AL DIVISION SERIES: ATHLETICS v YANKEES

October 12, 2001

Barry Zito

BARRY ZITO: Of course I'm going to try to do what they did, in the sense of having a great outing and being locked in and focused and hold them down and get a win. But in the sense of me trying to repeat somebody's outing or trying to compare myself to do this or that, or live up -- hey, these guys did this, so you have to go out, you can't think about that. I have to be myself, go out there and just have the style that I've had the last couple of months. And I think everything will turn out.

BARRY ZITO: Yeah, that's the big thing that I noticed that guys did. We didn't walk guys, and we got ahead, and that was -- That's always the key to having success, especially against a team like this. If I can get ahead and not get a 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 count I'll be all right.

BARRY ZITO: Yeah, that's something -- you could go either way. It could get you nervous or get you excited. The way I'm going to use it is to get me fired up and turn on the anxiety and get into a focused state of mind. The chance to do something like that against a team that's good, that's what every guy wants. That's what every pitcher in the Big Leagues is waiting for. I've got a tough battle with Mussina. He's been one of the hottest guys this season, and he's had a great year, and I'm looking forward to going out and doing well.

BARRY ZITO: I can go back and look at videotapes and reports and what they've done and what I've done, but the true test is in the playoffs. And they're playing real well right now. They've been hitting the ball pretty well in these past couple of games, and we've edged them out. But I think that I can go in and be expecting to just say, oh, I've had success before, I'm going to have it again. I have to focus on the process and throw one pitch at a time.

BARRY ZITO: Yeah, I definitely think I am. Obviously I've got the experience, and I had kind of a turnaround mentally this year, going from a struggling year, one that I thought was going to be average or below average to a year that I thought I turned around pretty good. And that's helped me on the mental side of it, and it's also helped me prepare for this start.

BARRY ZITO: Yeah, I think there's not a big difference. I don't know if they're going to come out with a different approach. But the bottom line is that regardless of circumstance, they're still the Yankees, and they've got great hitters 1 through 9, and I'm not going to go about my business any differently. I wouldn't expect them to come out and be more aggressive or more patient. I think they're going to stick with their game plan because it's worked for them all year. Like I said, I'm going to stick with my style of pitching and hopefully things will turn out.

BARRY ZITO: I just kind of -- I did a lot of thinking about myself, the way I viewed myself as a pitcher and I fell into the trap of always comparing myself to last year. Last year was kind of like a dark shadow hanging over me that I had to live up to, and I felt like that early in the year. And then I cleaned the slate, this is a whole new year, I'm a new pitcher. Don't worry about last year, and don't try to live up to last year's numbers and expectations, just be fresh and confident. And the confident side of it is definitely what led to my having that last streak at the end of the year and also putting together some good outings.

BARRY ZITO: Yeah, it was definitely tough. I mean watching Game 1 was okay. I wasn't too nervous for our guys out there because it was exciting to be out there the first night. Game 2 it was more of a nail-biting game, it was 1-0 the whole game. And I was in the clubhouse with our general manager, palms sweaty and very anxious and stuff. And Mulder and myself were talking about how nervous we are when we're not in control of our own faith, and we have to sit on the sidelines and watch. So I think this third game it will be a lot more calming because I know that I'm the one out there controlling it instead of just watching somebody else.

BARRY ZITO: It was pretty fun. Obviously we have a loose clubhouse, and I'm sitting there with the GM and Paul DePodesta, the Assistant GM, also. And it's a good vibe, it's a good feeling just to be so relaxed and hang out. And you can talk about this and that, not always baseball. And I think the fact that it starts like that at the top and works it's way all down through the clubhouse, that's why we're so loose and relaxed and confident.