	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

MLB WORLD SERIES: MARLINS v YANKEES

October 22, 2003

Brad Penny

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Game Four

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Brad Penny.
Q. There's enough pressure in a World Series, obviously. Do you feel an increase given the fact your club is scuffling offensively?

BRAD PENNY: We'll be fine. We just ran into a couple of pitchers who happened to locate their pitches. Good pitching beats good hitting any time. I mean, we'll be fine. I think we'll be all right.

Q. It seems controlling Derek Jeter is key to beating the Yankees. He's probably one of the best big-time players in the history of the World Series. Do you guys look at individuals and try to control certain guys more than others when you go over your scouting reports?

BRAD PENNY: Yeah, I mean, there's definitely that guy in the line-up that you don't want to beat you. He's the one for the Yankees. He's a great hitter. You have to really focus and bear down a bit more on him.

Q. Matsui has really been hurting you guys in this series. He hit the three-run homer that basically decided the first game. Last night he broke the tie. Are you having a tough time trying to figure out how to pitch him or not executing your pitches?

BRAD PENNY: The game he got a couple hits off me, I didn't execute pitches, I left them over the middle of the plate. That ground ball Dontrelle gave up was a pitch away, just happened to be a little left of the shortstop. It could have been right at him.

Q. How important was that last start for you mentally just to get your feet under you in the series and coming off what happened in the NLCS? You looked relieved the other night?

BRAD PENNY: Yeah, it was nice. Obviously, I hadn't been pitching well. It was nice to come in in a big game like that and be able to stay focused and make my pitches.

Q. Everybody has a little bit different opinion on this. In your opinion, who has an advantage when the rain is coming down, the pitcher or the hitter?

BRAD PENNY: I mean, I don't know. I don't think anybody has an advantage. I mean, it's tough to grab a ball and throw it when the ball's wet. I think it could also be tough to hit -- I mean, to see, because of the rain. I don't know. I don't look at it as an advantage for either way.

Q. You've been pitching, you've gone to Japan, pitched in November. You've been sort of working long overtime here. Tell us a little bit how, when you come this far, we don't think about ourselves as a business man, but how you don't mind relieving or pitching in any situation. You're told how you would give everything for your team when you come all the way to the World Series. If you could talk about that, yourself, some of the pitchers you are close with, the mentality there ?

BRAD PENNY: Well, I think, I mean, you got to do whatever it takes to win. You can't second guess your manager or coaches. You may not be happy with it. I was a little upset when I didn't get to start. It worked out. We won. It was a good move by the manager. You get tired. I mean, it's a long season. October, I've never pitched this long. This is the most innings I've had. You have to dig down. No matter if you're hurt or not, you got to go out there. When they ask you to take the ball, you got to take it.

Q. Off the start the other day, how much do you look at that and say, "I was successful, I have to keep doing the same things," and how much do you say, "The Yankees have seen me now, I have to make adjustments"?

BRAD PENNY: I definitely got to make some adjustments. I feel like I got away with a few pitches the other night. They saw me. They know exactly how I pitched them. I mean, they're great hitters. You definitely got to make an adjustment, mix it up a little bit. Maybe not give the same pitch in the same count.

Q. What do you make of the offensive struggles, especially Luis Castillo, who was so tremendous for you guys this season?

BRAD PENNY: I mean, you're gonna go through your ups and downs, especially as a hitter. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for our offense. We scored eight runs off Kerry Wood, Mike Prior. They're the two best in the league. You can't be down on these guys. Luis is a great hitter, a .320 hitter. He'll probably get a couple hits tonight.

Q. I suspect probably growing up you pitched against the Yankees in the World Series in your backyard a million times. Do you ever stop to think about the path, the dream to get here, be in the World Series? Or is it such a locked in, focused thing, maybe when it's over you think about what went into getting here?

BRAD PENNY: We talk about it. It still doesn't feel like we're in the World Series. I'm sure when it's over, you're sitting there, looking back, "Wow." Walking into Yankee Stadium, it was impressive. All the fans here, it's great, it's a lot of fun.

Q. How intimidating is it to know that these games are seven-inning games and that when they have a weapon like Rivera, the ultimate terminator, those games are basically over when you get to him?

BRAD PENNY: Yeah, it makes it a lot more tough. That guy's the best in the game. You know, honestly, from the other side watching, you know, if they're winning after seven, your chances aren't very good. He's coming in for two. He's pretty much unhittable. I mean, you got to win in seven.

End of FastScripts...

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297