to see them yet and are they now, the older two at least, old enough to kind of understand to like really enjoy what's happening here?

BUSTER POSEY: Yeah. Yeah, they're able to enjoy it. I have not seen them yet. Yeah, they enjoy it. I mean, I'm still just boring dad to them, but they enjoy it.

Q. Does it mean more to you to be doing -- the last postseasons they were so much younger. Does it mean more to you to do it now that they can kind of like be really be proud of you?

BUSTER POSEY: I don't know. I mean, again, I think they see me as, they're not, I think they're proud of me because they know that I care about them and their mom, not necessarily what I do on the baseball field.

Q. Logan, you had a quite a few balls hit to you today that you had to kind of work through, but the one that hit you on the heel and allowed you, and you picked it up and threw it to first allowed you to get out of the first inning. Just how valuable was that to get out of that inning unscathed and kind of allow you to settle in and set the tone for the rest of your evening?

LOGAN WEBB: I think that was huge. The first thing I did is I asked Craw and Tommy if anyone was going to get it, and they were like, no, so luckily it hit my shoe.

But, yeah, it was definitely huge. I think that type of lineup, to put up a zero in the first is very important.

Q. Logan, how did your mindset change when you realized that you could use their aggressiveness against them and maybe you didn't necessarily have to throw strikes to get outs?

LOGAN WEBB: I mean, I feel like the game plan really never changed. It's just attack the guys. They don't chase. It's just like us, we don't chase, very similar. When you attack early I feel like you start to get more chase at the end, and kind of just how the game went today.

And I think, we talked about it a little bit, but we'll get those guys to kind of be swinging early by attacking the zone and, yeah, thankfully, it worked out.

Q. Logan, you have seen Crawford make a lot of really great plays behind you all year. How would you describe the double play with La Stella and Crawford?

LOGAN WEBB: That was pretty sick. That was awesome. I was screaming and yelling, I think everyone was screaming and yelling, but it's a special play.

Q. Buster, at what point in the game did you realize that the slider and the changeup combo was basically the way to keep them off balance the rest of the game and could you sense their frustration at the plate?

BUSTER POSEY: I don't know, I mean, I think you're constantly aware that you may need to adjust one way or another, you're just kind of reading swings, kind of feeling the rhythm and the pace of the game. And, yeah, as I think Logan's mentioned, the game a lot of times will dictate how you, what pitches you're going to throw and, yeah, so tonight was just an example of that.

Q. Logan, before tonight when was the last postseason game or tournament game you were involved in, minor leagues, high school football quarterback?

LOGAN WEBB: What was that?

Q. The last postseason or like playoff or tournament game you were involved in before tonight.

LOGAN WEBB: 2015 in short season, Salem.

Q. Were there any, I mean, obviously it's a bigger stage here, were there any emotions at all you drew on or that even seemed familiar from then going into tonight?

LOGAN WEBB: It was a lot different, for sure (laughing) it was a little bit different. But, yeah, that was a long time ago.

Q. Buster, you mentioned butterflies being a good thing to heighten focus. We've heard Gabe talk about that the last few days, adrenaline, nerves. Dave Roberts said, as a player, that Gabe would take his gum level up a notch, chomping more gum. And I saw a little bit of that, bubbles and a lot of gum. What would you say about how Gabe deals with nerves and butterflies?

BUSTER POSEY: Yeah, I mean, I think he's pretty level from what we can tell. I think it's been a big strength of his all year is staying level and I think guys have fed off of that.

Q. Logan, this may be a little awkward because he's sitting right next to you, but what does Buster Posey mean to you as a teammate and person?

BUSTER POSEY: You better have a good answer. (Laughing).

LOGAN WEBB: Well, he's a special person, not just on the field, but off the field as well. For on the field it's, it gives you confidence when you got someone like him back there and just, I don't know how many times I shook today, but it's, when he puts a sign down sometimes he gives it with a little extra too, like, let's throw this pitch, and I'll say, All right, let's go. It just gives you more confidence. And being able to talk to him off the field as well, just about life and everything, like I'm very lucky, for sure.

Q. You did have a lot of balls come back to you, you had the one in the fourth inning. Kapler mentioned that, yeah, you had the bobble with it and maybe in the past that might have been something that got to you a little bit, but this time he could see that you put it past you. Did you feel like, hey, this is something I got to get past, it's no big deal. Was that something that tangibly went through your mind?

LOGAN WEBB: I don't know, I was still pretty pissed. I don't know if you saw the video, I might have said something to myself. Yeah, I don't know if it's something that's changed, I just feel like it's become more comfortable as I've thrown more innings, so -- I was still pretty mad, for sure.

Q. Logan, how special was it, you closed out the season, Game 162 I think you said was the best day of your life and you were able to win this game, two wins in less than a week. How special is it to have those kinds of games?

LOGAN WEBB: It's really cool. I feel like I keep saying this, but like you kind of dream of these moments growing up as a player and just to be able to be a part of it and do it is something that's special, for sure.

Q. Logan, your release points in August, September, now October, are some of the lowest of your career. Is that conscious or is it just the pitches are feeling good and that's how they're coming out?

LOGAN WEBB: I couldn't tell you that.