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MLB WORLD SERIES: MARLINS v YANKEES

October 19, 2003

Derek Jeter

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Game Two

THE MODERATOR: First question for Derek.
Q. Of course you're thinking about Game 2 tonight. Just for the moment, looking at Game 3 and Josh Beckett pitching, is there any approach that you take when you're seeing a guy for the first time that might be different than somebody you faced 10 or 15 times, particularly a guy with a fastball like that?

DEREK JETER: Well, Penny was throwing 98 last night, so I don't know how you can get much more fastball than that. But basically I have the same approach against everyone, get a pitch to hit, get a strike and swing. I don't think it really makes a difference who's pitching. You still have to have a plan about getting your pitch.

Q. I'm sure when you guys went over scouting reports, you know Pierre is gonna bunt, Castillo will hit and run. Pudge will throw out runners. You knew all those things. Yet they did all those things and won. Was that them executing or you guys maybe not being as prepared as you should have been?

DEREK JETER: We were prepared. I mean, Pierre's a lot like Ichiro, a guy that uses his speed to get on base. He can bunt, slaps the ball, he runs, uses his speed. He's the catalyst for their offense. We knew that coming in. His first at-bat, he laid down a perfect bunt and scored. Then he came up with that big hit for them. But I think they execute. They've been doing the things they've been doing the entire postseason to win games and they did it again last night.

Q. It seems like you've been able to strike a good balance between accommodating fans and also maintaining your focus and playing at a high level. How hard is it to do sometimes, keeping that balance between signing autographs but also making sure you're ready to play?

DEREK JETER: Find the time for you guys, huh (smiling). Forgot about that. Well, I've grown up here. This is basically all I've known. So for me, it's -- it may be an adjustment for some players coming from different organizations and playing for different teams because this is, from what I've been told, it's not like this everywhere. So I think I've just pretty much grown up in it.

Q. I'm just wondering if you could tell us what kind of approach you think Mark Redman is going to be making tonight, what kind of pitches do you expect out of him? It's pretty chilly out there. Is that going to have any effect on the pitchers at all?

DEREK JETER: It's cold for both teams, so I don't really think it's anything new. Every team, beginning of the season, you're playing in cold weather. It's like this pretty much every October. I don't think it's gonna have much of an effect on anyone. Redman we faced before when he was with Detroit. He's gonna make his pitches. He's the type of guy that's not gonna give in. You have to hit his pitch. You just sort of go out and feel, feel for the game he -- see what pitches he has working and go from there.

Q. Can you give us your first impressions of the Marlins' infield defense?

DEREK JETER: Well, they don't make very many mistakes, that's what we were told. I honestly, because of the game times, I honestly didn't get an opportunity to watch too many of their games in the postseason and not many in the regular season. They have a lot of range. They make most of the plays, they don't beat themselves on defense. That's one of their strengths.

Q. A lot of players thought the stadium was quieter than usual. How do you get past the feeling you've already had your World Series against the Red Sox?

DEREK JETER: It wasn't the World Series. We didn't get any trophy or win a championship for beating the Red Sox. It was emotional. I think that's probably as electric as I've seen this stadium since I've been here. It was pretty loud. The fans here, we have the greatest fans in the world. I thought yesterday they were a little quiet, but I'm sure they'll pick up as the series goes on.

End of FastScripts...

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