NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS v CARDINALS

October 14, 2000

Bobby Valentine

BOBBY VALENTINE: We're going back and forth. I'd rather talk about today's game rather than being here tomorrow. Bobby Jones pitched a great game the last time he pitched and I'm looking forward to the same thing tomorrow.

BOBBY VALENTINE: The same guys are there, Ventura is batting fourth, Zeile's batting fifth, Agbayani and Bordick.

BOBBY VALENTINE: He caught it right off kind of his wrist, the top of his hand. Hard-hit ball. It was a little sore during that game. Yesterday it felt a little better and today it's even improved but there's still a little something there.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I see the same pitcher when Rick pitches, whether it's spring training or if we're playing a game in early May or if we're playing one late in the year. He prepares well. He's very determined. He gets his little inner cocoon and he loves the competition.

BOBBY VALENTINE: You mean the throw to third base the other day?

BOBBY VALENTINE: Yeah, that was bold. (Laughter.) Didn't have time to be nervous really. He's a very good player. Understand, the ball that he went for when we had the lead is exactly what you're supposed to do there. If the ball gets by, who cares, it's two outs, you get the third out when you have a big lead. It doesn't matter where the runner is, that's the time you dive for the ball, you take the extra chance to get the third out in the game or last out of the game.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Well, he was heralded by Omar Minaya early in the year and throughout the year. And Howie Freyling (phonetic spelling) and John Gibbons, both compared him to other players that were on that Triple A team so I could have an idea of what they thought of him and they thought quite highly of him. It's hard to think that we didn't call him up sooner, knowing he has this kind of ability I guess. But it's not hard to see that ability and translate it into a contribution in the post-season. It probably says something about the number of position players that play ahead of him in Japan who probably could be pretty good players over here.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I thought Tony did a great job in the season of developing Ankiel and also overcoming some of the injuries that he had not only this year but in other years, his starting staff. One of our foundations, one of our strengths is the fact that we were able to have the same guys from start to finish, Bobby Jones had a little break and Rick had a little break and I guess Mike missed a start. But for the most part, because of Glendon Rusch's ability as the fifth guy, we were very consistent. I think that was a very big strength of the team.

BOBBY VALENTINE: I don't know why they would, really. But I think there's a couple guys who are going to test it and my personal preference is to keep that league strong. I don't like when the good players leave there and come here. I think that the best thing for the world would be for them to maintain a strong league and keep getting better so that it could be true world competition some day. It doesn't look like we're going in that direction and the founding fathers of the game think this All-Star, World Cup-type play is better for the game. I don't particularly like that. I think it's diametrically opposed to what the Asian culture thinks about a team. I think the strength of their team is the fact that they work together, play together, continuously. They know each other and their team is much stronger than the group of the kids. Therefore, their All-Star group, I don't think, is as strong as our All-Star group because our individuals are really the things that separate us I think. That being said, I'm not in favor of it, but for the special few who want to do it because Japanese situation has taken the turn that it's taken, I welcome their addition.

BOBBY VALENTINE: This is really a tangent, but I'm aware of him, very aware of him, and I mean, he's world-class. He's the top five players in the world. He's what Sasaki is to relief pitching, he is to outfielders. He's great.

BOBBY VALENTINE: The idea of it being contagious says that the next day's pitcher takes particular notice to the game prior to his start. If there's a consistent pitcher the day before, there are certain things that he can zoom in on to figure out how his style will, in fact, be applicable when he's pitching. So a guy pitches a good game and you get to see a lot of the sameness during the game as you're scouting it for the next game. I think you then have a little edge, rather than a lot of relief pitchers and different styles in and out.

BOBBY VALENTINE: Again, I think quality and talent is the overriding factor in both cases. Just a blanket rule, yes, I think you can become confused if you're looking at many different looks during a game and particularly if it's not successful, what you're looking at isn't successful, then the question goes up, "Hmm, he hit that pitch, I better not throw it. What do I throw?"