MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

October 29, 2022

Héctor Neris

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Pregame 2 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with questions for Héctor.

Q. How would you describe your experience of playing for Dusty Baker and how much did you know beforehand of what type of manager he was before you signed here?

HÉCTOR NERIS: When I signed here he's my favorite manager in baseball and my whole career. When he went to be the manager for the Nationals I saw him all the time and I say to myself, If I be able to get out of Philadelphia, he's one of the guys that I would want to be a part of the clubhouse. And God and the team gave me the opportunity to be part in that with him. As far as for my experience, for my career, getting this is very important, to come to him and be close to him, how funny he is, how positive he is. He come every day to win. He give you the opportunity to prove yourself and come and help the team and do what you can do for help the team and yourself.

Q. How crazy is this playing the Phillies?

HÉCTOR NERIS: It's fun. It's something, like my emotions, all the Phillies tell me like everything can happen in this world, you know? I spent 12 years for this team, my whole career. I grow up on this team. And then my first year be in a different uniform and come to think about the World Series with the team I was supposed to face, this team, you know it's fun for me and pushes me forward to be good and do what I can do.

Q. How much pride do you take in how well the bullpen overall has performed all season and also in the playoffs?

HÉCTOR NERIS: This bullpen is part of the team making the whole year. This bullpen like supports the team in any situation. This bullpen is one of the awesome Dusty have, and the more stronger I think in the big leagues right now. And to be part of this bullpen is unbelievable. It's great because when you are looking around and you know what we have with everybody, the staff we have, can support the game in any situation. Anybody can come into any situation, making you feel a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more flexible, a little bit more, like have more idea.

I think I can say for myself and just you can see when everybody come, you enjoy what to do, like what you supposed to do, see like everybody strikeout, execute the pitch, have the talent to dominate, to concentrate. It's great.

Q. You've pitched in so many high-pressure situations, specifically in these playoffs, the bases loaded situation last night, the one in the ALDS, the game in Seattle. Like just as a whole, how do you manage to focus in those moments and how have you felt experiencing that for the first time?

HÉCTOR NERIS: I know it's part of my job. I know it's part of this game. I pitched before and pitched in higher level situations and situations like that. And I want to be on the team and come here. I prepare my mind to be focused to get any situation in the game. And I know like if he call me, I want to be like focused a hundred percent and get ready, give everything I have. Just believe in what I can do and don't think about anything that I don't have control. Just be focused, attack the hitter, try to get an out.

Q. Where did you learn the splitter and what does that pitch do for you?

HÉCTOR NERIS: It's my pitch for my whole life. When I signed to Philadelphia, it's part of my stuff, but when I play in Dominican summer league the pitching coach, like they don't want me to throw that pitch, and I don't throw it, and they have their reason. They take me out with a couple, like maybe two years. I'm throwing '11 and '12.

But in 2013, I understand I need to take back my pitch because it's a pitch that can help me to be dominant, for be like a different, like can use anything.

And after that year, I come and Dave Lundquist, the pitching coach over there, helped me out about this pitch, about have the experience about everything. I would say that year I started working with that pitch and making it better and better every year, and this pitch is everything for me, for my job, for my stuff. This pitch is making the difference in what I am.

Q. How much communication did you have with guys, your friends from the Phillies, like Seranthony, leading up to this series the past couple weeks, and has the communication, I guess, like stopped? Because I know you guys keep in touch a lot during this time period where like, all right, game mode. What's the communication been like with some of those guys?

HÉCTOR NERIS: They never stop to talk, have the communication with these guys because I spent like 12 years with these guys. I know like all the whole guys there. I know this clubhouse and these are great guys, great kids.

Seranthony grew up like close to me. Because when he signed with Philly I be in the Dominican. And it's also see him like how we be right now, and Suárez, this group, those couple guys, they like still talk to me. They call me when they need something, when they need talk to me, when they be like have a fun conversation about a joke or anything. They never stop this. Because this happened, it's not supposed to stop this, you know.