NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 10, 2022

Travis D'arnaud

Dansby Swanson

Truist Park

Atlanta Braves

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Wondered if you all saw what the Phillies did and what you thought of them as you've played them a lot of times?

DANSBY SWANSON: Obviously, I mean, they've been a really good team this entire season. Feel like over the last couple of months they've been playing really good baseball along with us.

They always pitch well. I feel like they've gotten better defensively. And we obviously know that they're going to put up competitive at-bats. And definitely a really good ballclub.

Anybody at this point in the year is going to be a dangerous team. And they've been playing well.

Q. You played a lot of baseball over the last couple of seasons or so. Obviously you were all gassed in the last four months of this season. How are you mentally prepared after playing so much baseball but knowing what still lies ahead for you guys?

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: Just remembering what our goal was when the year started. We did check off winning the East, but anything can happen in the playoffs and we know that. We kind of learned that last year.

So we've just got to keep taking it day-by-day, pitch by pitch. And go out there, and what we've been trying to do is just win the series and that's really all we can control.

Q. What were the last couple of days like as far as like were you able to mentally kind of check out? And was it helpful? Will you figure it out as you get on the field today and tomorrow?

DANSBY SWANSON: I think it was good for a day or two to, like I said, just kind of rest and just kind of rejuvenate. The last couple of days I feel like we've ramped up really well because we know that we can't have a lull coming in to, coming after this kind of break. Really have to get dialed in mentally and physically.

Your body is a funny thing. When your mind starts to wander off, the body starts to feel worse. So I feel like we've done a good job of getting everything back in sync the past couple of days and challenging ourselves as we move forward.

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: That was perfect. (Laughter).

DANSBY SWANSON: Thanks.

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: That's perfect. (Laughter).

DANSBY SWANSON: This coffee. (Laughter).

Q. Either or both of you, you've been in the postseason several times now. Have you gotten any better for having a sense for what is going to happen when the postseason starts, with your own teams, specifically?

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: I mean, anything can happen in the postseason. I think that's the biggest thing that we've learned. The lights can get brighter at this time of the year. But we just try to focus on what we've done every series throughout the year and that is take it pitch by pitch, not look too far ahead, not look too far back, focus on the moment as much as you can, and just try to win. That's all that matters at this time of the year.

It doesn't matter if you go 0-for-4 with four strikeouts or 4-for-4 with four home runs. Winning is the most important thing. That's what we've learned and that's what we're focused on.

DANSBY SWANSON: I feel like you can't get too high or too low. You can't ride waves. You've just got to go continue to compete. I feel we've done a really good job of that, especially feel like this year in the regular season more than in years past of just winning at all costs.

Like we want to go out there and win. We want to put our best foot forward each and every day. It could be one guy one night and another guy the other night and that's what the team is for. And this year I feel like we've definitely exemplified that the most.

Q. Knowing that Game 1 is always the most important to get ahead and knowing that the Phillies have been hitting well as of late, what does it do for your confidence knowing that you guys are throwing Max?

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: Max has been a tremendous pitcher throughout his whole career here -- throughout his whole career here. And there's nobody else we'd rather have on the mound. When big games happen, he seems to step up and lock it in even more.

I think we have all the confidence in the world in Max, and we're all feeling really good with him out there on the mound at any given point.

Q. Knowing that in the World Series first game he nearly broke his ankle last year, what would you say about his warrior mentality when he's on the mound and being able to do the job whenever he's out there?

DANSBY SWANSON: That's just Max. He's said this so many times. He's like the nicest guy in the world, the most caring guy in the world. But when he gets on the mound, he's just different.

He's got that competitive bone. He's got that drive to win. And it's definitely something that we love playing behind. And he's obviously been good for us in a lot of big moments. And we're looking for that trend to continue.

Q. Travis, what's Max like on game day? And how do you think the prep is going to be for a team that you've seen so frequently? Does it change at all for you guys just because there's a lot more muscle memory to seeing these guys very frequently?

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: On game days, he's pretty locked in from when he shows up. I think what makes him special is the days before, with the work he does preparing for who he's going to face.

We face these guys a lot, obviously. They're a tremendous offensive team. But Max does his homework. We all do our homework. We're going to know every little situation that happened, everything that happened throughout not only this yearly, last year, whatever.

But at the same time you can't look too far ahead and assume that those pitches are going to work. You've got to kind of take it pitch by pitch and just go from there. But on game day, Max is locked in from the moment he steps out of his car until basically he's done.

Even in-game conversations are super deep, just try to talk about every little situation, or if certain things happen, where do we go from there. But he's fun to work with. And we're thankful that he's our ace and he's our game 1 guy.

Q. What have your conversations been like with Strider lately? He hasn't pitched in a while and hopefully he'll be on the roster. How do you think he'll do coming out of the bullpen and what you've seen at the beginning of the season. Seems like a guy very fit in the playoffs too if needed.

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: The conversations we've had are more joking around and making fun of him actually quite a bit.

He likes to joke around and have fun, though. He'll make fun of us as much as we make fun of him. He's good in the clubhouse.

