NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES v DIAMONDBACKS

October 16, 2001

Miguel Batista

MIGUEL BATISTA: I'm really familiar with something that he said in that picture. When he talks about imagination, I believe as well as he says that talent and knowledge has a limit. You know what you know and you do what you can. But imagination is unlimited. You can't predict the future, but you can invent it. I believe a man is as big as he can dream.

MIGUEL BATISTA: You mean my confidence as a player in myself or my teammates? Because we're playing good ball. We always have been a good ballclub, even though we went through some losing streaks. But if you know this business, you know that if you do the right things winning, is (inaudible). If you do the things you're supposed to do, you're going to win. Right now we're playing very good ball. Like I told all my teammates, I can only promise you what I can do and that's pitching. You guys got to do the hitting.

MIGUEL BATISTA: Makes me feel a lot of people are ignoring the other stuff. We got 23 more players that are playing. We got guys like Gonzo who had produced offensively great for us. We have some guys that are playing outstanding defense.

MIGUEL BATISTA: Well, usually people tended to lead or watch the attention. You're talking about the two most dominating pitchers in this league with a power fastball. They are dominating. They are outstanding. But I like when people look at them so they give us more room to -- for us to be free of some of those things that will make other guys feel pressure.

MIGUEL BATISTA: It's been kind of more demanding than anything, especially mentally. Physically, if you feel good, you can pitch. But sometimes if you don't have your mind ready to be out there, it doesn't matter how good you feel; you will not perform. But it's more demanding of your mental preparation. Thinking about I already started a game today. Tomorrow's going to be my rest day for my body, but a work day for my mind to pitch the next day, that's the toughest part.

MIGUEL BATISTA: Having a team that can catch the ball (laughter). I played for six teams and we end up last every year - last in fielding, last in hitting. It's hard for the pitcher when you have to pitch defensively to win. You can afford for them to hit the ball harder than some other guys because the guys will be in the field, they will catch it. We have one of the best fielding teams in this league. We end up in the first two position in fielding percentage. That's an advantage to any pitcher, when they can make the plays for you.

MIGUEL BATISTA: Well, one day we were playing in San Diego. But about being attracted by those kind of things, it started a long time ago when I was a really curious kid and I wanted to find a reason how things happen or why things happen the way they do. And once in '96 I remember I asked one of my coaches when I played for the Marlins, "What is the difference between a superstar and a regular player?" He just like shut up for a minute, then he said, "Well, I believe that superstars find a way to get things done." But that wasn't enough for me. I knew it was something else. Then when you listen to guys like Glavine or Maddux, they simplify what people believe is magic, then you really know what makes superstars is they do what it takes and they pay the price to win. They prepare themselves to be who they are. That's what I was searching for.

MIGUEL BATISTA: Meaning...? Simplify that. What is it exactly you want?

MIGUEL BATISTA: He says, "Out of all my --" basically, the idea he's saying, Out of all the tools I have, I believe imagination has been the biggest of all of them. I came to understand that imagination is what got me to where I am because that's the biggest of all my tools. That's the one that polish off everything I know.