AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS v MARINERS

October 13, 2001

Lou Piniella

LOU PINIELLA: We're going to change it around from the first game.

LOU PINIELLA: I'm not sure. But we're going to change it around some tomorrow.

LOU PINIELLA: We had a chance to break the game open a little bit like we did in Seattle the other day, but he pitched out of it. They came right back and put runs on the board and took momentum of the game and got the crowd into it, and they just added on. Maybe we tired them out tonight and they won't come out and swing the bats too well tomorrow.

LOU PINIELLA: He's got good stuff. He's got good stuff. He's got a good fastball in the mid-90s, and he's got a good breaking ball. He went out and competed well.

LOU PINIELLA: I think what made it easier for him was the fact they had nine runs on the board before the game was a third old. That settles you down pretty easy, pretty quickly as a pitcher. You get that type of lead, just go out there and throw the ball and you know the game is under control, pretty much.

LOU PINIELLA: Well, we took a shot. I didn't think he was throwing the ball particularly well. At the same time, Abbott was 5-0 but it didn't work out.

This was probably the worst game we played all year. Not because they scored 17 runs, but we were not sharp on the field.

LOU PINIELLA: We're going to come out and play a good ballgame tomorrow. I've got all the confidence in the world. If we are good enough, we win; and if not, we congratulate Cleveland and go home.

LOU PINIELLA: There was a lot of hits out there, 19 hits. I don't think we made particularly good pitches against them. They hit the ball all over the field. Tomorrow, Freddy has got to go out tomorrow and obviously make good pitches and he's certainly very capable of it. Whether you lose 17-2 or you lose 4-2, it's a loss. It's only one game. The only advantage is that I've got Nelson and Charlton and Rhodes and Sasaki well rested. If it had been a close ballgame and we had lost it, they would have been in the ballgame and we would not be as strong in the bullpen as we are for tomorrow.

LOU PINIELLA: No. Any team is capable of doing it, though. When you get behind like we did, you might lose concentration a little bit, but we just didn't play a good game.

LOU PINIELLA: We've got Freddy that's pitching on a regular rotation, four days, on his fifth day. He's pitched well all year and we can go to our bullpen any time we want, but we've got all the confidence in Freddy; that he will pitch a good ballgame for us tomorrow.

LOU PINIELLA: We didn't turn a couple double plays that we could have today. We just didn't play good ball, what can you say? I mean, it can happen to anybody. You don't want to see it happen. I'm sure my guys don't want it to happen any more than anybody else, but, listen, everybody is human.