MLB WORLD SERIES: CARDINALS v RED SOX

October 26, 2004

Derek Lowe

DEREK LOWE: It was kind of a long wait. I had a lot of conversation with the Boston media saying all I wanted to do was help this team win. And the Anaheim series it was frustrating because of our starting pitching pitched fantastic, so I was sitting there and watching. And then the New York series happened and Wakefield volunteered to pitch in Game 3, which allowed me to go out and start Game 4 and we won that game. Then Game 7 came and they could have chose between Arroyo, Wakefield and myself and they opted for me. Sometimes in life you only get an opportunity to go out and pitch a game like that once, and I wasn't going to let that time slide.

DEREK LOWE: I spoke all year, free agency you really can't look at just one year. I think you kind of look at two or three years, and I'm proud of the fact that I've won 52 games over the last three years as a starter, and I think which made Game 7 a little easier to pitch is the last year and a half that was the fourth game I pitched in if we had lost we'd have gone home in; Game 3 against Oakland and Game 4 against New York. The more times you get put in those opportunities you have success, I think it gives you more confidence. But as far as being a free agent goes, I really put no stock all year in worrying about next year, and why should I start now.

DEREK LOWE: I've always been very fortunate to have an arm that bounced back. As far as the Game 4 start I think I only pitched once in the last 16 days, so it made it easy to come back on two days' rest, and being a ground ball pitcher, you know, being a guy where you don't have overpowering stuff, it's easy to bounce back. But again this is the playoffs, and it doesn't really matter if you pitch on one day's rest or 12 days, you have to be prepared when they ask you to go out and play.

DEREK LOWE: I just look back at having been able to be a part of this organization and pitching in the playoffs in '98, '99, and the previous two years, and the more times you can get put out in that opportunity in that arena, because it's nothing like the regular season, and the more times you can have success, all it does is give you confidence, and I think that's what playoff baseball is all about, the guys that have success, they're very confident, but not arrogant. So there is a difference. And so I love this time of year. And I think you have to. I think you have to relish the opportunity to go out there, not be scared to fail, prepare your butt off to go out and pitch a good game, and for the past couple of years I think it's worked.

DEREK LOWE: Mechanically it was in about the middle of the year, I think it was May and probably half of June, it was really a struggle mechanically, I really couldn't figure it out. I changed a lot of things that probably I shouldn't have changed and was kind of looking for a quick fix instead of trusting the fact that you get 32 starts and everyone is going to have a bump in the road. My bump just took a lot too long. And then I had a game before Texas -- actually before the All-Star break, against Texas, I was able to win that and was 7-1 going into my last three starts, which we all know weren't too good. But again was the mechanical part in the beginning of the year.

DEREK LOWE: I think individually and as a team we've never really put stock into what the record of the playoffs is. There's always pressure, I don't care if it's Game 1, Game 7, whenever it is, there's always pressure to win. And obviously come whenever I pitch we are going to have the lead. But I'll have the same preparation as I did against Game 4 and Game 7 against New York when we were down. I think playing for this organization and playing in Yankee Stadium so many times I think it definitely helps because that's probably the most hostile and most intense place to play. Coming in here we know it's tough, but having played in New York so many times it's going to help.

DEREK LOWE: Yeah, again, you know, I think for probably July and August it was fine. I just pitched poorly. It's part of the game, and it just happened for me and it couldn't have picked a worse time. This time of year, I don't care if you throw it behind your back or whatever you do, this isn't a mechanical time of year to go out there and start thinking. I feel as confident now as I ever have. But it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to have success. So when you step on the mound this time of year mechanics, has to be the last thing you're thinking of.

DEREK LOWE: No, I'll be on the bench. I was kidding earlier with the Boston media, we all turn into Curt Schilling, meaning we do more preparation and watching video. That's all you can do, because all these guys you never have faced before. So you try to watch video of guys that pitch similar to me. I didn't get anything out of watching Wakefield and Schilling, and I won't when Pedro pitches, because I don't do what they do. So you trust your ability and trust the game plan that Jason (Varitek) and I are going to put together that will work.