NL DIVISION SERIES: METS v DIAMONDBACKS

October 9, 1999

Todd Pratt

TODD PRATT: Not really. I came in, saw my name in the lineup, right away I went to the training room to see how Mike was doing, talked to him for a few minutes and started getting my routine for the game last night.

TODD PRATT: I always feel comfortable here in New York but the 14 game stretch in the beginning of the year, keeping our team in first place and as you said catching the staff, I think everybody on this team the last two and a half years knew I could play, but I think all questions were answered that 14 days.

TODD PRATT: Not at all.

TODD PRATT: Well, I just -- every game is important. Every pitch is important. I am a bench player now, but I was really a bench player on that team. Just try to keep the guys up and keep them focused with all, especially here in New York, with all the distractions that can go on, you know; we just go pitch by pitch, that is how you play the game.

TODD PRATT: Well, first of all, you got to count on his experience and him being there in the Playoffs with Toronto, with Florida; especially with Florida being one of the main guys and Game 7 pitchers, if I am correct -- when Al uses all of his pitches that is when he is successful. In the big games I think he has really calmed down and controlled his emotions and used all of his pitches. When Al gets in trouble it is just harder and harder. Today we are going to concentrate on using all of his pitches and get away from that scenario.

TODD PRATT: Somewhat. Pitchers the one that always make the final decision, I can only make ideas and give him suggestions, but bottom line is when he starts his motion it is all Al Leiter.

TODD PRATT: You know, yesterday we heard a minute amount of information, basically the only thing is there was the article in Sports Illustrated. Bobby came to us before the game, had a meeting and explained himself in a very, very brief meeting and that is all that was said about that article. Today there has been a little bit of buzz, but nothing is real negative. Bottom line is that there is 25 guys on this team; it is all up to us. The manager can't play for us. The coaches can't play for us. It is going to be the nine guys out there and the bench players that are going to have to play the game today.

TODD PRATT: I think it is better to say, well, this is just New York.

TODD PRATT: Well, that is to briefly go back on the other question; yeah, that is my job to calm him down. I can't really tell you how I am going to react because in different situations of the game I might have to cuddle him and there might be times in the game where I have to kick him in the rear and say, Al, let's do it. So there is just different things and different emotions at different times of the game.

TODD PRATT: I have stopped doing that. I really haven't had much time, especially the last month and a half of the season.

TODD PRATT: Call it.

TODD PRATT: You know, if he has confidence in me and I am throwing down certain pitch situations where maybe he was going to usually go with the hard slider, or the hard fastball and I throw a curveball, you know, he has got to feel comfortable with him. If he does he will throw it. It all depends how he starts off the game and how his curveball is working. I usually call games by how I feel the pitcher is throwing that day. If he doesn't have it early I will still go with it, and we just got to hope it is there because it is a big pitch for him.

TODD PRATT: No. None of us feel that way. Obviously if you gave me a choice or anybody on the team a choice we don't want to have to go face Randy, but Randy is 0 and 6 and we did beat him the first game. Pressure is all on them today. We are up. They have to win. We don't have to win. That is the bottom line.

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