AL DIVISION SERIES: ANGELS v YANKEES

October 4, 2002

Jarrod Washburn

JARROD WASHBURN: No. I'm preparing like it's tomorrow just because, you know, I don't know yet. So I have to prepare like I'm pitching tomorrow. But when you guys find out, I'm sure I'll find out a little bit before you guys. But I still don't know either.

JARROD WASHBURN: It hasn't happened in a while. I don't remember the last time. Really doesn't bother me. Either way, it will be the same team I'm prepared for. I don't have to face the pitcher, so it's not any different. I'm pretty sure I know what line-up I'm going to be facing, so it's just a matter of whether it will be here or in New York. So, it's really no different preparation. It's getting my body ready for which day it is.

JARROD WASHBURN: The only thing I could think of is that I had nine days off in between, and maybe that had something to do with it. I don't foresee that happening again, if it's tomorrow or Sunday. I'm sure - I hope - the life will be back in the fastball.

JARROD WASHBURN: It's been unbelievable. Just as nerve-wracking for us as it has been for you guys, I'm sure, and the fans. It's been two awesome baseball games. Just to sit there and be able to be a part of them, it's what you dream of - playoff baseball. Everything, I've been watching it on TV for the last - a lot of years - watching games like this and dreaming and hoping I'd get to be a part of them some day. You know, these two games have been awesome. I don't see any reason why tonight's game should be any different and tomorrow's game should be any different. We're pretty evenly matched teams, we both want the same thing. It's been a lot of fun.

JARROD WASHBURN: I've done it once this year, and I came back three days' rest, pitched against Oakland, threw eight innings, gave up three hits, no runs. I guess my recent history has been pretty good. Other than that, the only other time I did it was in Minor League ball, I don't remember, in '97. I did it for about a month and a half. I really liked it. I liked getting out there sooner. As long as I physically felt capable of doing it, I didn't see any problems with coming back early. I enjoyed it, personally.

JARROD WASHBURN: That and more. I don't know, like you say, you dream of things like that as a kid. You imagine what it would be like. But it was cooler than I even thought it would be. Just all the pregame stuff, the fans getting on you before, while you're warming up. As pumped as they were, from the first pitch on, it was awesome. The fly over, the eagle, I love that eagle. It's cool. I don't know if you could ever explain to somebody the feeling you get from pitching a game like that. Hopefully, I'll get to pitch them a lot more.

JARROD WASHBURN: Yeah, I wouldn't complain. In the past, I've had injury problems, so I wouldn't have been able to do it. But this year, physically, I felt great all year. You know, I don't know how I would hold up a whole season of going four-man rotation. But, like you said, they used to do it all the time in the old days, so it can be done. Nowadays, though, everybody's body is kind of programmed to go on four days' rest, so, you know, everybody goes five-man rotation. But, yeah, I love pitching. The more often I can get out there, the better.

JARROD WASHBURN: I don't know if it gets under their skin. I've seen some comments from opposing teams that it maybe annoyed them a little bit or whatever. But I've also seen the monkey comes on the screen and the infielders are standing around while the pitching change is going on, and they're looking up and laughing, having fun. I think some people enjoy it, think it's funny. Maybe it gets under people's skins, I don't know.

JARROD WASHBURN: I can't really explain why I like it. They were yelling things like, "You're going to choke. " "Welcome to The Bronx in October, the pressure's on now." "You won 18, you're not going to win anymore." It was things like that. It was good. I enjoyed it. There was one guy, while I was stretching, was all over me for about two minutes. I said a few things back to him, having fun and smiling, having a good time, then he asked me for my autograph, so (laughter)... He had fun with it, too. I don't know why I like it, but to me that's fun. That's part of the game. You grow up, you go to the stands, you hear the people in the stands heckling the players and stuff like that. It's cool to be out there and be the one getting heckled. I don't know why I enjoy it, but I do.

JARROD WASHBURN: No, I didn't give him the autograph, no. Not on the day I pitch. I told him if he was there the next day, I would. But I didn't see him, or hear him.