AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES v ATHLETICS

October 4, 2000

Eric Chavez

ERIC CHAVEZ: Yeah, we've done a pretty good job the whole year. We've been, you know -- all of us down there have pretty decent numbers considering we are in the 7, 8, 9 hole. Why you bet it was very important that we came through, because the other part of the lineup didn't. But you can't depend on us, if we're going to win this thing and for us it is going to be up to the 3, 4, 5 guys to do the job and do most of the damage.

ERIC CHAVEZ: Yeah, we're a little bit more relaxed. I know I definitely am. Yesterday was such a question mark to see how we were going to respond to the atmosphere and be in our first playoff game it. It was our first go at it for a lot of us. We did it really well. We handled it really well. We were a little shaky on defense, didn't get off to a good start offensively, but we settled in and I thought we did really well.

ERIC CHAVEZ: For me, like I was saying yesterday, the shadows were huge. I mean, Rocket had unbelievable stuff yesterday. And the shadows were just an added bonus for him up there. But once they went away, actually that's what I'm saying, that's when my nerves went away and I settled down a little bit. And that fifth inning I would have to say was the biggest inning. We got things going early with nobody out and, like I said, you guys have been pointing out, the bottom of our lineup did a wonderful job.

ERIC CHAVEZ: He's been a perfect fit. He handles young guys well. I guess that was what his deal was early, before, was he was able to, you know, handle this young team pretty good and young players. He's been real big. He's allowed us to fail and he's allowed us to succeed. You have to have a lot of patience with young guys. We miss a lot of signs. We've done a lot of dumb things over this year and last year. He deserves a lot of credit, obviously. He has pulled some strings the last couple weeks. I know you're all aware of it, done a little awkward things. Usually he plays it pretty safe and just waits for the three-run homer, but he's been pushing the buttons lately and to his credit he's been real successful.

ERIC CHAVEZ: Well, leading the League in walks, he's been pitched around the whole year. So we've had to deal with that. You know he has done a great job. He's not selfish. He doesn't get out of the strike zone and he waits for his pitch. The only thing we can do is get those guys on top of the lineup and get them on base and force them to pitch to him. It's going to happen. You know, if they want to hut him on base, that's an added bonus for us, too, for our 4, 5, 6 hitters when they are hitting if there's somebody on base and hopefully they can get the job done. I think if they do, they are going to be forced to pitch a little bit more frequently.

ERIC CHAVEZ: Yeah, in the beginning, I just tried to relax and actually just, you know, take deep breaths and try to take it slow. But after that first at-bat, I took a lot of pitches. Roger got ahead of me and struck me out. And, you know, I needed to step it up a little so I came up in the cage and I took about 25, 30 swings. I got a real good sweat going, tried to get some blood flow out there and I went out there a little bit more aggressive.

ERIC CHAVEZ: Everybody knows it is was disappointing to play the whole year with the crowds we had. We thought we had a really good product and a fun team to watch. It was really disappointing. I was saying if we get to the playoffs, they will come and they did. It's a given, if your team is in the playoffs you'd better come out and support them or else you've got some real issues. So we felt we deserved this kind of support.

ERIC CHAVEZ: We were saying about the whole crowd thing, we love playing on the road, at least we get people to watch us play, especially in New York. Actually, we saw that game -- we went a day early to New York and we saw that game against Roger and Pedro and that atmosphere and it was amazing, just being a spectator and so I got a feel for what it's going to be like and how every pitch is going to be, you know, pretty much real important and every at-bat. I'm looking forward to it. I think it is going to be a little bit different. I know I'm going to be a little bit nervous. Every time you go into a new situation for the first time, it's a little bit different.

ERIC CHAVEZ: I love when Jason goes to the mound. He's got a real big intensity. And even when he went through his struggles this year, I always wanted him out there. He gives you a comfortable feeling he's going to get the job done. He looked real sharp the last couple outings that he had. He's going to be huge for us. Hopefully he can go out there and get those one-two-three ninth innings, like that's what we're going to need.

ERIC CHAVEZ: Tim, he's the man. He's stepped up and he took this role that he's our No. 1 pitcher. I think he enjoys that. Everybody remembers the staring down of Nomar, and I think that kind of symbolized what kind of personality Tim was going to have when he went on to the mound. He has pitched big games against Pedro and Randy and has beat them both. Like I said, Ramon was going to thrive in the spotlight. I think Tim is going to do the same thing.