AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX v ATHLETICS

October 6, 2003

Derek Lowe

DEREK LOWE: The guys believed they weren't as bad as what the public and media were saying of them. This time of year guys can take it to another level and we did. From a fan's point of view, I don't care if you're a Red Sox or A's fan, those were five outstanding games. We just happened to win a lot of games. You don't win this time of year without a good defense and a good bullpen. I think that's the reason why we won.

DEREK LOWE: It was a situation where you won. I don't even know what they're speaking off. I don't know exactly what I did. If I offended anybody, that's not sportsmanship. You don't try to offend anybody. I know they wouldn't do that if one of their guys got a hit. If I did do something, I'm sorry, because that's not the way you play the game.

DEREK LOWE: Pitching is pitching. I don't care if you start the game, reliever, closer, the situation came about where they asked me to close the game out. They kind of gave their hand away what they were doing at the plate by continually looking away, away, away and leading off sinkers that were away, which is the pitcher opens up the inner half and we exploited it and it worked.

DEREK LOWE: They gave away what their plan was at the plate. Just look for the ball, some were yanked and some were okay. If you take a sinker away, take it the way they were taking it, you can't look for a pitch on both sides of the plate, so it opens up the inner half. It comes down to execution, can you make the pitch or not, and I was able to make two of them.

DEREK LOWE: I think I'm pitching Game 2. It hasn't been publicly said, but that's what I was told before the game. This time of year it doesn't matter. The A's pitcher would have done the same thing, Lilly did it, pitched effectively. This time of year you pitch on adrenaline. It's not the way you feel. Everybody is sore, banged up. I'm just happy to get an opportunity and help the team win.

DEREK LOWE: No, because he has a good history, especially this year, my lefty -righty ratio is so different, how can you blame him. He may have personally won Game 4. He had an outstanding game, so you see that a lot, especially as a reliever. It makes sense. Lefties have hit me historically really well and it comes down to -- you know, he had never seen me, sometimes that helps you. But no, I wasn't surprised to see him up.

DEREK LOWE: You have to pitch to them the same. Chavez and Tejada, it doesn't matter, hot, cold, warm, whatever, these guys are potent hitters and you have to pitch them very carefully. You don't want to go into any series afraid to pitch to guys because they're hot. You can say the same thing about some guys on our team. I don't think the Yankees hitters are excited to face our lineup either. We were down 0-2 and came back and won three games and the team should be proud.