MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

October 27, 2022

Rob Thomson

Minute Maid Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Workout Day Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Rob Thomson.

Q. Can you tell me, I know it doesn't mean anything in the stats, what it means to be the first Canadian to manage a World Series team?

ROB THOMSON: I don't know. I mean, it's great. I'm a proud Canadian and I love my country. I love what we stand for. But to tell you the truth I'm just happy to be managing a team in the World Series.

Q. And are you aware that people are following this story a bit more than they otherwise would because you're the manager?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I've heard. I've heard from a lot of people back home that everybody's behind us, it's a big story, and that's great. But it is what it is.

Q. When you face a pitching staff like this, pretty much all of their staff, and a staff that really didn't give up home runs, do you change approach at all or do you have the ability to change approach when you're facing this kind of pitching?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I think hitters are hitters. I think we'll know their stuff. We know some of their tendencies, what they like to do, and we'll try to attack it as best we can.

But I don't think Kyle Schwarber is going to try and get base hits or bunt -- you know, he's not really going to try to change all that much. I think we just have to attack their weaknesses, whatever they are, and stay with our strengths and just put good at-bats together.

Q. Aaron was just in here and he said after you guys clinched Game 5, you were on the field, you gave him a hug and said, You're starting Game 1. I'm wondering why you chose that moment on the field to tell him immediately he was starting Game 1?

ROB THOMSON: I was probably pretty excited. But, no, you know, Caleb and Kap and Lundy and I have been kind of mapping things out as we've gone along and we knew that if we had won that night, we wanted Wheels to get an extra day, so obviously it's Aaron's spot to start. And I don't know why, I just wanted to let him know right then.

Q. And he's maybe more laid back than you are. How did he respond to that?

ROB THOMSON: Just smiled. Said, you know, Awesome or Great, you know? But he was happy.

Q. You and Dusty Baker, baseball lifers. What's your relationship with him, if any, and your respect level for him?

ROB THOMSON: Respect level is through the roof. This guy's done -- I'm kind of awkward. You're putting me in the same baseball lifer category as Dusty because he's done a lot more than I have, obviously. He's played for a long time and managed for a long time, been a great manager, 2,000 wins.

So yeah, not just that, but the man that he is, or the man that I've heard he is because I really don't know him all that well. I've spoken with him on the phone a couple times. But I just have the utmost respect for him.

Q. Talking about having respect for Dusty, is any of that, his managerial career, intimidating to you?

ROB THOMSON: No. I'm respectful of it, but I don't think I'm necessarily intimidated by it.

Q. What can you learn from his managing style, if anything?

ROB THOMSON: I think just his, he's very calm, poised all the time. I don't know what's going on inside of him, but outwardly he's very calm, very poised, and I like that about him.

Q. What's the message you're giving to the guys about -- I mean, this seems to be a loose group of guys. What's the message going in to not lose the moment but still have that urgency? It's a fine line with these guys, I would assume?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, it's, stay loose. Really, that's what it gets down to. It is the World Series. It's a big stage. But they have been loose the entire time through this whole process. They haven't got caught up in the moment, they have stayed in the moment, and they just got to carry on the same way and just go out, put your game on autopilot, and just go play.

Q. Thinking back a long time ago, did the Rob Thomson in Gastonia or Bristol ever envision a World Series?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I don't, I don't, maybe in my dreams, but not realistically.

Q. What are the one or two or three points of baseball knowledge biggest that you've picked up over the years in the game?

ROB THOMSON: I think maybe it doesn't have to do too much with baseball, it's just life, but I treat people with respect and I treat everybody equally, whether you're a rookie or a 20-year veteran. I think people respect that.

I don't know. I think there's so many things I've learned over the course of the year I don't think I can put, pinpoint one or two things that are most important. But I think just the respect factor that I have for the players and how I treat them has been the most important thing and probably the best thing that I do.

Q. I'm curious about how it's felt to watch Rhys over the last month or so, just those years of ups and downs finally all these big moments one after the other.

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, really happy for him because there have been some moments where he's made a critical error or struck out in a big spot. But this guy is a, he's ferocious, he's a competitor, and he comes to play every day. It doesn't matter what he did yesterday. He's got a short memory. I'm so happy for him because he does so much in the Philadelphia community to help people. He's such a good person that whenever he does something right or good, I cheer louder than I cheer for most guys.

Q. Pretty much whenever anybody describes you the words even-keeled come after that. And you hear that from players, about players. It feels like most of 'em say you got to stay even-keeled. Is that easy or hard to do in baseball? Do you sort of get used to it because playing 162 you can't? Most people are emotional when you win or lose. But feels like most guys like yourself are even. How does that work?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I think earlier in my career I was not as even-keeled as I am now. It's just you kind of learn these moments and know that you can't control things and so why worry about certain things. I think just the experience of going through all these different moments throughout 30-some-year career just kind of teaches you to be even-keeled.

Q. You've obviously seen a ton of Justin Verlander in big moments, dating back to when you were in New York. What's made him so dominant for such a long period?

ROB THOMSON: He's had an unbelievable career. To do what he's doing at his age and how many seasons he's had, how many games he's pitched, it's incredible. He must stay in tremendous shape.

It's the big fastball, it's the big curveball, it's the poise he has on the mound and the competitive nature that he has that has kept him going. I know he's on the other club, but I have a ton of respect for just what he's done in his career.