AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX v WHITE SOX

October 7, 2005

Paul Konerko

PAUL KONERKO: I think this team has had a good, like the Red Sox last year, you know, I think blocking out what's happened to the organization in the past is key, because if you start thinking about failures or what other teams haven't done, you might try a little harder and put pressure on yourself, and you'll carry that with you. This team is real loose. It starts with Ozzie and that's the way I look at it. This team is the 2005 White Sox. We're not trying to change when we see in the past, just trying to play the best and see what happens.

PAUL KONERKO: When we had the three games in Cleveland, he came out of the pen. When he was starting he was picking up anywhere from 88, 89, 90, 91. When he was in Cleveland last week he was 92, 93 and dominating their best hitters. We knew he was feeling good. To get out of there with no runs, that's a different story. To me, that's the story of the day. We have won games like that all year, but if you're going up against the Red Sox, you don't know if it's enough for them, because they're so good. I think we were hoping to get out of there with a tie and play a 2-inning game or 3-inning game and see what happens. But it definitely gave us a boost getting out of there with no runs.

PAUL KONERKO: I think they were close -- I think they were beating on our door that he came close again. I didn't sense necessarily any tightness for them. We knew that was coming. We know they're a loose group. We know they've won the World Series. I didn't sense any panic on their part by any means. When he hit that ball, I sensed they were thinking, we've got these guys on the ropes, even though that ball didn't go out. We didn't want to give the ball to Schilling tomorrow. We've seen his act. Who knows what he's going to do. We wanted to close them out today.

PAUL KONERKO: Our defense, along with the pitching, has been a strong point all year. I think the pitching stepped that up, and they keep everybody into the game. As far as the play in the 8th, or whatever it was, I was guarding the line, no doubles, and that ball was flying right at me, and it was to the right, and I got a real good quick step on it for once and made the play.

PAUL KONERKO: I think in a five-game series, when you get off on the right foot, these things go by quick. If we played the Red Sox next week, they could beat us. We know that. We don't think we're superior to them. These series happen real quick, and momentum counts. The coaching staff, I think that has a lot -- you know those guys prepare. I know Ozzie gets the reputation for the other stuff and all of that, but our guys are organized and they study the game while it's going on.

PAUL KONERKO: I couldn't tell you. I really don't pay attention to the defensive. I know I look way back, and he's way back there. I couldn't compare him to what other teams do. I know I was playing way deep, and my foot wasn't on the grass.

PAUL KONERKO: Just the first couple at-bats, I was forcing it a little bit, trying to make something happen, and I walked up there, and JD had a heck of a bat in front of me to get on base, just trying to let them come to me, and not -- I didn't try to do too much. I just tried to stay up tall and let it come into me and swing hard in case I hit it. That's basically what happened.