NL DIVISION SERIES: BRAVES v CARDINALS

October 7, 2000

Fernando Vina

FERNANDO VINA: I think they both have great teams, we have to keep doing what we have been doing, prepare ourselves the right way. Keep doing little things. Keep going about our business the way we have. The Braves have a great team. We just keep going hard, play hard for nine innings, see what happens, regardless of who we are playing.

FERNANDO VINA: Not really. I worked hard with Mike Easler. If I can stay inside some balls, the type of hitter I am, sometimes I will -- try to hit the ball hard. Every now and then you get backspin and be able to hit it. Millwood is great. He threw a fast ball; I was able to react, stay inside and keep it fair.

FERNANDO VINA: You know, any time you go against the Braves, these guys are the two best pitchers ever to pitch in the game. They are awesome. We did not try to think too much of what they did in the past; we tried to prepare ourselves, try not to psych yourself out. They are awesome. You cannot look at what they do, as much as try to prepare for what they do day in and day out. That is all we thought about. We tried to take good approaches. If we won at the end, we would be happy; if they beat it us, we would tip our hat.

FERNANDO VINA: Definitely. Tony, he is an awesome manager. Coming here, this is my first year playing for him, it has been a great treat for me. The way he goes about his business, the way he does things day in and day out, like a player, hard nose, it rubs off on us. Playing for this team, I played five years in Milwaukee, it was a good place to start. I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. Coming here is something special, this is what I always dreamed about, playing post-season, trying to win the last game. That is what we are going for. I thank God I got traded over here to play for this team.

FERNANDO VINA: I did, on Sunday, the last day of the season, I tried something different. I like the red showing, stuck with it. I called home last night, talked to my nine-year old son, Fernando, Jr. he said, dad, I like that, I will do it. He is on the winter league, Red Birds. I like it. I am sticking with it. That is my boy. I like the way it looks, he does, too, I am going with it