NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PHILLIES VS PADRES

October 21, 2022

Rob Thomson

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Particularly with you as a former Minor League catcher, what do you see -- with J.T. Realmuto, two different parts. What stands out in your mind with him, both from a technical catching standpoint and from a pitching staff leadership standpoint?

ROB THOMSON: So J.T. is -- I mean, I've been around Posada, Russell Martin, Pudge Rodriguez. At the Yankees, we had a lot of really good catchers. He is probably more athletic than anybody I've been around. Strong, tough, physical, you can't tire him out.

So being that athletic, he moves very well. He can move his feet, great arm strength, great release, as good as any catcher I've been around physically.

From game management, from the moment he gets to the ballpark, he's looking at how we're going to attack with our starter tonight. Really cares about his pitching staff and the guys that he's got to catch and really cares about calling a good game and putting the right fingers down, or touching the right buttons now.

So, yeah, he's really something, and I don't know where we'd be without him, to tell you the truth.

Q. How much of your in-game bullpen decisions have to be about winning that day's game without thinking about five games in five days? Is that going to have to enter into your decision-making process at all?

ROB THOMSON: Not so much tonight. Not so much tonight. But once we get into this five-game stretch, it's going to play into it. But tonight we're -- I mean, everybody's available, and we'll use them like we normally would.

Q. Your late-game defensive maneuvers have been different at different times. Sometimes you'll go for a guy, sometimes you won't. What factors into those decisions whether or not you want to make those moves?

ROB THOMSON: How close the game is, what inning we're in, and where their at-bat is coming.

Q. You've had a couple of your coaches now mentioned in rumors for managerial jobs. What have Kevin Long and Dusty Wathan meant to you as you've transitioned from bench coach to manager?

ROB THOMSON: Really the entire staff means so much to me because they're all so good. I'd put our staff up against anybody's. I lean on Dusty a lot because he's managed so many games in the Minor Leagues. He understands the game so well. As I said before, I think this guy should have been managing years ago in the Big Leagues.

As far as Kevin is concerned, Kevin and I have a longtime relationship, and he just -- he's so good for me because he keeps me grounded, he keeps me balanced. And he's got so much energy that when the players come to the cage, if they're tired, by the time they leave the cage, they're full of energy and they're ready to go.

So getting those guys prepared in that way, he's a genius at it.

Q. Given the dust-up in New York regarding Musgrove 12 days ago or so, does that going into the start pique your curiosity, change the way you prepare in terms of scouting and looking at what's happening with him, and then, third, change the way you watch the game as he's going through it?

ROB THOMSON: No, I don't think so. I think we'll just play the game like we normally would. Now, that doesn't say that -- that doesn't mean that if -- if I think a guy's cheating out there, I'm going to call him on it. I'm not saying that. I'm not going to call him on it to -- for head games or anything like that. That's not something I'd do. I'm sure Buck didn't do that either.

I think we just play the game the way it's normally played. We'll watch and see. If we think the guy's cheating intentionally, we'll call him on it.

Q. For tomorrow's starting pitcher, will who you have to use tonight figure into that decision?

ROB THOMSON: Yes.

Q. So guys that are under consideration for tomorrow would be employed tonight? You're not holding people back?

ROB THOMSON: No. Everybody's on board tonight, and we'll figure it out offer the game.

Q. How much will matchups early in the game dictate?

ROB THOMSON: I'll let you know when that happens.

(Laughter).

I'm really not sure. It all depends. If we get into an extra-inning game, we have to use all those long guys. I mean, we have to, you know, if there's no pitching left. And then we've got to figure it out tomorrow.

Q. I know you guys plan out pitching like days in advance. You're looking -- you're probably already looking at Game 6, how it might play out. Do you see a scenario where you'd have a reliever go four days in a row, five days in a row?

ROB THOMSON: I can't see that.

Q. Four days in a row too?

ROB THOMSON: I can't see four in a row. None of these guys have gone three in a row. At that point, you're putting a guy's career in jeopardy.

Now, if a guy goes in and gets a hitter today, a hitter tomorrow, an inning the next day, and he comes in and goes, Thoms, I'm completely fine and -- it wouldn't be Seranthony because I wouldn't do that to Seranthony because of the injury history. But we'd maybe look at it. But I'm not going to put a guy's career in jeopardy.