AL DIVISION SERIES: ANGELS v YANKEES

October 3, 2002

Mike Scioscia

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, I think Derek's a special player any time of the year. I think that -- I think playoff time, a lot of guys, it seems like they step up and play at a higher level. For me, I think that's Derek Jeter, I think I've seen that -- I know the games we played against him, he's been playing at that level every game. I don't think he's stepping up, I think he's an incredibly talented player that is playing and is bringing his "A" game to the ballpark. Seems like we get him out, still a hard hit ball. He works counts obviously, steals a big base, plays incredible defense. He's that type of player. I don't think it's anything about him stepping up. I think we've seen that time in and time out, every game we've played.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Yeah, we'll go back to really our line-up against a right-handed pitcher (inaudible). We'll have Fullmer back in the line-up. We'll sit down and look at some matchups and see if we're going to make any adjustments going forward (inaudible). I don't think it's going to be anything major.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: You know, Ramon goes through the season and has a terrific season. There have been some bumps in the road with a handful of starts, haven't put much together. (Inaudible). There's been a couple of bumps in the road. I don't think it's anything different than most, you know, most young, talented pitchers in our league. But I think one thing that really has encouraged us down the stretch is his ability to get into the zone earlier with all of his pitches - and in some key games. Because he's pitched some key games for us down the stretch and he was very, very effective. Ramon, he's out there, he's going to try to challenge hitters. He's not intimidated if a guy hits a home run. He's not intimidated by anything. He'll make his pitches, and that's what you need, especially this time of year.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: No update on Ben right now. It's sore. He had a little splint on it. I would anticipate that it will continue to be sore. What his availability is, we're not sure right now. Our aggressiveness on the bases has been there all year. We have to bring back that style of play in to games like this, as we would whether it's a spring training game, games in a regular season or games in a pennant race. That's a big part of us being able to manufacture runs. Yesterday, although you look up on the board, there's 17 hits - that's incredible, you're not going to see that every game, obviously - but I think our base running had a major contribution to us getting the runs we needed to win yesterday.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, I think it shows that -- we're not reinventing the wheel here. I think it shows that if you play good baseball and you win, that the fan support, especially here in Southern California, will be here. Our fans have been incredible. As far as, though, exposure on a national basis, this isn't what really fuels our guys. Our guys, they go out there to play hard and win, and hopefully a by-product is them winning and being such an exciting game. Playing the game the way they are, it's fun for me to watch them play. They're incredible. Hopefully, that will bring the recognition that these guys deserve. They're not fueled by that. They're not driven by anything other than winning as a team. I think that if by them having such a successful regular season, hopefully success in the playoffs, that it will -- we'll get the fans that are great fans out here in Southern California. They'll get behind the club.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, there's usually enthusiasm in our park, too. So I think that we played some big games in Seattle, we played big games in Oakland with big crowds, big games here. The atmosphere in New York is unique. It might be a cut above some of those atmospheres that we play in. But all that being said, I think you saw our team bring a game into Yankee Stadium and play our style of game. You could take, you know -- I think you could take pride in that, of this group of guys going into a situation like that and playing our type of game. I think that if you win or lose on those merits, you're going to be (inaudible). I think that was a big step for us - to bring our game and play it the way we needed to on the road in an atmosphere as great as Yankee Stadium is. It's a unique atmosphere - certainly in a playoff situation.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Thank you.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I haven't read anything. I don't -- you know, I think the way that Joe's run that club all year, that pitching staff, I don't know how anyone can second-guess what he does. They've been terrific. You know, Joe knows that staff better than anybody. You know, Joe and Mel know that staff better than anybody that's talking about it. So the decision he made, I'm sure, was one he had confidence in. I think the same could be said for what we did the first night. As we talked about it the other night, I felt very comfortable with the matchups we had. And if the matchups had presented themselves last night in a little different environment, we could have very well gone the same way. So I don't -- you know, second-guessing in baseball is beautiful. I have no problem with it. It's