MLB WORLD SERIES: METS v YANKEES

October 25, 2000

Bobby Valentine

BOBBY VALENTINE: I certainly hope not, but there's been a lot of players that I've been loyal to. It's most every one of them that have had the same uniform that I've had on. I don't know, maybe. I don't think so. I don't think it ever clouds my judgment of what I think is best for the team.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I did not hear that. But I didn't hear how vocal they were. No, I didn't hear that. They're better at getting tickets than our fans, huh? (Laughter.)

BOBBY VALENTINE: I'm not real good at the evaluation thing. I think it's been my opinion it's been good for baseball. It's been rather exciting, the games. Paul O'Neill's hit better than he was coming into the Series. That's surprised me a little -- not necessarily surprised me, because he's been a great hitter his whole career. According to our reports, he wasn't swinging the bat that well early.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I don't know. It seems like it worked in our favor. The odds will be with us for him to get a win.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I think we feel better today coming to the park than we did yesterday. I don't know how that's going to translate in how we play the game.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Rey Ordonez is in our future. I think we have him for at least another three years. I think the team's performed well with Bordick in Rey's absence.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I think there's a lot of media, but there's one break that you have here in that the clubhouse is closed before the game. And I think for our guys that's less media as opposed to more media. It's usually right up until whatever it is, 40 minutes before the game, that they're rather barraged by questions. So it's probably been more out on the field and more mini press conferences, but probably less media contact before the game.

BOBBY VALENTINE: No, I'm never nervous with this group. They seem to know what to say and do. I trust that.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Yeah, there's more of it. I think it's a factor when you put on a New York uniform. I know our organization does everything they can to help the players be prepared as they can be. But, again, there's no substitute for experience. And when guys experience it, they either figure out how to cope with it or try to bail out.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Well, I'll tell you, I'm very comfortable with Bobby Jones pitching. Tomorrow, I'll be very comfortable with Al Leiter pitching. I think that Al has been here. He understands the situation and the preparation. I just got through talking to him out on the field. I think he's mentally and physically ready. That's all that you hope for. I think his experience has gotten him to this day prepared, and I think it will get him one more day also.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Again, I just consider the source on all that stuff. Sometimes people know what they're talking about; sometimes they don't. So I don't get bothered by it.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Payton? In the sixth inning?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I just thought he'd get a hit in the eighth inning to help us win the game? No.

BOBBY VALENTINE: For the record, I thought he'd have a good chance of getting a hit. He's been our best defensive player all year. I thought that with the score tied 2-2, defense was as important as a hit. There were no outs. I felt if he didn't do it, somebody else could. Didn't turn out that way. And he didn't. But I think it's a nice thing to say, "What an idiot." The guy has a, you know, whatever, record with the bases loaded. I think the last -- I go in the recent past. His record with bases loaded in the recent past was very good. Last night wasn't that good. He was on a roll.

BOBBY VALENTINE: For me, it's been absolute fun. I know that a lot of people have enjoyed it with me. I like that a lot. I appreciate that there haven't been many people who have tried to keep it from being fun who aren't wearing the "Yankee pinstripes." "The Yankee pinstripes" I understand, they're trying to make it as little fun as possible.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Lunch was good today. I had the Torre Pasta at my place. It was really good. (Laughter.) And business was okay, too. Yeah.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Well, they're quality pitchers who have thrown quality pitches every at-bat. I expect big things of them thus far, because he's an outstanding baseball player. I think he's missed his pitch almost once an at-bat, and possibly he's gotten a little frustrated with the fact that he didn't cash in when he had the opportunity, and I think he's expanded his zone just a little.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Well, it was 9:00 on the West Coast, right when everybody's tuning in to their television, and a lot of places around the world it was right in prime time. In New York it was 12:00. Maybe that tarnishes a little for some of the people here who have a 6:00 wake-up call every morning like I do. But I think it's been great for baseball. Maybe there will be a conscientious, streamlined effort to speed the game, the process up a little. Not the game. I don't think the game needs to be sped up at all. But I think the process could definitely be worked on.