But as far as, if he's in the bullpen or if he's starting, he's a weapon regardless. He's not scared of anybody. He believes in himself, which I think is the most important thing. And obviously, as we've all seen he's succeeded in both roles. Just to have him out there is big for us and would be tremendous.

Q. You guys are both obviously in different contract situations. What has it been like to see the team extend so many young players? And what does it tell you about them and tell you about what could come in the future inside that clubhouse?

DANSBY SWANSON: I mean, this place has obviously been blessed with a lot of great young players. They've done such a great job of being able to keep those group of guys around one another. I feel like there's such a bigger vision for this place in mind.

And they've obviously done a good job of being able to piece together players from different backgrounds, from different ages that all have basically come together and bought into what we have created here.

And you give Alex a lot of credit for being able to recognize talent, for being able to kind of push the right buttons. And so far he has.

Q. Matt Olson went through his lull there obviously in September, ended really strong, getting the last NL Player of the Week. How crucial is it for the offense the way he closed out the regular season?

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: I think something that wasn't seen necessarily was when he was going through that lull he was the same person every day. Treated us all the same. And laughed around, joked around. Still made fun of everybody, even though in his mind he wasn't playing good baseball.

But he was still playing great defensively for us which is vital for us, especially at first base. And for him to get it going there towards the end was huge for us, especially with the home runs he had against the Mets. The great last game he had even in Miami.

It was huge for us. And he's such a big part of this team. So we're happy it ended strong. And based off what I've seen the last few days in practice, he's looking good and he's definitely ready to play.

Q. If Ozzie is not able to go in the DS, what can you guys say about the job if it is Orlando out there? Maybe we see Vaughn at times. But with what those guys have done this year, Dansby, getting to play with them out on the infield, what can you say about the job they've done?

DANSBY SWANSON: Orlando is a true pro. I don't know if anyone kind of realizes that. But day in, day out, whether his number's called or not, he's the same guy. He loves to enjoy himself. Like you can tell he thoroughly enjoys his teammates and being here.

And when his number's called, he goes up there, puts up great at-bats. I feel if he hadn't played in two weeks he comes in, plays, he's going to get three hits regardless.

He obviously has always played great defense. And definitely somebody that you can count on in big situations.

And obviously the same with Vaughn. He came up and kind of gave us a spark when we needed it and was able to sustain that for a little bit.

As of late, Orlando's been in there and playing been great ball for us. Like you said, you can just -- you know what to expect out of O, and he's done such a great job for us over the last couple of months, and even initially filling in for Ozzie. And then as of late, the last couple of weeks, he's really stepped his game up, and definitely someone that I enjoy turning double plays with.

Q. Five straight years as divisional winners, how much value do you put in experience in the playoffs? You personally, Dansby, the term "sheriff" has been thrown around. Do you take pride in that or is that something you value?

DANSBY SWANSON: I'll let Travis speak on that part because I don't -- the young kids, they just started calling me sheriff for whatever reason. They act like I run this, like, strict, tight ship, which is just like not the case. I'm like the biggest lover on the team, I think.

But no, I do get on them occasionally because they're young and stupid. (Laughter).

But I think experience in the playoffs is huge. The only way you can get it is to go through it, like you said. This is the fifth year of us doing this. You start to understand how to slow down certain moments. You start to understand what it's going to take in certain moments to be successful.

And as much as you hear people talk about it, as much as you may watch playoff baseball, like the only way to gain that kind of experience is to go through it. And I'm very thankful and appreciative that we have been able to go through it and been able to kind of climb the ladder each year for getting beat in the DS to getting beat in the CS, to then winning a World Series.

And like Travis said, we're excited to be able to continue this run and take it day-by-day and really embrace each and every moment because we've been spoiled here making the playoffs. But talking to Travis a lot, this isn't commonplace, what we've been able to accomplish. We don't take it lightly or for granted.

But the sheriff part...

TRAVIS D'ARNAUD: I would say young guys need some guidance, regardless if you are a position player like Vaughn or Mike or a pitcher like Strider.

They've all gone to Dansby with everything, any question about the game. And he's given them honest answers. Maybe they think it's like a sheriff to get an honest answer instead of beating around the bush.

But Dansby is a born leader. Even I have questions for him still, and I think I have more time than him and I still ask him questions about every little thing. People might hear sheriff, but I hear natural leader.

Q. Dansby, who was your sheriff? And what was the biggest lesson you took from him or her?

DANSBY SWANSON: My dad. My dad and Coach Corbin. I feel like my parents raised me, what I would consider, the right way. Just taught me a lot about hard work and respect.

And I feel like Coach Corbin, when I got to Vanderbilt, really bolded -- took what my parents did and just kind of molded it down to, like, what actual leadership looks like and the act of servant leadership and how to serve other people and how to kind of lift from the bottom as opposed to pull from the top.

And so I give all the credit in the world to Coach Corbin for believing in me when nobody else did. And just thankful for those lessons.

And obviously thankful for my parents for always being hard on me and demanding a lot out of me and understanding now as I've gotten older about like being a parent instead of just being my friend. Like they taught me every step of the way. And I couldn't be more grateful for that.