NL DIVISION SERIES: CARDINALS v DIAMONDBACKS

October 8, 2001

Matt Morris

MATT MORRIS: I think that's going to work to my advantage. We faced them early in the year and I don't think I was half the pitcher that I am now, just coming off the injury and not having the full year the previous year and then getting out there and still learning what I can do. Early on in the season and by now I've figured out pretty much what I have to do to win, so I think I'm in a better spot.

MATT MORRIS: I think it does. These guys are going to be under the microscope. They're two workhorses that are going to go out there and try to put up zeros, but again I can slip in there and do the same thing. If I go out there and execute my pitches. We have a good chance to win.

MATT MORRIS: It's been such a different year for me as far as where I was last year, even thinking about the spot we are in now as a team, you know and me throwing the first game is night and day, so I think I'm going to wait until the season is over, hopefully after the World Series and soak it all in then. But it's definitely been an unbelievable season.

MATT MORRIS: It doesn't bother me at all. I don't think those guys are definitely proven starters. I think longevity has a lot to do with it, they've been doing it year in and year out. Again, I'm coming off the year and I've had a good year to be even put in a class with them or have as many wins or even more than those guys is unbelievable. All the other accolades are great and accomplishments, but right now we're going to focus on tomorrow's game and get that one out of the way.

MATT MORRIS: I think opening up any kind of series, you want to start out on top. Whether it's a short series or a seven game series. It's -- coming out on the road yesterday, we were facing the Astros and we decided the division after that game, so it's tough for us to go back and pack and head here, but now our concentration has been on Arizona and you know, wherever they've got to be played we have to win three games and hopefully we can get them done.

MATT MORRIS: They have a great veterans line up, a lot of lefties, these are smart hitters. I'm going to try to execute and I think when I'm executing the ball, putting it where I want with Mike Matheny behind the plate, with his knowledge, Dave Duncan and Tony LaRussa with their knowledge, if I can execute, we'll be in a good spot.

MATT MORRIS: I think you can control going out and pitching well, putting up good performances and quality starts, but I don't think you can control how many wins you're going to have at the end of the year, I think the team has done a tremendous job every time I take the ball. That's all worked out in my favor, with a lot of luck and with some good starts I was able to get those wins, it wasn't something I was looking at. My goal in spring training was to take the ball every fifth day and coming off the arm injury. I just wanted to be a reliable starter for this team, and like I said, it's just worked out well.

MATT MORRIS: With the way the organization handled me last year putting me in the bullpen, kind of saved my arm a little bit. And coming in this year physically I've felt fine all year, and I'm going to knock on wood because anything can happen. I feel fine, it was a matter of getting my confidence back with my pitches and just being out there, seeing situations and being part of the game again. And as that went on I gained more confidence with the things I can do and was able to get outs.

MATT MORRIS: That just really decided what we have to do, it was a tough loss yesterday, but again we made the playoffs, it was unbelievable it came down to the last game, everything riding on that, both teams knew they were in the playoffs, once we figured out where we were going, yeah it was more of a hassle getting everything ready and getting out of there, I think a lot of guys were thinking of sitting home and waiting for the Braves to come in, that's not the way it worked out. We're here and we're going to get the job done.

MATT MORRIS: Just the games that I pitched over this year, I know I let a lot of games get away from me, not a lot, but some games emotionally, I lose my head a little bit, and not execute pitches. And I think as the season went on I started to get better at that and started to be more of a pitcher. It's going to be a big game tomorrow and there is going to be a lot of excitement on both sides, like I said I'm going to try to keep my focus and execute pitches and I think that's going to be good enough.