talking about -- it's talking about the game, it's opinion. Obviously, there was a consensus that they thought Percival should have been in Game 1 from the media. We felt the matchups we're looking for were very (inaudible). We felt we got them. We didn't get out of that eighth inning, but I'm very, very comfortable with the way that we had things lined up. It's been successful for us all year, it's been successful for us down the stretch in huge games, and will be successful for us in the playoffs, too. So I don't have any - believe me - I don't have any (inaudible) of what maybe the impressions were in Game 1, I was very confident with how we lined up. It's baseball. It's great for guys to have different opinions and talk about it. That's fine. I'm sure we're going to talk about it over the winter some time. I'm sure guys will be lined up to talk about that Game 1 for a long time to come. Hopefully, we are talking about it.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I didn't feel any heat at all; I really didn't. I think -- like I said, my perspective on this is second-guessing is opinions. It's talking about the game. I love to do that. I think that the people here, as far as rationale, you make a move and they don't agree with it, they think we should have done something else anyway, beautiful. That's fine. I have no problem with that. But I can tell you that there's nothing that anybody brought up in the press conference or postgame that Buddy, myself or staff hadn't thought about before. We weighed everything we were looking at. We felt the direction we went was the best way to go. It didn't work out. That's baseball (inaudible). If those matchups presented themselves again last night - that's why Donnelly came in, got one out, tried to get them. We've already talked about it a lot. Maybe you guys haven't heard it, but we're trying to keep Percy in a bubble and we're not going to preclude using him in the eighth inning. In Game 1, there was a scenario where he should have come in in the eighth inning; we didn't get to that scenario. I think if you try to force action, take these guys out of their role, it could have a domino effect and go the other way. I'm very comfortable, I have a lot of confidence in what Brendan has done, in what Weber has done, what Schoeny has done. Those guys are a big reason why we're here. I don't think Percy has to become some super-human force. At times he will be in the eighth inning, as he was last night. At times, matchups are going to say that we feel confident with those guys to get to Percy - as we've done not only all year, but in playoff situation games - excuse me - in pennant race games, which has as much bearing on the impact of our season as these games.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Not at all. Had a terrific game other than the one double-play where he couldn't get it out of his glove. I thought he had some terrific at-bats. The one thing I noticed is he made a fly ball to Williams in center. He basically went out for the relay. It was not a good relay (inaudible). Jeter has a chance to score. He was rounding those bases hard (inaudible). He's done a terrific job for us.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, I think it's special for the guys in the clubhouse, because those guys are incredible. I think that the fans have , I think, a connection with our team. I think they appreciate the way our team plays and how hard they play. I think you see that connection. You'll see it in these games that we're going to have here at home. I'm proud of the guys (inaudible). So hopefully it's going to be a great experience and help us move along to be where we want to be.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: I think there's two different -- there's always two different animals as far as when you're playing a game in postseason, or now you're managing a team. I think one thing that's helped me, as a player - it's helped me on this side - is really understanding how tough it is to play these games and the patience you need to be successful. Other than that, you know, it's like night and day. I think this game's all about playing it. I think the success we'll have, hopefully on this end of it or managing it, or a staff, coaching it, doesn't pale in comparison to the exhilaration you feel when you achieve it as a player. This is fun; don't get me wrong. This is fun, I'm loving it. But it's not going to be the same. There's always a void there when you stop playing. It's not going to be the same feeling as when you're a world champion as a player.

MIKE SCIOSCIA: Well, Mike has an incredible arm. He has the ability to not only (inaudible), he's got a great ability to change speeds, and, of course, that great curveball. He's a guy that's an extremely intelligent pitcher. I think that in a playoff situation, he's going to come in here and he's going to execute his pitches, and it's going to be a challenge. Our guys, I think if we bring our type of game, we can hopefully pressure him and do some things that will help to create offense every inning. But Mike's an incredible pitcher. I think it's just another indication of the depth of that club that we're playing against. They just keep coming with these guys on the mound that can shut you down. So far, our guys have done a good job from the offensive side. It's going to have to continue if we're going to get through this series. It will be a challenge with Mike, no doubt about it.