AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARINERS v YANKEES

October 12, 2000

Andy Pettitte

ANDY PETTITTE: I don't know, obviously I think I play for a great team so that helps a lot. But just I've had some bad games in the post-season, also. When people always say that to me, it's kind of funny, I think. But I feel like the concentration level just gets a little increased when you get in the post-season, and get a little bit more locked in and again, like I said, we've got a great team and we've had a great run and that's definitely added to my success.

ANDY PETTITTE: They have got a great offense, and they have given me some trouble in the past. They have got several guys in their lineup that individually have given me a lot of trouble. So for me, the key is just probably to make sure -- try not to walk the guys, in front of obviously, A-Rod and Edgar and Jay and them guys, try to get the other guys out. But then the other guys are good hitters, too, so you've just got to make quality pitches and hopefully if you make good enough pitches you'll be able to get out of there without too many other runs.

ANDY PETTITTE: Obviously it is nice to know that the series is a little bit closer. If it would have been 2-0, far. As far as the approach I would take, everything would be exactly the same. You just feel like you're a little bit closer to maybe moving on instead of you could be a little bit closer to being eliminated and the approach is not any different. But it was nice to be able to battle back the way we did in that second game there at home and get a win out of that one.

ANDY PETTITTE: I'm not real sure. I know in Oakland it was kind of tough when we had to start out there, the hitters were having trouble seeing earlier in the game. I hope it is a little bit, because I feel like if I can settle down early and get going that's usually better for me. I'm not real sure. I haven't played here at this time or whatever, so I don't really know how the shadows are going to be and I don't know if in the series before, I didn't see any games whenever they were playing so I didn't know how the shadows were.

ANDY PETTITTE: It was tough, just because I really felt like we were going to win and I'm on airplane heading out to Oakland and I wanted to be there to celebrate and stuff like that. But by the time my plane landed, it was 3-0, and then 30 minutes, 45 minutes later it was 6-0. So basically at that point I'm just getting prepared to get ready to pitch. I made that trip all the way out there. It was almost like, okay, I'm glad I could pitch, I guess. But it was definitely -- it's not a good feeling when you leave the team and you have to go off, especially in a situation like that in the post-season, whenever we thought we would be celebrating that night.

ANDY PETTITTE: Well, almost every year since I've been up here, they have talked about trading me. I would say that for the most part, up until last year it was to motivate me. But I really feel and I'm almost positive that Mr. Steinbrenner was ready to get rid of me last year. But again, I think Skip stood by me and people in the organization stood by me, and didn't want it to happen. And I'm still here, and for that I'm very grateful. It has been special being on the Yankees. It has been special to be a part of what I've been able to be a part of for the last six years here, and I would have dearly missed it. But I do think that any time you have failure and especially when you have failure in New York, it puts even more pressure on you, and makes you want to try even harder, I guess. So I went home in the off-season and just tried to work as hard as I could to get physically ready and mentally ready and was hoping that I would have a great 2000 season.

ANDY PETTITTE: I would have to say just probably we had such nightmares of the Kingdome. Whenever we went into there, it was like a vacation to come to this ballpark and play. It is open. It is beautiful, and that dome, I think a lot of the guys on our team had so many bad memories from 1995, especially, and just dreaded going to the Kingdome.

ANDY PETTITTE: He's a tough out for me. There's really not a pitch that he really can't handle. You just have to move the ball around, try to keep him off balance a little bit, which is very tough to do. He goes the other way great. So, again, like I said earlier it's just a matter of realizing that he is going to get his hits and hopefully he doesn't do too much damage against you.

ANDY PETTITTE: I hope it's history. Obviously it has gotten late in the year, and I went pretty hard that last game in Oakland. I know I only went four innings, but I was working pretty hard in that game. I feel good. This extra day, instead of going on three days and getting my full rest here. Physically I'm feeling a lot better. Just get out and I feel great and hopefully we'll be able to have a good one.