AL DIVISION SERIES: ATHLETICS v YANKEES

October 10, 2001

Art Howe

ART HOWE: That's an understatement. I mean, I thought I was very complimentary to the Yankees all day yesterday, and like I said, I think the World Series goes through New York. I guess I didn't realize what I had said when it came across the way it was written in today's paper. I'm just hoping we play very well and represent ourselves well. I know the Yankees will be ready.

ART HOWE: He's special on the mound. This kid has great stuff, great composure. It's just great to have him on your club, to go out there and start a ballgame because you know he's going to compete and give you a great opportunity to win. I mean, he's just had a real outstanding season for us just because he doesn't comb his hair all the time ... (Laughter.)

ART HOWE: No. He's very professional. He prepares himself very well for every start and he's into it.

ART HOWE: I have no clue, to be honest with you. (Laughs).

ART HOWE: Well, we would not be here without Johnny. He has done a great job for us. He got off to a little bit of a slow start, but the whole team did. Once he started going, actually we started playing better baseball. He's a big catalyst for us. He's looking forward to -- I think this is his first chance to play post-season baseball and he's excited about it. We're hoping he has a great series.

ART HOWE: It's right there. I mean, this kid goes out and battles every single time he goes out there and his ERA has been way down all season long. He's had a couple outings where we have not scored many runs for him and that's probably why he has not reached the 20-win plateau this year.

ART HOWE: I don't know. I think Sterling Hitchcock might be another arm that they could use out of the bullpen, so they have two, I would think. I hope we can get into their bullpen. That's going to be the key to our success; if we can get into the bullpen early, we'll be okay. If we don't, it could be a long series.

ART HOWE: We just felt that Mark has pitched extremely well all season long. He's our top winner. From the second half of the season on, we just went Mulder, Hudson, Zito, from the All-Star Break on, and it seemed to work very well. So, as they say, don't fix what's not broken, so we decided to just stay with it, and also to send a message to the whole team that we feel good about these three guys about the way they have been going out there and why change things. At the same time, I look at that third matchup, Mussina is pitching lights-out, and Zito is going to have to be pitching great to keep us in the game. So it should be a heck of a matchup when we go back home, too.

ART HOWE: Them or us?

ART HOWE: I would hope that the Yankee players and Joe and his staff know me pretty well. I think nothing but -- they are the greatest. I mean, they are the champs, a first-class organization run by first-class people, and we hope that we can measure up to them. And that's why we are coming in to see if we can find a way to get three wins this year rather than two. That's our goal. We didn't come in here with anything else on our mind by trying to win. Obviously, I made a stupid comment yesterday, I guess. But I'm proud of my club and we're going to try to do our best.

ART HOWE: Actually, you know, it was funny. Before I came in here yesterday, I told the guys, watch what they say to the press. And today, I had to say, "Do as I say, not as I do." The guys are actually having some fun with me. They have a picture up there with me with tape over my mouth. (Laughter.)

ART HOWE: We realized quite a ways back that we would probably have to play the Yankees and we know what they are all about in the post-season. History shows that they get ready for the post-season and they play great baseball and the only way you are going to be able to beat them is to try to measure up to them and try to play with them at that level. At the same time, it's a new season and what we have done this year really doesn't matter now. It starts tonight and we have to go out and play great ball from here forward. I guess we will all find out how it comes out.

ART HOWE: Very difficult. Gil has been a very big part of this club ever since I've been here. It was the toughest roster move I had to make, hands down. He's a quality human being, quality pitcher, and it was just tough.