NL DIVISION SERIES: CARDINALS v DIAMONDBACKS

October 1, 2002

Randy Johnson

RANDY JOHNSON: You know, you just tip your hat obviously to their offense. But I think it goes without saying, I didn't pitch as well as I should have, could have. Just didn't make the quality pitches that you see over, of course, a regular season. You need to make them in a five-game series because the game is so much more magnified. I've realized that over my post-season career. Doesn't matter really what you do during the regular season because, you know, when you get to post-season, it's all about the one game that you're going to perform in. You know, obviously I feel very, very bad that I put the team in a hole right from the get-go. They obviously had a very good approach towards me today. Their left-handers were very successful putting the ball in play and getting hits, especially Edmonds. With men in scoring position, over the course of a season, you make the quality pitches. Today, I wasn't able to do that as well. Marrero got the fly with a runner on third base. Then the split finger, able to hit up to Finley. Then Vina also got the base hit, I think it was in the fifth or sixth inning with a man on third base, as well. Those are the things that I will look at with the days to come to hopefully not make the same mistakes again.

RANDY JOHNSON: No. Both of the type of things that you saw today were things that I did throughout the course of the season. No, there was no rhyme or reason for it. Felt comfortable out there. Felt like my slider wasn't as sharp. That was the ball that Rolen hit for the home run, also the ball that Matheny hit down the third baseline for the double. Just wasn't as sharp today. I came in the game with a game plan, but what I've said all along is you can have the game plan that you want, but if you can't execute the pitches, then that's going to be the difference of the ballgame, whether you're successful or whether you're not. The pitches that I threw today, against this kind of a lineup, you really have to hit your spots. And even when you do, I did look at the one pitch that Pujols hit for the triple, that pitch was a two-seamer down and away. He still hit it for a triple. That was a pitch that, you know, I felt very comfortable throwing. I was not displeased with the location. But when a team like that is swinging the bats well, which they are, it just gets magnified that much better.

RANDY JOHNSON: I wasn't concerned. I think, you know, I have to talk to my catcher. I think he was kind of telling the hitters what was coming (laughter). I don't think it was me. No, Chad has called outstanding games all year long for me. I went down at my belt a lot this year, and I've went up my normal delivery. You would think with the swings they took, that they obviously had good approach and good swings. In my defense, I would say that I didn't execute a lot of pitches. My slider was flat. My fast ball found the middle of the plate. With that being a combination of going up against a quality, and probably the best offensive lineup in the National League, the two don't mix. When you don't hit your spots, you go up against a team like that, something's got to give. Doesn't matter who you are.

RANDY JOHNSON: I don't know what you would consider bad. I don't know what my numbers are or anything. I don't look and see what my numbers are.

RANDY JOHNSON: I guess the numbers don't lie. I guess I got some pretty bad luck. There's no rhyme or reason. I couldn't tell you, you know.