NL DIVISION SERIES: BRAVES v ASTROS

October 9, 2001

Chipper Jones

CHIPPER JONES: Well, you know, Billy's one of those guys that comes out of the bullpen firing. He throws upper 90s, 100s sometimes. You'd be stupid to look for anything else. I mean, he's a guy who just rears back and says, "Here it is. Hit it if you can." Fortunately, I was able to get the better part of my bat on it and eke it over the fence in a big situation.

CHIPPER JONES: I was a little bit surprised. But they got so much depth down there in the bullpen, they can run a number of guys out there actually that strike fear in the hearts of most hitters. But in that situation, you're looking, as a manager, to get out of that inning with a tie ball game and hope your offense can come through in the bottom of the eighth or ninth. And, you know, Billy's a strikeout artist. I'm sure Larry was looking to stop all momentum right there with a couple strikeouts. But we were able to come through today against him.

CHIPPER JONES: A few years ago more so than now. I mean, just because, you know, my first three or four years in the league, managers would -- late in the game would run out there to bring a lefty in to turn me around and I'd be like, "Here we go again" (smiling). But now, obviously the last few years, from a home run, average standpoint, right-handed, I feel pretty comfortable. Have hit my share of homers. Now I just take it with a grain of salt. I think it was more so a case of them just wanting to halt momentum right there, and Billy has a reputation for doing that.

CHIPPER JONES: Well, it's one game. I wouldn't really say it's vulnerable. They got some studs down there. Mike Jackson is proven in a setup role. What else can you say about Wags? Dotel has thrown extremely well for them this year. Mike Williams was a big pickup for them at the trade deadline. He was a quality closer before he came over here. So, you know, this is just one game. They could come out tomorrow, seventh, eighth, ninth inning and be nails and be right back where they were before today. I have nothing but respect for all of those guys.

CHIPPER JONES: No. Not really. I mean, you know, I consider Billy to be a friend of mine. I've been on the opposite end of playing at home and having a Barry Bonds or a Sammy Sosa or a Mark McGwire come into town and have our fans cheer those guys. You know, I understand, because you want your fans to be a little (supportive) to yourself and your ballclub. But on the other hand, you have to understand what these guys are coming to these parks trying to accomplish. You have Mark McGwire hitting 70 home runs, now Barry hitting 73, and Sammy nipping at their heels, and Sammy and Mac are approaching 600 home runs. I mean, if I'm a fan and I'm walking in to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, yeah, I want the Braves to win, but I want to see Barry and Big Mac and Sammy do their thing, too. And hopefully it won't hurt my team's chances of winning. But I think it was just a comment said in frustration. I really didn't hear much in the clubhouse of anybody that thought twice about it.

CHIPPER JONES: It's huge. It's big. As a team coming in on the road in the playoffs, your first goal -- your worst-case scenario is, "I want to leave out of here with a split." If you win Game 1 and have an opportunity to come out and win Game 2, you certainly want to take advantage of that. So we've accomplished our worst-case scenario. Now we'll try for the best-case scenario (smiling).