AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES v ATHLETICS

October 3, 2000

Art Howe

ART HOWE: We knew coming into the season he was going to be a key ingredient to our pitching staff and being successful. It was his first full year as a closer and he did a great job. After the All-Star break, he hit a little bit of a lull, but this last month he has been outstanding and we would not be sitting here right now without him.

ART HOWE: Experience. I think he's more of a pitcher now. He had just tremendous stuff when he was young and just dominated hitters. Now he knows that he has to make pitchers rather than just trying to overpower people. He is a complete pitcher. And having a veteran come back tomorrow, no matter what the situation, is big for us.

ART HOWE: Actually, I'm more relaxed now than the last couple days of the season. And we're here. Tonight is not the last game of the series. We've got to somehow win this series and go on to the next level. But I'm very content. I feel good about our club. I think we're playing our best baseball of the year, and hopefully it is going to continue on into the playoffs.

ART HOWE: Oh, very difficult. Any time you have to adjust and maybe take some people off the team that have been there, especially almost all year, it is very difficult. But, you know, every round is a different round. You can add people and subtract people. Hopefully we will get that opportunity. Like I said, it has taken a whole club to get us here, and just because a player is not included in this series, if we get to the next round, there could be some adjustments then.

ART HOWE: I think it is just a matter of seeing him. Seeing enough left-handers to start getting comfortable against them. I think that is why our at-bats started getting better against them. And some injuries when we last Jaha and Saenz for a period of time, I didn't have a right-handed hitter to put up there anyway. So the lefties had to go out there and battle, and it made them better for it.

ART HOWE: Hopefully, we'll do better this time around. He is an outstanding pitcher. He is a playoff-seasoned guy. Knows how to get it done in the post-season. Each guy we are facing knows how to get it done in the post-season so we have our work cut out for us. But if we swing the bats the way we are capable, we have a shot at beating each and every one of them.

ART HOWE: I think it is big for both clubs. We'd like to get off with a win, and whoever gets that first one under their belt, it makes it a little bit easier. But we do feel good about who is going for us in New York, and no matter what happens here, we feel we're going to do just fine when we get to New York.