NL DIVISION SERIES: MARLINS v GIANTS

September 29, 2003

Josh Beckett

JOSH BECKETT: Yeah. I have to, don't I? I'm sure he'll be in the lineup. I think before I take questions, I'd like to say something back to the fans in Miami who have really gotten behind us, they're really excited about, you know, everything that's going on for us. Just say hi to all them and thanks for getting back behind us.

JOSH BECKETT: I mean, they obviously expected a lot. That's why they went out and hired somebody new. You know, we actually had a meeting the next day after Jack was hired. Our GM Larry Beinfest told us that he expected more out of us. You know, our president of the club actually got it right on the nose, predicting how many wins we were going to have in spring training.

JOSH BECKETT: No, I don't think so. I think Curt Schilling's a little further along than I am. I'm honored by that comparison, but I think I still have a little ways to go. Curt Schilling has won a few more games. Like I said, I'm honored to be mentioned in the same sentence with Curt Schilling.

JOSH BECKETT: I think we definitely feed off each other. I think anytime you're in a competitive atmosphere, we all kind of compete against each other. When you see everybody doing well, you're like, "wow, I want to go out my next start." You see the guy the day before you pitch well, you want to go out there and top their outing. Like I said, we're all competitors. I think it's friendly competition.

JOSH BECKETT: I mean, I guess everybody has a little bit of that. But, you know, there's been so many guys that have tried and not succeeded, so why be another victim? Like I said, I mean, you'd like to go out there and blow him away. But there's been so many guys that have tried and haven't been very successful. Just play for the tie, do what you need to do, listen to your manager.

JOSH BECKETT: We played three games here each year. I don't know. I mean, I've been here twice now. This is my third time. So I don't know. I can't really pinpoint anything right now

JOSH BECKETT: I mean, I can't remember the exact date. But, yeah, like I said, I think we all expected it - not expected it, but we all knew we were capable of it during spring training. We thought we had a great team in spring training. We didn't start off too good. Like I said, we turned it around. That's amazing what this team really did, what we went through this year. To be sitting where I'm sitting right now, it's a pretty cool deal.

JOSH BECKETT: I'm pretty young, so I've always played for older managers. But, no, you know, he's like one of us, though. He likes to kid around. He has a good time. He has a great sense of humor. I don't look at him as that. He obviously has some wisdom and stuff, and he's passed that down to us. So I think in that aspect, he's really helped us. But like I said, I don't think any of us look at him as the old Jack McKeon. We don't look at him as a 72-year-old. He'll come and have a conversation with me about a movie he saw yesterday or something. You know, he's like one of us.

JOSH BECKETT: Yeah, he's one of the best, you know, one of the best around right now. You can just watch him pitch, he's got a great change-up. I don't know that anybody gives him that much credit for that. I haven't heard anybody say that. But he has a great change-up. He pitches fastball, change-up mainly, I think, the games I've seen him pitch. He's gutsy. I know, after that stuff happened with his mom, he came out his next game and threw a complete game shutout. I think a lot of guys were pulling for him to do that. I think he stepped up. It was a big deal, you know.

JOSH BECKETT: You got to go out and set the tone, you know, you got to set the tone for the series. You know, I mean, I've been a Game 1 starter in a series before - never one of this magnitude. But I'm looking forward to it. It's a great honor. Some people go their whole career and never get this chance. I'm getting it my second full year.

JOSH BECKETT: No, not at all. Most of these guys, we never even set foot in a playoff atmosphere until three weeks ago. I definitely don't think we're out of adrenaline. Plus, we're young. Like I said, I think this is going to be a great series. Hopefully everything works out.

JOSH BECKETT: I have no control over that. I'm not expecting one way or the other.

JOSH BECKETT: I think with youth, there's a little bit of stupidity. Sometimes maybe the youth might be just stupid enough to pull something like this out. I think both things can be a good deal.