AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS v YANKEES

October 5, 2004

Jon Lieber

JON LIEBER: Probably the best thing I've got going for me right now is my family being here, my wife and three kids. I think if anything, they are going to keep me a little relaxed before I come to the ballpark. So I'm really looking forward to it, and just being -- getting the chance to be out there.

JON LIEBER: Mm-hmm.

JON LIEBER: Yeah, I think the reason behind the bullpen session was there was quite a bit of rest in between my last start, so I wanted to just make sure, just kind of fine-tune. Maybe just kind of get a touch and feel off the mound. You know, I felt fine.

JON LIEBER: You know, the road back has been obviously, to me, I think pretty quick compared to before I had the surgery. I thought it was going to be quite a while just going through the rehab process. It really went by fairly quick. You know, there was a lot of ups and downs through this season, not just physically but mentally. Just not being able to perform the way I was used to, maybe 2000-2001 with the Chicago Cubs. It was definitely frustrating, I would say around June, July. There were some games where I knew I could perform at a better level and I just wasn't getting the results that I was hoping I was going to be able to get.

JON LIEBER: Well, this is what I've been waiting for, for 11 years now that I've played in the big leagues. You know, this is what it's all about. You know, and it could not happen at a better place than New York City and Yankee Stadium. I've seen it, the previous seven, eight years through this organization. I've been watching it every time on television, watching this team go through the post-season. And to actually be here and be a part of that, especially after going through Tommy John Surgery, really is something special.

JON LIEBER: You know, I think it was really the guys down there in Tampa. There were some other players going through rehab processes. Steve Karsay was a big influence on keeping my sanity, I guess. Some other minor leaguers. King and Bomer, we would do things together and really, I think it really took the thought process of, you know, is this ever going to get better away from that. You know those guys down there and us hanging out together was a big help.

JON LIEBER: You know, I really think probably towards the end of August, and this goes with talking to other players, I think really the one person that comes to mind that's really helped me this year is Tom Gordon, because he went through this in '99. And to be able to have him here and seeing the struggles that I was going through this year and being able to talk to him, he really told me, along with some other people, just wait till the end of August, September, you're going to feel your best and you're going to feel your strongest. I feel like I've got some room to improve but I definitely feel a lot better than where I was June or July.

JON LIEBER: There really has not been that many distractions. You know, it's been okay. It's not like my time is just consumed. The bottom line is, I think a lot of other people know that I am pitching tomorrow and they are probably afraid to bother me.