AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RED SOX v YANKEES

October 15, 2004

Terry Francona

TERRY FRANCONA: That was a lot of pronged question. I have not figured out how to control for the weather and I have a lot of respect for Joe on the other side. I bet you he can't, either. What we can do is try to have alternate ideas and plans. Again, we've done that. I'm sure the Yankees have, too. But until this game -- we'll plan on winning this game, and if that's not a possibility because of weather, then we'll fall back and regroup and do what we think is best for our ballclub.

TERRY FRANCONA: Talking about Wake, it's the first time I've ever really been -- we had one in last year for a little while in Sparks, but I think you have to be more patient if you're going to reap the benefits of what they bring because I just think the idea -- there's going to be some walks and stolen bases and wild pitches but Wake is also a very good pitcher. The idea is not to bail on him too early, because there's going to be runners on base, and you have a tendency to go get him, he's going to pitch out of those I think more often than not because he's a good pitcher and you have to be patient. You have to take your hands and put them under your rear end and just sit there sometimes.

TERRY FRANCONA: Of new devices, nothing there yet. We'll maybe have more later. I don't know quite what's happening yet today. We don't have an update yet. As far as ruling him out, it's way too early to rule him out.

TERRY FRANCONA: Tonight, the first four are the same. Varitek will hit fifth, Nixon sixth, Millar seventh, Mueller eighth, and Cabrera ninth. Just, again, it's sort of the same way we've done it all year. The top four have pretty much stayed the same. We have tried to juggle like five, six and seven, just depending on matchups and who is pitching and things like that.

TERRY FRANCONA: We have not made that determination yet. We really haven't made that determination. I know that's a possibility. I don't know -- when the time comes, we'll announce what we think is in our best interests. I think first we need to find out what we think is in our best interests. That's the truth.

TERRY FRANCONA: Well, that's a relief. I thought it was about "who is my daddy" again. (Laughter.) Well, any team that plays at home I think enjoys advantages. You're at home; you sleep in your own bed. You get to hit last. You're in your home clubhouse, things like that, all of the things that you're used to. But in our ballpark, because there's a lot of quirkiness, and even I have a feeling when you're in the batter's box, centerfield is not exactly straight. That can mess with some hitters and our guys are used to it. Manny knows how to play left field, actually plays left field very well. It's not an easy left field to play. Right field is very difficult to play. Trot, Gabe, guys that are out there know how to play it. We've seen games early in the year, I think Kansas City, one night, the ball hugged the line, he didn't go get it. The next night because of what happened, it went by him and we won again. Those are two very obvious things that happened. Other guys don't know the quirkiness of this ballpark. I think our fans are incredibly excitable and passionate about our ballclub. So if there's anything to yell about, they are going to get behind our ballclub, more than any place I've ever seen. That's part of it.

TERRY FRANCONA: Well, I don't agree with that. He was very excited at the time. He had the whole winter, once the season was over, the season was over and that had nothing to do with this year. For guys to get where they have, like a Wakefield, and pitch that many years in the big leagues, I don't think things like that do devastate. What they do is send you home for the year, but I don't think they devastate you.

TERRY FRANCONA: Mirabelli will catch him. Dougy has done so well offensively, especially this year, he almost at times give us a bonus with what he does offensively.