NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARLINS v CUBS

October 6, 2003

Josh Beckett

JOSH BECKETT: Is it a surprise; no. We had to battle a lot during September so I think that maybe prepared us a little bit for the post-season because we were all playing post-season games at that time. We knew we could do this from spring training. We didn't come out of the box like we wanted to, and look where we are at now.

JOSH BECKETT: They have got a big-league lineup. I've got to do what I've been doing the whole second half, the first half for that matter, too. I just have to throw like it's a regular-season game. I can't change my approach or anything like that. I just have to go at them like I've been going at everybody.

JOSH BECKETT: Mikey is a big part of why we are where we are. 32 home runs at the beginning of September when he got hurt, 32 home runs, 105 RBIs, he was on pace to set all-new career records and probably Marlin records, too and Mikey stepped up big. It's great to have him back. He's kind of one of our leaders, too. He's one of our more vocal leaders.

JOSH BECKETT: I think he just found a way to motivate each one of us individually. He doesn't baby any of us. He treats us like we're his kids. He treats us like -- when we are not doing what we are supposed to do, he treats us like we are being punished. That motivates some of us and I think that's helped us. He brought some life too us, too. I was a big Jeff Torborg fan and he was basically my first big league manager. It was tough losing him. But I guess we kind of turned it around since Jack's been here.

JOSH BECKETT: You're right, I've had so many catchers. I guess just working with him has kind of helped us -- he got a feel for us during spring training and it took us through the first part year to get used to each one of us individually. That's why you don't see us shake him off anymore because he's on the same page. Early in the year there was some big stuff made about us not getting along and there was nothing true about all that at all. I think what's really helped in the second half is that he's on the same page. He knows what I want to throw, when I want to throw a curveball and when I want to throw a changeup.

JOSH BECKETT: I don't know. I can't answer that.

JOSH BECKETT: He's been great. Actually I told somebody earlier, we have a few Latin guys on our team and he's really stepped in and been a leader for those guys, too. Not only the pitching staff, that's all he gets credit for, but he's been a leader on the field for our position players, also.

JOSH BECKETT: Well, we changed managers in the middle of the year. I think we have overcome a lot, injuries. Our ownership went out and signed Jeff Conine, who has been maybe our MVP in September, defensively and offensively. Like I said, we've overcome some injuries and stuff like that and I think the credit has to go to our GM and our ownership.

JOSH BECKETT: I feel fresh. I've actually had a couple extra days. I'm going to go out today like it was Saturday and I'm supposed to pitch Sunday. I'm going to do the exact same thing I did Saturday. It's the same thing I had to do at the beginning of the year. I had an extra day off before that first game against San Francisco. I feel good, and I'm looking forward to getting out there and pitching.

JOSH BECKETT: Nothing comes to mind right now. I usually have one or two but I don't have one right now.

JOSH BECKETT: It would be pretty sweet no matter how we did, I think. Like I said, we thought in spring training that we had a chance to be here. I know as a group of players, everybody called us the surprise team. Like I said, our team is not surprised by what we have done. We underachieved for the first couple of months and I think that's how we became the surprise team. Like I said, during spring training we thought we had a good chance. When Jeff was our manager, he was always positive. We had a meeting in spring training about where we thought we should be and it was right here.

JOSH BECKETT: He's been the same the whole time. He's been a little bit more of a leader in the second half. Did he lead us in the first half, too, but when you are struggling a little bit, it's hard to be the vocal leader. That's where Mike Lowell stepped in and he was our leader and now come down to crunch time, Pudgy is starting to step up, and that's his time. He started to lead us.

JOSH BECKETT: I don't think so. I think he was pretty comfortable with us anyway.