MLB WORLD SERIES: GIANTS v ANGELS

October 27, 2002

Mickey Hatcher

MICKEY HATCHER: I think it gives the fans and the people an understanding of what type of club we have. It goes all the way back to the New York series and stuff. These guys, they want to win it bad. They're focused. They don't quit. I think what the fans bring us here is keeping that excitement. Last night, San Francisco thought they took our fans out of the game. Them people just kept it going. I think there's a lot to be said for that and what the offense is doing.

MICKEY HATCHER: I don't know. I mean, from our side, our guys do a great job preparing for the game. They study the films of the pitcher they're going to face that night, all the way through the relievers. They've done this all season. We'll come in after batting practice, they'll get in front of the TV, sit back and relax and get a game plan. For these guys to make the adjustments and to do that is, for me, being a coach, the hitting coach, being able to sit back and let them do their thing, it's been great. I think that has a lot to do with it, is the preparation.

MICKEY HATCHER: I think the big factor started in spring training. Mike got together with the offense. We had a big offensive meeting. I wanted that meeting to be done before we started our games in spring training. Mike told everybody how aggressive he was going to be managing, how we had to manufacture runs to be a championship ballclub. From there, we let some of the players talk, Ersty, Garret, Anderson. The thing they came up with, more important than hitting the .300, is on base percentage, runs scored and RBIs. That's one of the things we were going to focus on in spring training, to give up at-bats for the team to score runs. Spring training is where they needed to find that approach. Troy Glaus didn't have one, Tim Salmon didn't have one. We had to find some kind of philosophies for those guys to participate. They've done a great job with it.

MICKEY HATCHER: They just really believe that you get people on base, something's going to happen. You're right, we've taken the home runs out of our game. I mean, they're not thinking about home runs, they happen. They happen when you're swinging and stuff. Other than that, they're trying to battle a pitcher. When they stop in that box, it's about battling that pitcher out there, putting the ball in play, doing that. Over time, consistency doing that through the years, they've found out this is what our offense is about. I've really not had to say anything through the whole second half. These guys have done it themselves.

MICKEY HATCHER: You know, I don't know. I'm happy for this team because these guys all wanted to be in the playoffs, they all wanted to be in the World Series. They sacrificed this year by doing that. The recognition they're getting is they play the game the right way. Whether other teams do it or not, I don't know. We have a very unselfish team here. I think that's saying a lot. Garret Anderson, Ersty, Troy Glaus, I mean, 25 guys on this team gave at-bats for the benefit of the offense sometimes to help the other guy drive in the run. These guys have bonded together with that philosophy, and it's worked great for us this year.

MICKEY HATCHER: He's not human. I can't imagine anybody better than him in the game of baseball, and I don't care if you say Ted Williams. I didn't have an opportunity to really watch him. But this guy is scary. I mean, I'm just amazed. I don't even know what to say. Every time he walks up to the plate, he scares everybody. He scares us on the bench. I mean, Mike's fingers are wanting to do this, he's trying to hold his hand down all the time, put this guy on. (Holding up four fingers). It's awesome to watch. He's unbelievable.

MICKEY HATCHER: My rally hat (holding it out for money).

MICKEY HATCHER: I always do. I'm always on the bench. Garret Anderson is going through a tough time right now, but he's swinging good. He's hitting a lot of balls hard. He's not getting the hits. This guy's great under pressure. He gets the hit when you need them. He kept that inning going with putting the ball in play and getting that double in the last part of the inning. I keep these guys going. They stay focused. They're in it. Even the last three innings of the game, even before we hit the three-run home run that Spiezio hit, they're talking about, "Come on, let's get some guys on base, we'll make it happen." To hear your players saying that than to sit back and think it's over with, that's a great feeling.

MICKEY HATCHER: It's one of the greatest thrills any player can have in the game of baseball. I mean, that's what you play for. When you get a taste of it, then you realize how important every game is during the season, the sacrifices you have to do through the season to get to this point. But for me, like I said before we played New York, I sat five minutes with the guys. I said, "I want to have a meeting." It wasn't about mechanics or whatever. I said, "They're going to throw Clemens at us the first game and he's going to try to intimidate us. We can't be intimidated. You have to take the energy you're going to get because it's unbelievable." I've never felt anything in all the years I played in baseball than stepping out there on the field that first game in the World Series. I said, "We got to go out there and play the hardest games you've ever played and leave it out on the field." I've stepped back since then, and these guys have done it. I have not had to say anything else but that. You guys are watching them do that. It's just a great thrill to see.

MICKEY HATCHER: Well, we came up, Peter O'Malley was the owner there. Organization was all about loyalty and professionalism. That's what they taught us there. I mean, all of us had to go through that. You know, when you were in the Minor Leagues, all the way up through the Major Leagues, that's what we were taught. I think, if anything, that's what we bring over. We're not better than life or anything. What we're bringing over here is our focus, our energy, our ability to communicate as a coaching staff with the players, our relationships. These guys love to come to the park. When they love to play for you, you're going to get something out of it. I think we've learned that all through Peter O'Malley and the Dodgers.