NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS v CARDINALS

October 16, 2000

Mike Hampton

MIKE HAMPTON: I really didn't see it as bold. I mean, I really felt that I usually don't say things unless I feel them. The team needed a big game, I was able to get a cushion early, give me three runs early. I was able to settle down a little bit. The emotions were running high. I was pumped up for this. To beat a Cardinal team like we did tonight, it takes everybody's focus. We had to stay focused for nine innings.

MIKE HAMPTON: I mean, I know New York would love to see it. Me, personally, right now I'm just happy that we're heading to the World Series and regardless of who we play, I know we're going to play hard.

MIKE HAMPTON: Just -- actually, I was able to focus every pitch. Some of those games you might lose focus for an inning and then the next thing you know, you're out there battling and you're two or three runs down. I was able to focus and I knew what I wanted to do and I was able to execute it for the most part.

MIKE HAMPTON: I really haven't been able to think much about Mets history. I wanted to come out and pitch a big game. I wanted my team to be there behind me and I wanted them to have an easy night. I was fortunate, things went my way. Guys behind me, they know they're going to be busy when I pitch. I'm a ground-ball pitcher, they're going to have to work. They were flawless tonight.

MIKE HAMPTON: Yeah, I guess. I'm not done thinking about this one yet. I want to stay with this first. For tonight, I know, I'll probably be miserable for my wife. But what can I say? I'm just happy with the way things turned out.

MIKE HAMPTON: We got pretty hot the last I'd say about five games of the season, very confident going into post-season. We've beat two very good teams, the Giants have a great team and they won the most games in the league, and then we had to face the Cardinals team that never quit. So I think we're very confident in our ability. I think the biggest thing is we didn't try to do too much. We took care of ourselves and did our own job and not trying to do too much out there and it really showed.

MIKE HAMPTON: Well, we -- we're close. I'm close. We still got, the way I see it, four games to win to feel that -- fulfill that fantasy. It's a good step. We're playing great right now. We're confident. But we're still four games away and we're going to take it one game at a time and we're going to battle until the end. Hopefully, we'll come out on top.

MIKE HAMPTON: Just a lot of focus and concentration I guess I was talking about. Getting back to the basics, trust myself and not trying to do too much. A lot of times with a new team or a new park, you try to pitch for the wrong reasons. I think I was. I was pitching to impress people and show them that I was that No. 1 type guy, that 22 wins wasn't a fluke. I think once I got over that and just got back to the basics and said, "You know what, I'm going to pitch my game, I'll trust my stuff. I think I have the stuff to win games. I'm not going to put any pressure on myself, any added pressure," once I got over that and started getting comfortable, everything else was downhill and I started letting people work from behind me instead of trying to strike people out, overthrow, trust myself, relied on my sinking fastball to get people out, let everybody else pick up the slack.

MIKE HAMPTON: I think the three runs, I felt confident myself. But you're not really safe with three runs. A couple hits and a home run or a couple -- can put them right back in it. So I was focused. I didn't really have to remind myself. But after we scored -- after Todd had the three-run double, then I had to start telling myself, "Focus, do your job, strike one," all the little things, the keys that you use during the game get ahead, keep the ball down the middle, side of the plate, had to keep in mind not to get too excited. But this is a great time for the Mets. I was privileged to be on the mound tonight.