AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS v ATHLETICS

October 2, 2002

Art Howe

ART HOWE: Well, first of all, the roof there, you know, sometimes balls get lost in the roof, and only coming in for a couple games out of the season, it takes you a little while to adapt to it, and I think that the Twins have an advantage of playing there so often, they get used to the environment and probably do a better job of playing there because of that. They know what's at stake, and there is not very many Astroturf fields left, either, so they are used to playing on that turf.

ART HOWE: Well, we were there just this past month, so I think we will remember what that's like, plus we get to work out there tomorrow, so that will help, also, but, you know, the crowd noise will definitely have some affect, and we have to be aware that communication is going to be a problem there, probably, so we have to be careful with that.

ART HOWE: Well, I hope so, about the Metrodome, it's enclosed, so we know it's going to be very noisy, and how noisy, I don't know. I was there back in '87 as a coach with Texas, and it can get very, very loud there, and I played the Astrodome in the post-season, and it can get really loud. So in comparison to Yankee Stadium, I don't know.

ART HOWE: I don't think so. We realize this is a new season and we have to go out and find a way to win 3 out of 5, and you can throw pass records or whoever is favored out the window because we gave the Yankees all they could handle the last two years, we were the underdog, and we had an opportunity to win that series last year when we had a 2-0 lead, but we also realize that being down 1-nothing or 2-nothing doesn't mean the series is over.

ART HOWE: No, I don't. The doctors would have to give you a prognosis on that.

ART HOWE: I guess we will see. I don't know. We will just see how each game goes and we will try to adjust to whatever the situation calls for.

ART HOWE: Yeah, that's the reason I put him up there in that situation, we felt good about his chances and he worked the count and got a pitch to hit and just missed it.

ART HOWE: I know he is a competitor. He never wants to come off the mound. That's his makeup. But if you saw, when he left, he stopped and gave Lilly some words of encouragement, and that's the class act he is.

ART HOWE: I don't know, to be honest with you. I think the daytime might be a little more difficult because of the brightness of the roof; that would be just my gut feeling, but I really don't know.

ART HOWE: He is suited just fine, he threw a shot out there earlier this year, so he can pitch in any ballpark.