NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARLINS v CUBS

October 10, 2003

Jack McKeon

JACK McKEON: Same as it's been. I've got it posted at Marino's (laughter).

JACK McKEON: Well, we talked a while back. It hasn't changed since we talked. I'd like to have Mike in there, but as I said, we're going this way. It's unfortunate that he got injured, it's too bad. But we'd love to have him but right now we're going pretty good, and I just don't feel I'd want to change the lineup.

JACK McKEON: Absolutely Dontrelle is going to pitch.

JACK McKEON: He could pitch tomorrow. And if it's 2-1 our favor, 2-1 their favor, he's going to pitch tomorrow.

JACK McKEON: When we feel like we can find an open spot for him. If somebody starts to tail off, we might have to use Mike in that situation, or an injury.

JACK McKEON: I think it's a combination of both, really. We play well here, and I think our fans energize our guys. And our pitchers seem to pitch good here, and the hitters seem to hit better here. So I think the fans and the ballpark, it's a combination.

JACK McKEON: I think that applies to any field, really. The guy's got good range on one field, he's going to have good range on another field. Our guys are extremely quick out there, and hopefully we have more range than the other club.

JACK McKEON: He was very understanding when he got hurt there, and it was a question -- I went to him and said how bad do you want to keep this streak going? You can always find a way -- he could catch the ball, but he couldn't throw it. I said we get a big lead or something like that, I can always put you in as a defense replacement or pinch runner or get you in

the game some way if you want to keep your streak going. He said, no, he wasn't concerned about his streak, just go ahead and do whatever you think is right. I put him in one day and what I saw I didn't like, so we didn't have any problem keeping him out.

JACK McKEON: I don't know, he's been through it. He pitched against the Giants. And he's pitched in the tough series we had with the Phillies and the Mets and Atlanta, so he's experienced enough that he's not going to have any problems.

JACK McKEON: Well, he's like the Cubs guy, he's an outstanding leadoff man and has speed and they know how to play the game and they're always trying to make the pitcher go deep in the count if possible. Juan is a tremendous individual, not only as a ballplayer, but as a person. He's one of the few guys that I have known, him and Tony Gwynn, that they've worked harder than anybody I've ever seen in the game. These guys are constantly trying to improve themselves and they're workaholics. This guy was at the ballpark early today, and he can't get out on the field, but he's taking extra hitting, practicing on his bunting. When he's going on the road, he's checking out Wrigley Field, he's checking out the Giants park in San Francisco, to get the angles, and the little things that make him so special. This guy has made himself into a heck of a ballplayer. And all the credit that he gets he certainly deserves because he's made himself that way.