NL DIVISION SERIES: CUBS v BRAVES

October 4, 2003

Mike Hampton

MIKE HAMPTON: If you're durable, if you're used to throwing a lot, I don't think there is any problem. With the program that Leo has set up, there is no problem, as long as you throw strong.

MIKE HAMPTON: He likes to throw and get off the mound as much as possible. It's not a maximum effort kind of session. He likes to get us off the mound at least twice. That helps.

MIKE HAMPTON: Any time you play in postseason, I think every game has a lot of pressure in it. In ABLS or NLCS, World Series games, there is a lot of pressure involved in any one of them. I don't think any other one is greater than the other, unless it's a deciding game.

MIKE HAMPTON: You never know what's going to happen. You have to prepare to pitch, and I'm sure Kerry is just as prepared. Regardless of anything, we have to win this game to take it to another one. If they win today, he's going to prepare for the NLCS start.

MIKE HAMPTON: We know it takes three to win this thing. We would like to have won the game, but we're not going to be happy about a loss any time we do lose. We know it takes three to win.

MIKE HAMPTON: We're going to our ballpark, which is a plus. I think it would shift. Games are different one to the next, and so far, their two big guys have pitched really well and held us down, but anything can happen and anything can change and hopefully today it will.

MIKE HAMPTON: You never know. Each person is different. This is a team game, but as individuals we look at ourself on our face and our performance. You can have a rookie do just as well as a veteran. Each guy is different.