AL DIVISION SERIES: ROYALS VS YANKEES

October 9, 2024

Bobby Witt

Kauffman Stadium

Kansas City Royals

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Has your dad given you any advice on being in the playoffs?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, really the biggest thing is just enjoy the moment. That's what he said. Because you really don't know how many times you get this opportunity here. Really just take it all in and take it one pitch at a time.

Q. You've had four road games now. What are you expecting from tonight, and how do you control your emotions in that sense?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Electricity for sure. It's going to be awesome. These are the moments you dream of. You work as a kid, you want to play in these games, you want to be in these games, especially here in Kansas City just because of how great the fans are, how they show out each and every night, so it's going to be a lot of fun.

Q. If I could take you back to Spring Training, what led you to believe that this team could get to this point?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, I think it started almost before Spring Training just with the moves that we made. It was amazing moves, the players that we have now. And when everyone came into Spring Training, it just felt like that team was special, just the camaraderie that we had. It was just really -- you just kind of felt it and just knew it was a special team and how we bonded so well. And it started from opening day to now here we are today.

Q. In Baltimore you told us you took a moment to take everything in and that was awesome. What do you think that moment is going to be like here in a few hours?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, it's going to be incredible. It's going to be amazing. Like I said, these are the moments you dream of, so you've just got to take it all in, enjoy every moment, and just make it last.

Q. J.J. has talked a lot about kind of meeting with you at the end of last season, kind of talking about the future. I'm curious how you remember that conversation going and if you remember what you told him.

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, the ultimate goal in those conversations, we wanted to win, and we want to do it this year. The conversations went well, so here we are today. It was just one of those things where it was just him coming to me, asking me questions about what's the next step, and the next step was just to win because we knew how close we were last year. Even though we lost 100-plus games, but we just knew the team we had and just add a couple key additions and we were going to be right here where we are today.

Q. I know things haven't gone personally as well for you in the first two games in New York. You're all about winning, but have you gone back and looked? What have you found that maybe you weren't doing right in New York that needs to change for you here in these next few games?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, just slow down the game. Nothing really needs to change too much. If I go back to Spring Training and say I'm over 10. But with the series 1-1 with the New York Yankees, I'd take that 100 time out of 100. So just got to takes things one pitch at a time and not worry about results, just worry about taking it one pitch at a time, one at-bat at a time and try to get another win.

Q. Do you go back and study video? What do you do to get right?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, those past two games you flush it and you move on. And now today I do my normal routine I've always done. Don't try to change anything really because we've played so many games. And I just go about it my normal way.

Q. When you're going through something like this, is it helpful to have other guys in the lineup pick you up?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, there's why there's nine guys in the lineup. You can't all put it on one person, so you go about it just as a team. That's how great this team is. We always keep the line moving, and sometimes it's someone else, sometimes it's someone else. Just got to take things one pitch at a time, one step at a time. And that's why this team is so special, because it's not just always one person, it's the whole team.

Q. Michael Massey told me after the first win in Baltimore how a win like that can really bring the team together. What differences have you noticed in the clubhouse over the Baltimore series and this one? Anything different with you guys in the clubhouse?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Honestly, not really. We've been the same clubhouse pretty much since we started the season. We're enjoying our time, we're enjoying the wins, we're learning, we're improving, trying to get better each and every day. And that's how we go about our business is just -- yeah, some things -- we've got to celebrate the wins when we can, but also when that's over, flush it, move on, and get ready for the next day.

Q. One of those acquisitions was Seth Lugo. I'm wondering -- he's a guy who wanted to be a starting pitcher for a long time. What do you think makes him a good starting pitcher, demeanor-wise, stuff-wise? Why has he had so much success this year?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, I think the work he puts in before the game, the preparation he has and how he attacks hitters with all 27 pitches he has. But yeah, just great to see him do what he does. I call him the surgeon because he's attacking, dicing up hitters. So it's a lot of fun to see and play defense behind him and how consistent he's been throughout the whole entire year. Each and every start you know you're going to get out of him. It's just been a lot of fun.

Q. What did Salvador Perez tell you about home games at the K during the postseason?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: When you ask him about it, he just smiles so that's when you know it's something special. It's how great the fans are here, and like I've said in the past, I've heard it over across the street, now we're going to hear it tonight, so now I'm really excited.

Q. Garrett Hampson, Maikel Garcia, they come through in the clutch. What have you seen from them?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, it's been unbelievable. Those two guys, they've been put on the big stage and they're performing, so that's what makes this team so special. Like I said, it's just those two guys, the work they put in and just waiting for their time to come, and here it is, and it's been awesome.

Q. (Indiscernible)

BOBBY WITT, JR.: I don't really remember. It was early in the year just because that's when he started doing what he's been doing his career.

Q. Do you remember watching him or how did you --

BOBBY WITT, JR.: It kind of just came -- I think someone said it and then I heard it, and I was like, all right, I'm going to say it, so then I said it.

Q. You've had a couple moments taking the air out of the stadium in Camden Yards with a game-winning RBI a couple times, a double play on Stanton late on Monday. Is that as satisfying to take the air out of a stadium as it is to hit one out here and electrify the home fans? How does that compare and contrast?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, I haven't really done that here yet really within this type of stage. But anytime you're able to help the team in any shape or form, it's always special, and anytime you can quiet the opposing crowd, it's pretty good.

Q. You mentioned across the street. I'm just wondering, you always talk about how great it is to win in towns, big cities like LA and New York. What have the Chiefs told you about what it's like to win here? Has Mahomes told you anything about the postseason success, and any relationship you have with him?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, just seeing the videos in 2014 and 2015, just how the fans are and how they're always in tune, they're always cheering for the team they love. This team, this city is a sports town, just from all the sports and what all they're doing, and it's really special to see how well they support their teams, and that's why I love it here.

Q. Have you talked to Pat the last couple days?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Before the playoffs started we texted a little bit.

Q. What was his message?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Just kind of just keep working. It's going to be a lot of fun. You've got to go and enjoy this, enjoy this time.

Q. You guys were gone for so long. When you got back, you've only been back for a day. Do you feel something different with the playoff fever around town?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, I guess so. I haven't really been out and about. But yeah, you can definitely just tell the buzz just on social media and you can just feel it coming to the stadium yesterday and looking around and you can definitely tell the buzz is coming. Even seeing videos at the Chiefs game them just cheering "Let's Go, Royals" is pretty special.

Q. You've put up some good numbers this year. What is it about Kauffman Stadium do you think that suits you where the splits are a little bit better here than on the road?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: Yeah, I feel like anytime you go to your house at home, you go wherever, you're pretty comfortable. So I just think this is my home so I'm really comfortable playing here. I've got a good routine and just being able to play in front of the fans is what I love to do.

Q. Do you see the ball better here? Is there anything about just seeing the ball when you're hitting?

BOBBY WITT, JR.: I just think having a good routine and just comfortable playing at Kauffman Stadium.