MLB WORLD SERIES: INDIANS v MARLINS

October 21, 1997

Tony Saunders

TONY SAUNDERS: I'm very excited. This is something that you never really think about, because you don't believe it's going to happen your first year. There's a lot of players that play a long time before they even get the opportunity. And I'm fortunate enough to be pitching in my first season.

TONY SAUNDERS: No, not really, because every team is different, their line-up is way different from the Atlanta Braves. So I've got to go into this game like I do every one, and try to go at them with my strength and see what gets them out and what doesn't and go from there.

TONY SAUNDERS: Same thing I've done every time. I'm pretty used to it now, it's happened to me a few times early so I got to learn how to pace myself in between, so I can be ready for game time. And the layoff in between really isn't too big a deal now, because I throw a lot of sides and I try and stay sharp. So I've been doing the things I need to do to get myself ready for this game.

TONY SAUNDERS: I didn't think I'd get here this quick. If you look at it, I came out four years ago, so as far as coming up here this quick and being where I'm at now, no, I never did believe I would. But I knew if I could stay healthy long enough, I knew I'd be in business anyway.

TONY SAUNDERS: Oh, yeah, most definitely. If I go out there and pitch three innings, and that's all I can do, that's what I'm going to do, because I'm not going to hold anything back. I'm taking the approach that this is going to be my last start of the season, I don't want to sit home all winter thinking what I could have and should have done. Whatever is going to happen out there it's going to be 100 percent full force, no matter what happens.

TONY SAUNDERS: Those are two things I like to keep inside. I don't want everybody knowing that. I think one of my -- I could tell you one of my keys I try to do is to keep the hitter off balance as much as possible. And I think if I can do that enough I'll come out ahead.

TONY SAUNDERS: I believe it's kind of even, because they don't know what I'm going to try to do to get them out, and I don't know personally what they're going to try to do to me to not let me get them out. I think it's going to be a feeling process the first couple of times for both sides. I don't think anybody has any advantages. They don't know my strengths or weaknesses and I don't know theirs. We're going into it saying here it is, let's see what you can hit. And as a hitter they're going to say see what I can hit or get me out with. I don't believe either side has an advantage.

TONY SAUNDERS: I've never met him personally. I knew of him, played against him out in the Arizona Fall League this last winter. The first couple of times I watched him pitch, I said it's not going to take this guy long, because he has great stuff. You can tell when you look at somebody, the way they play. I knew he was going to be here sooner or later.

TONY SAUNDERS: It's hard for me to believe still that I'm on the big list. When I go inside the clubhouse and I watch it on TV and I walk through that tunnel and I'm right in the dugout, I still get chills every time I do that. It's been a great season. It's been a season up and down, but I guess when I go home this winter and sit back and see everything I've done, I think that's when it's going to sink in. But as far as now I'm still on a high, just being in the Big Leagues.

TONY SAUNDERS: Well, I grew up in Maryland, so I feel like I'm home right now. I love this. I was outside yesterday running around like a little kid. I've been stuck down in Miami all year, I hate the heat. I kind of love this cold weather. I don't think that's going to be much of a factor. I love that. For me this is what baseball is, cold weather, going out there and just having fun, and that's all it's going to be.

TONY SAUNDERS: With cold weather the first thing you want to do is keep your hands warm. But I guess I'm stupid in a way, because I don't look into things too much. I just grab the ball and throw it. I try not to think too much, that's when I start getting in trouble. If I'm not there staring at the baseball, you know I'm thinking too much, if I'm sitting there trying to think how to grip the damn thing (laughter.)

TONY SAUNDERS: Charles is wonderful, for me I have a lot of confidence in him, that if I have a man on third base I can bounce the ball and I know it's not going to get away from him. I let him, for the most part, call the game, because not only is he a great catcher defensively, he's a very smart catcher, too. A lot of games I've pitched I let him take control. I see the sign and throw the pitch. Nine times out of ten, when I shake him off I get a hit. After that happens a couple of times, all right, Charles, you put down the numbers and I'll throw them.

TONY SAUNDERS: Well, anybody that has speed as he does. He's a smart base runner, he's fast. You want to try to keep them guys off the baseline as much as possible. But my focus is to get the hitter out. So I try not to give too much attention to the base runner. Then on the other hand I can't just forget about them. Because he can take second and he can take third at any time. I try to give him the attention he needs. But I need most of my focus to be on the hitter.

TONY SAUNDERS: I'm happy for him. He's been through a lot of controversy the last couple of years, coming over to a new country, doing what he's done. It takes a lot of poise and it takes a man to do what he's done. Like I said it's very different, that's like throwing you in a different culture and saying go out there and live. He's been through a lot. I was fortunate enough to play with him last year. I've gotten to see the difference this year and last year, and he's grown-up so much, as a person, not as a player. And I think a lot of that has carried on the field. I hope whatever happens to him, I'll be more than happy.

TONY SAUNDERS: No, I told everybody this guy is going to be a great pitcher in the Big Leagues. He had the potential, he was still trying to get used to being over here, being away from his family. He was 21 years old, taken away from everything he ever knew, put into an environment like this. I knew the first couple of times I saw him he was going to be a good pitcher. Like I said, I'm happy for him, everything that he's gotten this year.

TONY SAUNDERS: That was such a long time ago. I'm here in the Big Leagues now, not that much matters anymore. I'm sure there's 28 or 27 teams sitting home right now, saying, man, I let this guy go by. But that happens sometimes. I was just happy to get my opportunity. That's all I wanted was the opportunity to pitch. I was fortunate that the Florida Marlins signed me in '92 and the rest is history.