NL DIVISION SERIES: METS VS PHILLIES

October 9, 2024

Carlos Mendoza

Citi Field

New York Mets

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Mets - 4, Phillies - 1

Q. Not that you would be surprised anymore about big moments by this team, but take me inside what you were experiencing when Lindor's ball goes over the wall.

CARLOS MENDOZA: I don't know how to describe it because there was a lot going through my mind, the feeling, the whole dugout, guys jumping up and down. And just because it was hard for us, you know? It was hard for us the whole year. And then today, perfect example, got runners on and we couldn't come up with a big hit until finally, who else? The MVP. I keep saying you could write a book. You could make a movie, because this is it right here.

And then the whole time the inning is unfolding, Lindor is going to do it again. There's no panic. The way he controls the emotions and he hits that ball. It's unbelievable.

Q. A celebration here lately seems to have a little bit different feel. I notice Lindor and Nimmo were a little choked up on the field. Seems like you're feeling it right now. Is this one more powerful than the others?

CARLOS MENDOZA: A hundred percent, because we're doing it here at home in front of our fan base. I think this is the first time we get to celebrate here and get to clinch. And they deserve this, man.

I keep saying that this is a first-class organization. We've got great people here. I'm proud of the fan base. I said in my speech there: Mets Nation, this is for you. And if we believe, then we'll continue to believe, because this is real.

Q. And finally, did you consider leaving Peterson out there in the ninth or was it always going to be Díaz?

CARLOS MENDOZA: It was always going to be Diaz. He's the best in the League. And once Petey got through the eighth, it was Díaz's game. I had no doubt. Even after the two walks, I knew he was going to get it done, and he did. Here we are celebrating.

Q. What was your emotions after the first two innings, leaving the bases loaded, was it frustration or did you just feel it's a matter of time we'll get runners on?

CARLOS MENDOZA: Yeah, I was excited. I was like, we're going to get to them at some point. And if we don't get to them, they're going to have to go to the bullpen. I was looking up and the pitch count was getting pretty high up there. I knew this is a pretty much do-or-die-game for them. I knew they were going to be aggressive with the bullpen.

So we just needed to keep it close from our end. Quintana did a hell of a job, and then the bullpen, Reed Garrett, Peterson kept us in the game. And we were one swing away. And today our MVP came through, again. Yeah.

Q. Rob before talking about his team had a few words about your team and he just made it clear they haven't given up all season. What makes this team so special where no matter what's thrown in front of them they just find a way with their back up against the wall to come through?

CARLOS MENDOZA: Speaking of that, hat off to the Phillies and Rob Thomson and the whole group there. Unbelievable year for them, winning the Division, that's a really good team that is coached really well and managed really well.

We've been through a lot, man. 0-5. What is it? I think I got it now because it keeps coming up, 11 games under .500. There was so much adversity and injuries. From the beginning nobody had us doing anything this year. This was supposed to be a transition year, and we kept believing. We knew we had really good players. We knew we had great people, and we just kept doing our thing.

Here we are. On to the next series, and continue taking it one day at a time.

Q. How about Quintana tonight?

CARLOS MENDOZA: Q, it's been hard for him. He's been through a lot of ups and downs, and he always finds a way to get the job done. We felt really good coming into this game because who he is, how much he prepares, how much he cares. And he went out there and did it and gave us a chance. I'm proud of him. Proud of him because he never gave up. Never put his head down. Kept working. He's been amazing for us the whole year.

Q. I was here, I saw you on a game where Quintana gave up I think seven runs in five innings against the Orioles. This was late August. You said he was going to go back and look at film and you had confidence in him. And from then on he had the lowest ERA in the League. What kind of adjustments did he make that you saw that helped him get to this point?

CARLOS MENDOZA: He stopped nibbling and he started attacking. He was in the zone, trusting his stuff. And he's going to pitch. He's going to move the ball around. He's going to go in and out, up and down, change heat and keep hitters off-balance, and he went and did it. He was just getting behind, walking a lot of people. He said, screw it, I'm going to go after people, and he just went with it and fixed it.

Q. We could see on the field that there now is crying in baseball. Can you talk about some of the emotions that the various players were going through on the field and now in the clubhouse.

CARLOS MENDOZA: Yeah, I mean, it's hard, man, because of what we've been through. We've been through a lot. And this is not it. We've got to continue to ride the wave. We've got to continue to believe. It was hard, and it's been hard. Nothing has been easy for us, nothing at all. And every team goes through it, every team is going to face adversity.

I've got to give credit to the players and the coaches and everybody in that building.

Q. What have you made of the atmosphere you've seen in the building the last couple of nights with the Mets fans? What does it mean to guarantee them now two more playoff games, at least, with another series coming up?

CARLOS MENDOZA: It means a lot. And they deserve this and more. They've been through a lot and they never gave up on us, even when it was hard. You mentioned the past couple of nights, but I'm going to go back to the last two months we felt it. We kept saying it: We need you guys to be right there with us, and that's what they did.

So they should be proud. They are a big part and a huge reason we are where we are, because of our fan base. They need to enjoy it. They need to celebrate because moments like this, this is history. And make sure you enjoy it.

Q. What can you say about David Peterson and what he's been able to do for you out of the bullpen?

CARLOS MENDOZA: I could sit here and start talking about pretty much 26, 28 guys that I've got on that roster. And Peterson, not only as a starter, he became a pretty solid starting pitcher for us for the last three months. And then once we clinched, he got the save in Milwaukee. And then coming out of the bullpen and getting huge out for us.

Today was a perfect example of it. Not easy to go through the lineup the way he did and handed the ball to Díaz, and here we are celebrating. I'm proud of him because he had to work really hard after the injury and getting surgery and we didn't know, he didn't know. And put himself in a really good position moving forward and now he's a big piece of what we're doing here.

Q. What do you think was the biggest difference in the series for you to move on and send the Phillies home?

CARLOS MENDOZA: We had really good at-bats. That's a really good pitching staff there. And we were able to not only control the strike zone but put the ball in play when we needed to. They execute some really good pitches, and we were able to somehow put the ball in play and make things happen.

Then defensively, we attack and then we expand, make them chase when we needed to. But when they were aggressive swing-wise, that's an aggressive team, and they're going to come at you hard in swinging. We didn't back down from it. Guys kept attacking, and I thought that was the key.