AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX v ANGELS

October 6, 2004

Mike Scioscia

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, I think Bartolo really doesn't have a preference. I think that statistically, and talking with our catchers, and talking with Buddy, it looks like there is just a comfort level that's extraordinary with what Jose has done with Bartolo, and I think that those guys really did well down the stretch and we want to keep that going.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, our preference is never to really have a personal catching situation. We feel that Bengie is great catching. We feel Bengie would be as great catching as Josh Paul would be. I think overall statistically they are very close. This is an extraordinary situation where I think Jose went a long way to get Bartolo back on track, and their comfort level is very, very high, and I think it's something we want to take advantage of, and those guys have done very well down the stretch in a lot of key games, and we are going to stay with it.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, Johnny brings a very talented, multi-dimensional package to any team. Not only -- let's talk about his defense first. He is a force defensively because of his range in center. When we get to the offensive side, he has got a knack for putting the ball in play, for getting on base and creating defense. Maybe not to the extent of a lead-off like Icho was this year, but certainly close to being that caliber of player. You could see yesterday how he forces the actual bases loaded, very, very tough to double up, and he hits a ground ball where I think anyone else we are going to be able to turn a double play on, at the very least get one out and hopefully home, and he turns it into a huge inning for Boston. So he has that speed, and the way he can put the ball in play, and how he uses the whole field. And if you leave a crimp middle into him, he has got a chance to hit it out of the park. So there is a lot of things that Johnny does. He plays hard every day, and it's definitely somebody you need to keep off the bases, and I think as we look back over this series, when it's all said and done, and if we can do our job and keep him off the bases, it's going to go a long way in us having the pitching success we need to beat a club like Boston.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I think that it depends on the hitter. I think definitely you can exploit hitters that are impatient, not only in a playoff situation, anytime during the season, you are going to be able to use that to your advantage. I think Vlad presents challenges to the other club because it depends on what you call expanding the zone or exploiting a hitter that might not be as patient as some. His hot zone is huge, he can handle so many pitches and so many different areas and drive them, that that definitely presents challenges to the other club. You know, I think that Vlad shows maybe a little more discipline than people give him credit for as far as getting into hitting counts, and I think that although maybe the walks weren't as high as they had been previously, part of that is due to him probably being in the strongest or around the strongest group of hitters that he has been in his career. And he took advantage of it by having an incredible season, so I don't think yesterday was so much of a product of expanding the zone. I think every team has tried to expand the zone on Vlad. He has had an incredible season. And yesterday's game he just missed two balls. It could very easily have squared them up. We could be talking about a different outcome in Game 1. And, you know, he just as easily could square them up tonight and make a difference.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I think there will be a lot of excitement, hopefully not any more pressure. I think that Mac has come up and has shown us some things that he can do and do well in the short stint, he has been here. Obviously, for us to have enough confidence to use him and put him into a playoff game, he is going to go out there and play the game. He is not going to square off. He has got a great makeup. He is a dangerous hitter at the plate, and hopefully give us an added bat in the lineup and a little different dimension tonight.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I think you have to see Bartolo the whole year to really appreciate how well he has pitched and how he got the 18 wins. He has been really night and day from probably the first -- I want to say maybe 12, 15 starts to where he is now. He is night and day. I think if you look, statistically, over his last 20 starts or so, I think they rank up there with anybody in baseball. So don't be deceived by his ERA. Most of that came early in the year when he was having problems with his mechanics. His ERA was, at some points, 6 and a half at times, so he has pitched very well, and much better than that ERA shows, and I think the 18 wins reflect that.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Most of it was health. He had a left ankle that bothered him, affected his stride, affected his ability to use his legs in the pitch, and his stuff wasn't as crisp as a result, but he was healthy, and when he was healthy you saw the Bartolo Colon that we had anticipated coming over here from the spring.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: The only thing deceiving is the number of wins he has. I think probably the opposite of Bartolo, where you look at some of his numbers, ERA, and say how did he win 18, look at Kelvim Escobar's number and you are going to shake your head and say how he didn't he win 18 or 20? Guys who have seen him day in and day out know he has been our most consistent pitcher, and particularly coming down the stretch what he did on three days rest a couple times was incredible. So, you know, Kelvim has definitely been, you know, I think the lead dog of our staff as far as our rotation. And he very easily could be sitting right now as a candidate for Cy Young if he had the support that we should have given him.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Right now we are with John Lackey. If we don't need John in the game tonight, he will probably throw a little light pen and we are going is to pencil him in. But, you know, that can change quickly as we move through the next couple games to see where we are, where our team has been, what we needed to get here, and definitely have the option of looking at bringing some guys back on three days rest if we have to, if we figure the match-ups are going to be better, so there is a lot we are going to look at from here until then.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Yes, definitely. Plus I think the breakfasts are a little better on the planes, so we want to take advantage of that, as opposed to flying late tonight. No, we are going to take off tomorrow at about 10:00 and we will get in to Boston somewhere landing at about 6:30. Our team is not going to work out tomorrow. I think it's the last thing that these guys need right now is a workout. I think we are going to need a day to catch our breath and get ready for game 3. And, you know, we are going to get ready to go. I just think it would be too tough to leave at any time and get in at some point early. You guys do the math. I mean, it's going to be who knows what time when we get in? But this will work out better and we can freshen up a little bit and get ready for game 3. For you guys who are tired of hearing this talk, don't get your hopes up, so I know there will be a press conference that you guys will be at, and some of the players will be at, so you guys won't get off that easy.