NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GIANTS v CARDINALS

October 9, 2002

Scott Rolen

SCOTT ROLEN: It is a huge relief to be on the roster, but I don't think that's the important thing here. I wanted to be on the roster, I wanted to play in the National League Championship Series, but I think the important thing here is that I want a chance to play in the World Series and the team wants a chance to play in the World Series. So the decision was, what's best for the team? Was it best for the team for me to be on the roster and have a chance to play in the series or was it better for me to not be on the roster and play with a short bench? That decision was made last night and selfishly, I'm happy the decision went that way. But the decision was made for the team and that's what it's about. If I was not on the roaster, that would be okay because that means that would give us our best chance to play in the World Series, and hopefully I would be able to do that.

SCOTT ROLEN: It's a tough read still. I'm progressing every day. First two days, first three days, I could not lift my shoulder up. Right now I have almost full range of movement in my shoulder. There's still some pain in spots and I have a little bit in some areas, but we still have time. If I can progress daily like I have up to this point, I'm optimistic I can get back in the lineup and hopefully contribute.

SCOTT ROLEN: Well, today was really the first day I went out. I ran a little bit and did some things like that. I just got back from the cage. I was not hitting or anything but I was just trying to see some pitches, standing in the box. Dave McKay was throwing. I had a bat in my hand, was just trying to see some pitches. I didn't swing at anything. I didn't bunt anything. We did some lateral movement drills and I played catch a little bit. I seem to be fine there. We're going to pick it up from there. It was kind of a light day, a test day and I'm pretty pleased with the way it ended up.

SCOTT ROLEN: Tonight. (Laughter.) I think it's going to be tough. My back's against the wall right now. I have not put a time frame, any limits or anything. I don't think that's fair to say one way or the other. If I'm ready in San Francisco and ready to go, I'm going to go out on the field. There's also a fine line between being on the field and contributing. Just to hurry and get on the field is one thing, but if you're going to bring the ballclub down and not help the team, I don't think that's worth it, so maybe you need an extra day. So the exact time of when the best case scenario is, when I can be -- the best way I can put that is the best thing that I can do is be ready when I'm ready. And mentally, I'm ready to go; and as soon as physically that catches up, I'm going to be out on the field.

SCOTT ROLEN: Well, when I came in today, we were talking about doing some baseball things today. I wanted to kind of go behind closed doors and see where I was. I didn't want to get out and run around the field and not know where I was going to be. So I went to the cage and I wanted to throw a little bit in the cage. I was thinking it's funny, because Dave McKay came up to me today, and he started the sentence with, "Hey, maybe " -- because we did a drill where you just stand there and watch the ball. He started the sentence and I finished it because I was thinking about it last night; it would be a good idea to get in there and see some pitches and having them throw some breaking balls and not take any swings. We've done the drills in the past. McGwire was a big guy who would do it in the past, just stand there, track the ball, follow it through and get ready to take the hit without taking a swing.

SCOTT ROLEN: I don't know. Like I said, I didn't take a swing today. I was fielding. I seem to be all right. I'm getting all the way out on extending -- it isn't there today but maybe it will be there tomorrow. I'm not sure how fast everything is going to take care of itself. Hopefully very soon. You're going to -- I understand that you're going to be in some pain and you're going to play in pain and that's not the issue. I just want to be healthy enough to physically be able to make the movement. If a ball is hit to you down the line and you cannot physically make the movement, you're not helping anybody, and the same way at the plate.

SCOTT ROLEN: You kind of see that as both ways, also. I think anybody wants to be out there and playing. You know, the first post-season game at home, you want to be in that ballgame. I wanted to play in that ballgame. But I'm also not going to, you know, get upset and cry about things that I can't control. Something happened to me. I was injured in a play that I had no control of. So I'm not going to hang my head and worry about something that took care of itself and I don't have control of. I'm on the field. I'm in the dugout. I'm part of the team that's in the Division Series. We clinched that night. There's a lot worse places to sit than in the Cardinal dugout.