NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS v CARDINALS

October 14, 2000

Andy Benes

ANDY BENES: I know, my slide was really bad, but that's what I had. (Laughter.) That's what I talked about most outside, my slide.

ANDY BENES: Well, I've had a lot of time to think about pitching in a playoff game here. I was thinking I have a very strong faith, and I was on the other side last year with Arizona and didn't get an opportunity to pitch in any of the games. I don't think there could be a better arena other than St. Louis to make a post-season start. I had a chance to pitch in a post-season game in Yankee Stadium; that was awesome, too. But to have the opportunity to pitch here in New York, I believe I had a divine appointment. I told my wife, she supported me last year when I sat in a hotel and didn't get to pitch. I'm thankful that I can wear the Cardinal uniform. When Tony said I had Game 3 here, I was excited. Not excited to face this line-up because they have a great line-up, but I was delighted to have the opportunity. I'm very thankful for that. I haven't had that many post-season starts. This is the best I've pitched. I went out and pitched. I watched Bobby Jones pitch a great game here against the Giants and what did he do? He went out, changed speeds, kept them off balance, used both sides of the plate, and right now, I don't have a fastball that I'm used to having because I'm not able to push as much, I'm going to have to locate my fastball, change speeds and use both sides of the plate. I felt like I was able to do that. A lot of -- couple big plays with the double plays, first inning Piazza and then with Payton. We played great in the field all year.

ANDY BENES: Well, they scored early in the games against us. It was nice to break out on top early. Our guys do a great job at the plate. They're good, professional at-bats. That's comforting to know that you'll have at least a few runs to work with. We scored more than I thought we would score, but you can never underestimate our offense; they've been great all year.

ANDY BENES: Well, I ended up -- I walked -- that's the inning they scored. I walked the leadoff guy. I think the thing that bothered me most was when I dove; my right arm kind of got in a bad position. So I went up, fortunately there was a pitching change and I had time, but our trainer kind of rubbed me down again. I was able to loosen back up. Obviously, the biggest play in that inning was the pitch to Payton and our defense made a great play. We just narrowly missed getting a bunch of runs with Mac, I believe, and so I was a -- that was a big shutdown for us. Even though they scored one, the crowd was really ready to get into that. So we were fortunate to get out of that. Jimmy made a great play on the ball Hamilton hit.

ANDY BENES: Well, I was excited if they decided to pitch me today. So whenever -- I'll be fine. Whenever they decide that they need me, I'll be available. Other than tomorrow.

ANDY BENES: Well, our guys, the starters, all we can do is take the ball and go as hard as we can. You never know what's going to happen in the game. I didn't really think too much about that. I was thinking more about their line-up and I got out of the jam in the fourth inning. I made some pitches and got some outs early in the counts. It kept me in the wind-up. Obviously, I felt a lot better out of the wind-up than the stretch. But I didn't really think about that. I know that whoever is called on is going to be ready when they come out of the bullpen.

ANDY BENES: Well, I went for about a month pitching, trying everything from a brace to a taping it. I have some cartilage problems that need to be repaired with surgery. I'm really used to it now. I have this brace that keeps my knee in line so I can actually go out and pitch; otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I was warming up and I got into a bad position, and it really bit me. So I had to stop warming up, went back in the tunnel and readjusted it. It was a little loose. There was only one time during the course of the game that it really bothered me. I threw a pitch to Bordick, it kind of grabbed me, I had to take some time, take a deep breath. But I'm getting used to it. I'll be excited when I go out and throw without having that problem but right now that's what I have to deal with, and I'll deal with it.

ANDY BENES: Well, I think everybody in our clubhouse thought we had a good opportunity to win. There had been a couple really good baseball games, and I'm sure every game from here on out is going to be a good game. 2-1 is okay. We'll come out and fight tomorrow. I just -- I really -- I was comfortable with the fact that I was going to go out and try to make good pitches. Like I said earlier, this is a great arena to perform. I said the pressure is when you don't know where you're going to sleep at night. We're paid to go out and do the best we can to locate our pitches and to compete, and at this point, I feel very thankful that I'm even able to compete because of my knee problem. So I don't underestimate anything that the guys in the visiting clubhouse will do. They're a really close-knit group of guys. They want to win, we expect to win. We know our competition is very good. So we're happy that this is a first step. Both teams have to win four, so we have three to go; they have two to go. We'll see.

ANDY BENES: Well, I feel like I've learned an awful lot. This year has been a blessing in the fact that not only am I getting to pitch where I want to pitch and to wear the uniform I want to wear, I'm very comfortable going out in this uniform. I've learned that you don't have to be overpowering to go out and pitch a good game. You have to go out and locate your pitches and change speeds, and it's been gratifying to be able to go out and pitch well when you're not at 100 percent. So I was very comfortable to come out and pitch. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I knew that I felt comfortable that I was going to locate the ball and move the ball around, and after that, when a round ball hits a round bat, you never know what's going to happen. So we played great defense, and it turned out all right.

ANDY BENES: Well, I will say in the at-bat that I had got a hit. If it was a hit or error, I don't know. I was swinging. I was swinging like it was a hit and run because I can't recognize it with a fastball, curveball. It happened to be a curveball, it was something off speed which was to my advantage because it was slower. I actually hit the ball, but after that, Vina had a good at-bat, Edgar had a great at-bat. That's what it took, the good part of the inning. Those two guys came up big and had two at-bats. That was important for us.

ANDY BENES: Well, baseball's humbling. You never know what's going to happen when you go out there. I said earlier, I didn't get to pitch last year. I was on a good team and pitched really well and I didn't get the opportunity. I looked at this as just a great opportunity, and I was very, very calm and comfortable out on the mound. This is a place where I've pitched a lot and they have a great mound. I'm thankful that I could pitch well. I think the more negatives you hear about your ability, people question your ability, I think you can use that all as good, positive energy and put that into your performance. So I was ready to pitch and I'm thankful, like I said earlier, I'm very thankful for the opportunity. It was fun to go out and compete.