AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS v ATHLETICS

October 1, 2002

Mark Mulder

MARK MULDER: Maybe a little bit. I mean, obviously, I don't think there is as much media, and besides the fact we are playing day games, but usually when you play the Yankees, you always have that night game, whatever, but, I mean, really, we are not approaching it any differently. We are still preparing and we got to come ready to play. We can't be sitting back and not come out ready.

MARK MULDER: Not in any way. I mean, we got to play these games. This is a good team and we got to come out ready. We can't be sitting back or anything like that, we got to come ready. We got to be ready to pitch, we got to be ready to field and we got to be ready to hit, because they are throwing some good pitches at us.

MARK MULDER: I think record, it's not as important. I have generally pitched well against these guys but, I mean, also, this year I have had good stuff against them on those days. There is days when you don't have your good stuff, but I think most of my starts I have had that. I am still kicking myself for the two homers I gave up in the 9th inning, but that's something Skip will come over and ask me how I feel and we talk about it, and you go from there.

MARK MULDER: This is the playoffs, you can take the record -- whatever the record is against lefties and throw it out. I mean, everybody comes, steps it up a little bit in the playoffs, and we have to do the same thing as pitchers, and, I mean, that record, I think, is a little bit blown out of proportion. They may not have done well, but I have seen many -- I mean watching the tapes of the hitters; they hit lefties. They might not have won a lot of those games, but there are some good hitters and they are going to be ready tomorrow.

MARK MULDER: Well, I mean, (Inaudible). So, I mean, I generally will pitch inside to them. Over the last couple years -- last year I have been able to throw my strikes in, which keeps them honest, because otherwise they can take a lot of those, if I run them in too far, but, I mean, you got to be able to throw strikes. (Inaudible) if you are not throwing for strikes, but these guys, they will still fly it out in the outfield. I gave up a few hits to lefties already, but they got in there and they got it to the outfield for a base hit, so it's just about going after them, though.

MARK MULDER: I don't have a problem with it. I mean, I like it that the three of us are pitching. It's not anything against Lidle, it's just a decision the staff decided to go with, and I think it's a good thing. I mean, we are capable of going on three days' rest. That's also been blown out of proportion because that's usually a day that I am doing nothing that day, and your outfield is fine, so, I mean, I look forward to that. I don't look forward to having to go on three days' rest, because you don't want it to go five games, but if not, we will see what happens.

MARK MULDER: I would welcome it. I had the challenge last year against the Yankees, game 5, and we came up short there, so I would love to get another chance at that. So, I mean, hopefully -- I mean, that's maybe why I am pitching here is they have confidence in me to pitch in game 5 if it comes down to it, and I look forward to that.

MARK MULDER: Thank you.