AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RANGERS VS ASTROS

October 21, 2023

Framber Valdez

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Tomorrow there could be a lot of just emotions from both teams given what happened in game 5. How important will it be for you to control your emotions and do your breathing and kind of stay within yourself?

FRAMBER VALDEZ: I think our team is built to be able to handle those type of emotions. I think they'll be able to calm down, play the game that we know how to play, feel no pressure because of that. And I think everybody will be able to calm down. Try not to play with too much adrenaline. Just play the normal baseball that we play.

Q. (Off microphone.)

FRAMBER VALDEZ: I think for me I'm just going to try to do what I did in the regular season, just try to throw strikes, try to attack the strike zone and get outs. And like you said, just try to control my emotions. I think I'll be able to do that, try not to play with too much pressure or anything like that. I have to admit there will be emotions, but it's my job to be really calm.

Q. (Off microphone.)

FRAMBER VALDEZ: No, you know, I think when you try to go up there and you're trying to be way too cautious is when things go wrong. My job is to go out there, get on the mound, attack the strike zone, throw strikes, throw the ball how I know I can throw it. If I let go of the ball obviously you can't control the results, things happen from there. But knowing what happened yesterday and everything like that, just try to hit the strike zone, have fun and try to do everything by the book, try to do things the right way.

Q. I know you really like the navy blue jerseys. After you guys went 3-0 in the orange ones, would you like the team to wear those tomorrow night?

FRAMBER VALDEZ: No, you know, I think some people try to use the jersey as a crutch. Oh, the team played well in. Because really I think about it when you do wear that jersey, you had that one thing and things don't go the way you want, then what? It doesn't matter to me what jersey we use, whether it's the navy, the white, the orange, just go out and compete.

Q. I believe that Dusty mentioned that you're not -- you're just not locating pitches. Do you believe that that is mechanical or feel? We've seen you in the outfield working on some things with some of the coaches in the past couple of days?

FRAMBER VALDEZ: I think so feel. As soon as you throw a pitch and it might go the way you want. But you didn't like the way you finished that for that specific pitch. And as a human sometimes I just give it too much thought. Start thinking about it and then get out of my game. I just need to focus. I think we're in a really good spot right now and just go out there.

Q. How do you feel about the opportunity you have to go out there, pitch well for your team with a chance to go to the World Series again?

FRAMBER VALDEZ: It feels good. It feels good and I think that's the thing my team, despite the two bad outings I had before this. It can happen to anyone.

But it feels good that I do have the opportunity to go out there to show that I can do what I've been doing and hopefully with God and the hard work, I should be able to get there.

Q. How much does your postseason experience matter to you when you're starting a game of this magnitude?

FRAMBER VALDEZ: A lot. It is a lot. And it just helps with all repetitions, just being able to go through it and having done it in the past. This is not my first or second postseason, so that just helps me stay calm, and God willing with the hard work with the guys and myself, hopefully we'll be able to get the win tomorrow.