AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 13, 2024

Andrés Giménez

Brayan Rocchio

Yankee Stadium

Cleveland Guardians

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Andrés, at the beginning of the year, you both talked about how proud you both were to be up the middle from Venezuela, and it seemed like you were really excited to watch Brayan grow throughout the season. How fun has that been for you, and still how much pride do you take in being the two that are there?

ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ: Nice. It's been beautiful. I feel like the last series we played, we played five games, and he did great. So I am really happy for him. Obviously we always talk about keep the teams going and performance and play defense, run the bases in the right way.

I'm really happy for him, and hopefully he keeps it in the same way.

Q. Brayan, for you, how much of a help that Andrés has been for you this year?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: Pretty awesome because he's like my brother here in baseball. He helped me from the first day in Spring Training to here, how to play hard the game every day, including the bad days, so that's super special for me.

Q. Brayan, why did you dye your hair? Is that just for the postseason?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I mean, it just worked out. I want to switch my hair, my look, and just for the moment.

Q. You played very well. Do you think it's connected?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I mean, maybe (laughter).

Q. The narrative from the national standpoint is that it's a smaller market, you're coming in with a bit of a chip on your shoulder. How would you describe just the mindset going into this series taking on a big team in the New York Yankees?

ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ: Just like you said, it's a mindset because the reality for us is we believe we can do these things because we can do it for the way we play the game, how we run the bases, how we pitch, how we try to hit the ball.

I think overall it's just this sense of belief we can do it because we know we can play baseball the right way. Obviously the narrative can say a lot of things, but for us, it is the mindset that we have to be a better version every day.

Q. Brayan, what would you say is the biggest difference about your game today as opposed to the beginning of the season?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I don't feel nothing special. It's just the energy that we have the whole year, and now that gives me the time to play better baseball and help the team win, and how we can play, that's super special for me. It gives me more confidence.

Q. Alex Cobb said this is the best defense in baseball. He may be slightly biased, of course, but what makes your defense so good, especially when it comes to the preparation?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I think it comes down to the preparation that we do and the routines we establish from day one and how consistent we've been with it, especially not trying to do too much. Secure the ball and get one out whenever possible. I think it comes down to those results to have that type of difference when you just control the little things.

Q. Ron Washington will hit 99 ground balls before every game. Is there something similar that you do that you can point to specifically?

ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ: I feel like there's not one particular script or routine that is set in stone. It feels more about listening to our body, what we need for that day. If that day means five ground balls, that's going to allow us to be 100 percent for the game, then that's what we do. The next day we need to take 100 ground balls, that will be the difference. It is all about what we feel and we need and we know that will give us 100 percent for the game.

Q. How long did it take for you two to get on the same wavelength defensively?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I think it starts a lot easier when you're Venezuelan. You can understand the way of playing with each other. The way how we connect in Spring Training, I know he's the best second basemen in baseball, and I know I can be one of the best shortstops in the league. That makes it a lot easier to understand how we play the game and how we envision the way of playing defense.

Q. Does it feel like a big brother-little brother relationship?

ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ: Yeah, I feel like it sometimes. Sometimes I'm mad with him. Sometimes he's mad with me. But at the end of the day, we just want to push each other.

I want him to be great on the field. I want him to be great off the field as well. So I think he wants the same thing for me. And for me, it's a pleasure to be in the league and helping young guys to improve and get better and achieve some things. For me, it's really special.

He's showing in the postseason what he's capable of doing. So I'm really happy for him.

Q. It looked like early in the ALDS you were struggling offensively. You came on the last couple games. How are you feeling right now to play?

ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ: I'm feeling -- I mean, obviously last night, yesterday was my best game on the Game 5 of the series. But the first four games, I tried to do a little bit more of what I can do on the field. So Game 5 was just try to be myself, try to be calm at the plate, and get a good pitch to hit.

I'll try to help the team in different ways. I try to put the ball in play. I feel like I have to keep that momentum going and try to trust my process.

Q. What did you guys think of the atmosphere at home in games 1, 2, and 5? How can you describe how kind of Cleveland reacted to you guys?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I think it was crazy. The energy was crazy and special to see how much support and love the fans show for us, especially when things were going well or not going really well. For us, it's the motivation to keep going because the energy and support is compared to none.

ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ: For me, it was special. I've been in the organization for four years, and it was my first like do or die game, let's say it like that. It was special for me, first game like that. Since first pitch, you can feel the energy, all the people who were at the game, and it was special. I look forward to feeling more of those moments.