AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARINERS v YANKEES

October 17, 2000

Lou Piniella

LOU PINIELLA: Well, they proved why they are World Champions. There's no quitting over there. We knew that coming into this series. They don't rattle very easily and they play with a lot of confidence, and it showed in this series. But at the same time, our team never quit; battled all year. I had a little meeting with the team and told them just that and how much I appreciated everything that they have done this year. They have nothing to be ashamed of. As far as the Yankees are concerned, now they can go battle the Mets in the Subway Series.

LOU PINIELLA: Well, the sad part about baseball is no matter -- or any sport, really, no matter how far you go up the ladder of success, unless you end up being the World Championship team, you're going to face some disappointment. We wanted to bring the World Series to Seattle in the worst way. The city deserves it. They have got great fans and have supported us so well. We just fell a little short. But I feel really good about what we've accomplished this year.

LOU PINIELLA: I don't know how many pitches he threw, but he was out there in the eighth inning. The guy battles. He battles. They all do over there. I mean, you don't have the success that they have had over the last three or four years without really having some character and some heart, and some talent.

LOU PINIELLA: Well, did he swing at it? I thought he did, but I always think they do. Sure, it did. A big difference throwing a 3-1 fastball as opposed to a 2-2 slider. But give Justice credit. He's a pro. He hangs in pretty well against left-handed pitching.

LOU PINIELLA: The way this team came together, the way we had to mix and match, the way there was no quit, ever. The way these guys went out and worked and were professional and the chemistry was so good. I never had a problem in that clubhouse from the first day of Spring Training on. It was just a fun club to manage, very professional approach, and just fell a little short. But these guys should be proud of what they have done.

LOU PINIELLA: Well, late innings, we knew we would get to that. We knew that Rhodes was very important for us in this series, with the left-handed bats the Yankees ran up there. And he's done such a marvelous job for us all year. Anybody can get hit.

LOU PINIELLA: This is a great sports town. It's a two-team, just about everything town. But baseball has always been special here in this city, and the Mets have their legion of fans and the Yankees certainly have theirs. And now, they can go spill beer on each other. They can get raucous with each other, and I can watch it from afar.

LOU PINIELLA: Remember, we played at Shea Stadium for two years, my first two years here; we played at Shea Stadium. I haven't been to Shea Stadium since the end of the 1992 season when I managed the Reds, but they are good fans. They are knowledgeable fans, and they get a little rowdy at times, but listen, they have supported their teams well in this city throughout the years; specifically this year, and they are both going to be rewarded with something special for this city. May the best team win. I'm an American Leaguer, and at the same time, I've played with the Yankees, so I'm going to be rooting for the Yankees, but may the best team win. I'm not, certainly, that bias. It is going to be won on the field and it's going to be a heck of a battle because they are both very, very solid baseball teams.