AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX v ANGELS

October 5, 2004

Mike Scioscia

MIKE SCIOSCIA: No, Joe Anderson is not leading off. I know your question.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: We have Figgins leading off at third base, Erstad at first base hitting second, Guerrero in right field hitting third, Anderson, centerfield, hitting fourth, Glaus, the DH, hitting fifth, DaVanon in left field hitting sixth, Molina, catcher, hitting seventh, Eckstein, shortstop, hitting eighth, and Amezaga at second base hitting ninth.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: The options we were looking at, I think, to start off this game and this series, we definitely want to have a defensive presence out there to try to help out pitchers as much as we can. You know, we are going to have to pitch well to beat good pitching, there is no doubt about that, and, hopefully, if we need to adjust as the game moves on, we can get a bat in there if we need it, but I think the defensive presence, especially early in the game, is something I hope, you know, is going to help us.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: We are going to adjust as we have to. We are not looking at the series or anything. We are not looking past the first inning. As this series go on, obviously there is going to be some things you look at, and definitely as one game spills over to another and you see what your needs are, you are going to adjust from there. You know, I don't think we are committed to one way or the other, other than starting out this first inning of this game with a defensive presence out there.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: If we are going to pitch (inaudible), it's probably trying to get back into the ball game or do something along those lines, and at that point I think you are willing to -- you don't have many options. You know, to get back in the game you have to do it. So we have enough options to put guys that we feel we can do the job defensively out there, but obviously we feel the strongest with this defensive lineup.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: His team what?

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Looks like a bunch of idiots?

MIKE SCIOSCIA: As far as their physical appearance or -- if they are, they are idiots that can play ball. I tell you, they are tough. I don't think anyone is looking past any physical appearance to see if guys can play or not because those guys are good, and they are -- you know, I think they are -- they definitely express themselves on an individual basis, and that's a beautiful thing.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: We know -- we are well aware of the challenges in front of us in this series. We have confidence no matter how well guys are throwing the ball and no matter how well teams are performing that we take the field against. We want to stay within our own game and do what we have to do to beat other clubs. Pedro Martinez, even when he is off, he is pretty darn good, so we have got to execute on the offensive side to get the runs that we need to support what we know we need in good pitching, and that's going to give us a chance to win this series, but I don't think we are looking at it as one guy being a little fuzzy on their stuff or maybe one guy not pitching well to give us confidence. We are going to be of confident no matter how well they are throwing the ball. And like I said, if Pedro has struggled a little bit, he is still darn good.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I used to kind of think it would be nice for guys to go through it once to have a little bit of experience and be able to know what it was about as far as just the responsibility to handle the media and what the expectations might be in a playoff environment, and when 2002 came around, that just blew that theory right out of the water. I think playoff experience is nice, but I think it's overrated. I think that what's more important is how a team is executing at that point in time, and in 2002 we had to grind the whole year, won nine games, were playing well at the end, and the same goes for this year, so I think that's what's important to our club. I don't think there is anybody in our club that doesn't have playoff experience that is going to melt. I think that in 2002 there were very few players on our team -- maybe got a couple -- that had playoff experience, and our guys performed very well. So I think it's more about the makeup of your club and about staying in your game than it is to have playoff experience. And I used to think, you know, the opposite before 2002, so --

MIKE SCIOSCIA: We are going to look at some things, but it's definitely something we are going to look at very closely. Jose Molina has been doing an incredible job with Bartolo. He has been catching well. He also gives us some options to look at, and we will decide tomorrow.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, absolutely. I mean, I first saw Pedro in 1992 when he was in the minor leagues in Spring Training, and he is absolutely a pitcher that has evolved and adjusted, and he still has that good core stuff when you talk about his explosive fastball, the breaking ball, the change-up. He certainly added experience to that package, which makes him even more effective, and he has got a little cutter which he is bringing into -- you know, bringing into the scene. He has adapted, and even maybe when he doesn't have his best stuff, this guy is a terrific pitcher, and we have seen him step up in situations where he will get hot and just bring his stuff to a different level. So sure, he is different, he is different. Guys who have seen it might notice it more than we did, but he is different from the first day we saw him -- or I saw him when I was managing in 2000 as opposed to where he is now. And fortunately for the league, it seems like he has gotten better at a lot of things, and that's what presents a lot of challenges for you.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I think it depends on the situation that's up, who is hitting. One thing that has to be in place for us is to run the bases aggessively, or we are not going to have a -- you know, the offensive production we need to have a chance. Now, we are going to have to run the bases aggressively. It's not always stealing bases. It's definitely first to third, it's taking the extra base when you have a chance, it's maybe playing some run and hit. As far as playing for a run and a sacrifice bunt, it would be, I think, contingent on the game and, also, who is at the plate and who is coming up next in that situation, so there is some options. We are going to have to play some little ball. I don't think we are going to have any blanket strategy to say bunt, we are going to bunt them right over in the first inning and try to play for a run, but there are some situations, some grouping of guys, where we are going to have the opportunity to play little ball, and we are going to have to.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: His ankle was the most contributing factor to his struggles, and it was the effect it had on his delivery, the effect it had on his stride to the plate, and it's something that he worked very hard to find out and find a delivery to execute pitches, and he did. So that was the biggest contributing factor. We hope that we have resolved that. He is going to be strong for the duration of the playoffs and also moving into next year, something that can be addressed early if it needs to be so the mechanics aren't altered to create such a drought that he had.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: His style?

MIKE SCIOSCIA: He just place good old country hardball. I mean, he throws a hard heavy ball in good locations, absolutely fearless at challenging hitters, can pitch better than, I think, a lot of people give him credit for, hits spots very well, changes speeds well, and I think he is -- you know, he is certainly a throw-back type power pitcher in the way he goes after it, much like Schilling. And, you know, it's going to be -- it's going to be some -- tell you one thing about this series, there is going some good arms on that mound, and we are fortunate to have our share of them, and it's going to be important to both clubs.