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MLB WORLD SERIES: INDIANS v MARLINS

October 23, 1997

Chad Ogea

CLEVELAND, OHIO: Game Five

Q. Chad, do you feel that your pitching -- you've pitched as well in the last month as you have at any point in your career?

CHAD OGEA: I don't know if all of you heard but he asked me if I pitched as well at this point or any other time in my career, and yes, I have. I mean you go through spells with a pitcher where you throw the ball really well, and you go through spells that you don't. But I think the biggest thing is I've been able to focus on what I'm doing from pitch-to-pitch instead of worrying about things around me.

Q. When the playoffs started, many people looked at the Indians starting pitching as a possible sign of shakiness. How have you guys changed the image, do you think, of the Indians starting staff?

CHAD OGEA: They said we were shaky all year, and we were, because we were hurt, a lot of us were hurt during the year, I think we had five guys gone at the same time on the DL. It's nice when you go into the playoffs as an underdog or with a shaky staff because you want to prove people wrong. And I think we've changed the outlook of our pitching staff a lot.

Q. Chad, on a practical level, what -- in your pitching -- on a practical level what particularly has worked in your pitch sequence during the playoffs?

CHAD OGEA: I'm not going to say pitch sequence, but I think the biggest thing, I've thrown strikes and got ahead of guys. And that's pitching. When you're pitching well you look back and you look at the simple things.

Q. Chad, just the fact that you guys are going to have to go to Florida to win this Series, does that pose any kind of concern to the team at all or how do you guys look at that?

CHAD OGEA: It doesn't matter where you play, this team has played well on the road all year long. It just doesn't matter, just so we win, that's all we're looking for.

Q. Chad, with all the injuries you had to deal with this year and the down time, potentially tomorrow night, you could be pitching for the World Championship. That's got to be a great reward for all the stuff you did this year.

CHAD OGEA: Yeah, it definitely is really nice. God has taken care of me the whole year. He's brought me to this point. And it's fun to look back and see what it was three months ago. Three months ago I was sitting watching our team play while I was trying to come back. I thank God for that every day.

Q. Chad, they didn't really bunch hits together against you in the first game, but there were three or four doubles, is that something you sort of file away, you say you go on hitters reactions, is that something you're going to take into the next game, the guys that hit the doubles and almost got you in trouble?

CHAD OGEA: I think they were off a fastball behind in the count, and that's when the guys hit the ball well and hit doubles. But I'm definitely going to look at the tapes and do my homework on the hitters that I faced the last time and hitters that I've seen in this Series that I didn't face, and I'll know a little bit more about it.

Q. Chad, you think that the down time that happened because of the injury may be helping you now because you may be more fresh than you might otherwise be in October?

CHAD OGEA: I think the reason I'm fresh from the down time -- not only from the down time -- but I'm fresh because of the routine I've been doing. The workout routine that I have is specifically for myself and that's what I did over the two months, was find what works for me and what doesn't.

Q. Considering what you've seen the last couple of nights, do you feel fortunate to get two games in Florida?

CHAD OGEA: Oh, definitely. Yeah, the weather has been pretty bad the last couple of nights. But it doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing, sleeting, it doesn't matter, we still have to play. And you go out there and do your best, and just go after it.

Q. In what ways do you benefit from having Hershiser go against the other team before you do, and what are some of the things you pick up from seeing him pitch in the games before you do?

CHAD OGEA: Orel's smart. He's a smart pitcher. He's pitched 12 years in the Big Leagues. I try to watch how he approaches hitters. I try to -- not only imitate him, but I watched Jaret throw, and Charlie throw and I watch hitters every game. I try to figure out something that they do in each situation. But watching Orel it does help because the guy is a veteran and you want to do the same things he does.

Q. Anything specific?

CHAD OGEA: I don't think it's necessarily anything specific, but his approach to the hitters as far as whether he gets ahead or not, and you can see when he gets ahead that he's much better.

End of FastScripts....

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