AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ANGELS v WHITE SOX

October 15, 2005

Jose Contreras

JOSE CONTRERAS: I'm going to attack them the same way I have in the past and the same way I did last time. I think that's the key against every major league team, throw strikes and attack them. I don't think my game plan is going to change, anything at all.

JOSE CONTRERAS: My success is a lot due to Cooper and the patience he's had with me since last year and through the first half and now, and our pitchers get along with Coop. Coop understands us, lets us do what we think is best, and we feed off each other very well. He's been a great part of our success.

JOSE CONTRERAS: It's been an honor to be his teammate and be his friend. Everyone knows the success El Duque has had in Cuba and in Major League Baseball. Not only for me, El Duque helps out the whole team. He brings so much knowledge to the table that I think every pitcher has got a little something from him, and just having him as a teammate, such a great competitor, it's been an honor.

JOSE CONTRERAS: This is hands down the best part of my career right now. I've gotten the most wins since I've been here. You can't compare Major League Baseball to baseball at the big league level. This is the best run I've had, and I hope there's more to come of it.

JOSE CONTRERAS: Even though I respect him as a manager and as my friend, we fed off each other when we first met. I knew him from before, but I never had gotten really to get to know him. But he's a funny guy and he's easy to get along with. I think that's why we've had the success we've had, it's a friendship on and off the field.

OZZIE GUILLEN, JR: On my part, just being around him the whole time, getting to talk to him during the game and just being around him, he's such a knowledgeable guy, and we love baseball, so our friendship is based on that.

JOSE CONTRERAS: Our friendship, we feed off each other really well. He's not just a regular translator. He doesn't follow me all the time wherever I goes. It's more of a friendship thing. It's more we do it for fun. It's because people take this sport a little bit too serious sometimes, and when you have friends around you and you feel relaxed that you have success, and I hope that he's around for a long time. Wherever he goes, we're still going to be friends, regardless.

JOSE CONTRERAS: He usually comes out there and tells us, "Stay relaxed, think about the batter, usually not the runners on base." He tells us "Don't pitch to this guy this way." Basically comes out there to make us feel relaxed and think about the situation, not get overexcited.

JOSE CONTRERAS: I admit I'm a funny guy, but I don't think about that when I'm on the mound. I think about getting people out. I can't be thinking about jokes. I try to keep myself relaxed, and a lot of people say that I'm funny. I just make a lot of jokes.