NL DIVISION SERIES: MARLINS v GIANTS

October 1, 2003

Chad Fox

Juan Pierre

JUAN PIERRE: Yeah, I think we were able to slow the game down a little bit. Schmidt had everybody trying to speed up their bats, doing those type things because he was throwing hard. Ponson was throwing pretty hard today. But I think our mentality were to see some more pitches. He wasn't on point as much as Schmidt was. We relaxed and was able to slow the game down and put good swings on balls.

JUAN PIERRE: It was real important. I know I went to bed last night thinking about it. With us not scoring any runs yesterday, not really getting nothing done, going offensively all day, I thought it was big get one run, Brad Penny going out there, and just for our offense to know we can score against these guys.

JUAN PIERRE: It was pretty bad. It's always tough here in the day. Wasn't any different. Balls to rightfield wasn't going anywhere, but then the balls to right center was taking off like Feliz hit. Grissom had a couple line drives. It was a tough wind out there as usual, but it was just as tough as any other day.

JUAN PIERRE: Yeah. Getting down 4-1, you know, I think they were confident that they were going to get us again. But then we got guys on, guys moving around, beating them with hits, you know, singles and doubles, what we do, you know, put the pressure on them, and kept the pressure on them every inning. We didn't just have the one big inning, we scored innings after that, and I think that was big.

CHAD FOX: Yeah, exactly. You know, we take a lot of pride in what we're doing. We feel like our starters get us to six or seven, we're going to pretty much hold it where we need to hold it. I said earlier, we haven't gotten the recognition I think we deserve, but we don't need that right now. We got other things we're going to take care of. In the end, I think we'll get it. We just keep going, we keep battling, our starters keep doing what they're doing, we'll be all right.

JUAN PIERRE: It was real big because we know offensively when the other team does that, you know, have a big inning, continue to tack on runs, it just wears on you offensively because you're going out there and having a battle. We try to do that as well as to them. Just getting guys on and not making them as comfortable as they would be. So I think it was real big pressure-wise and kind of makes them tense up at the plate, trying to do too much at times, and I think it worked for us today.

JUAN PIERRE: Yes. The Skip told me whenever I feel like going, going. That's what we did all year, so we're not going to change right now. Yeah, I did have the green light.

JUAN PIERRE: Give me a pep talk after every day, what are you talking about (laughter)? Yeah, he told me it looked like I was swinging too hard, just trying to do too much against Schmidt, which I felt, but I couldn't never calm down yesterday in the game. Yesterday or last night I thought about just relaxing and taking good swings. It felt good to get that first hit out the way at my first at-bat. From there I continued to roll.

CHAD FOX: Yeah, I think obviously it showed. You know, I think getting yesterday's inning behind me was huge for me because, you know, first time in the playoffs, pitching in front of a crowd like this, to a team like that, it was big for me to get out there yesterday. And today I felt a lot more, you know, just at ease, was able to concentrate a lot more.

CHAD FOX: You know, I said it from day one. When I got released from Boston, I watched these guys play. I'm still a fan. I watch the way these guys play with their hearts. To be a part of it and actually live it, it's unbelievable the way they go out there every day, these last two months. I mean, I don't care what the score's been, I don't care what the situation's been, they just find a way to get it done. To be part of it and to have teammates like that, that's the only thing you pray for and hope for, especially when you lose your job. You want to be a part of something like this. It's been the most unbelievable ride I've been on.

JUAN PIERRE: You just think about the work you did in batting practice, you know, balls off the bat. You know, it's always different because it's swirling. One inning it might blow out, the next inning it might be blowing in. You really just got to concentrate and have confidence in your skills, that you put in the work. And it plays on both sides. You know, the Giants also have to deal with it, too, so it's not one-sided or anything. That's basically about it. Just realizing, the confidence of going after a ball. If you going to go after it, go after it full speed, don't make an error being lackadaisical with it, scared to make a mistake. Try to go at it full speed. That's what you got to play with, kind of reckless abandon out there, but under control.

JUAN PIERRE: It was real big because, again, offensively, you know, when we have a big inning, and then we come back and give up one or two runs, it's like you still have a chance, you know. In your mind offensively you still believe you have a chance. When we got all three back, we were right back in it. I don't think they were that comfortable on the other side in the dug out. And their pitching staff, you know, even coming out the pen, when you facing a team that's getting a lot of hits and got guys on out the pen, you're not as confident going in, you know, that these guys are swinging the bat well. I think we continued to just put that pressure on them.

CHAD FOX: He can play whatever he wants. As long as he just keeps playing like he's been playing, I don't care what he plays.