AL DIVISION SERIES: ATHLETICS v YANKEES

October 11, 2001

Art Howe

ART HOWE: Yeah, I wanted to check to go see if he had anything left in the tank. He told me he had a lot. I said -- I lied a little bit, I said, "This is your last hitter so give it everything you've got." I was thinking about taking him out at the seventh when he got that big out. I started taking opinions and votes. I got one yea and one nay and I decided, the heck with it, I'll let him go back out there and see if he can get us through the eighth and he did. He did a great job.

ART HOWE: It was the difference in the game. He has been big for us ever since he's come over, not only playing on the field, but his leadership in the clubhouse. He's been a tremendous addition for us. There's other guys that have probably gotten a lot more innings since he's come over, but he's been just as big as anybody that we've acquired during the season.

ART HOWE: First of all I would like to talk about Andy Pettitte. That was a tremendous performance. We got some hits on him but he battled like he always does and kept his club right there. We could not get a hit with runners in scoring position and that just shows how tough he is. We tip our hat to him. He's a tremendous competitor and great pitcher. Equal effort from Hudson to do. Hudson I said a couple days ago, the reason we went with him, number two, is he's always been able to gut it up for us in the big games. Remind me of the first year we went into Arizona. He faced the Big Unit, battled him tooth and nail and beat him. Several other times, he faced Cy Young's Pedro; he beat him 2-0 that year. This kid gets up for big games.

ART HOWE: I think it's more of a maturity thing. Being there last year, getting a taste of it and coming so close, you know, I don't know. I wish I could put my finger on it, but I'm real proud of the way they are playing. I'm still waiting for a hit with men in scoring position. That would help. (Laughs).

ART HOWE: As active as I can. I've already been involved, starting in spring training. I thought we had something maybe going right then and there, but as the season has gone along, obviously the situation has changed. I know he's going to be a free agent, but I'm praying like heck he's wearing green again next year.

ART HOWE: I just went out to see what he had left. I told him at that point, you know, this is going to be your last hitter, so don't leave anything back. Go give me everything you've got. Then, like I said after that inning was over, I started getting an opinion from a couple of my coaches, "Do you think he has anything left?" Checked his pitch count; it was a little over 100 at that time. Looking at who was coming up, I just felt like he could go back out and give us another inning.

ART HOWE: Well, it's the best we could ever expect. But we also know that they are not going to quit. They are the champions for a reason, and we have to find a way to win one more game from them, and it's not going to be easy.