MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES v BRAVES

October 27, 1999

Roger Clemens

Mariano Rivera

ROGER CLEMENS: Well, this is what everybody said it was all about, and I think I alluded earlier that I finally know what it feels like to be a Yankee. And I remember, I think I talked -- a talk that Skip and I had in Seattle. He called me in his office and said you kind of need to be yourself and just let loose. I think all year, even when I walked into spring training, I just wanted to kind of fit in with these guys. I definitely wanted to fit in given their situation. I appreciate the opportunity Mr. Steinbrenner gave me in getting together, getting me over here, whatever it took to get me over here, I just knew we could do it with this team. These guys from day one, I said it before, even after they were presented their championship rings on the field, they walked in the clubhouse, I was sitting there watching them on TV receive them, they said, "we're going to get you one." Every one of them told me the same thing tonight. So Mo's going to design this one for us, too. It might have a crack in it. The way you bust them bats.

ROGER CLEMENS: I don't need to take credit. Like I said, I heard people talk about how I could be rattled and things like that. Nothing, I don't get rattled. Maybe earlier in my career, big games. What are big games? I pitched a big game tonight and I put pressure on myself tonight to rise to the occasion. Again, I don't know, to be honest with you, I don't know if I could have pitched tonight if I was in Paul O'Neill's situation in his shoes. I don't know how he went up to the plate, up there trying to hit a 90, 95 mile an hour fastball. Same thing with Luis Sojo coming back to join his teammates. I'm telling you, if it was my mother in that situation, I just don't know. You're talking about heavy hearts and guys that are warriors and make it exciting. I just feel very blessed to be a part of this and the way the fans were tonight. And, you know, those guys got me well. I was scuffling a little bit, like three or four other guys were scuffling and we ran it out there and got it done.

ROGER CLEMENS: Wait and see. Like I said, this was one night where I had more pressure than I could stand. There was a phone call and those two big guys up there and the two little ones I had at home were telling me dad you have to be home for trick or treat. There was no pressure except to get that done. I had to be home for that. You're talking about pressure, that was enough pressure for all of us. Talk to this man.

MARIANO RIVERA: To me, it means the same. Different than when I won the MVP of the World Series last year. We won the World Series. Personal, the whole thing was MVP. Roger pitched tremendous. He was -- I mean the way he pitched today, he was -- everything he has. Everything he has, he did it today. That's the guy that I always see pitching that way. And I knew he was trying so hard during the year. It's been tough for him. But today he stepped up and he did it for us. As I say, the MVP thing, we all were MVP. The whole thing; manager, coaches, the 25 guys that were on the field.

MARIANO RIVERA: Last year, it was the best team in baseball they talked about. Nobody said nothing about this year, you know, everybody would say, "Oh, Yankees..." They don't have the same numbers we had last year. Of course. Last year was tremendous. I think those years only happen once in 100 years. It's impossible to repeat those kind of numbers. And it's not done. I mean we won the American League. We won the Division. We were the best team in the American League. I don't see anything different last year than this year. We won the World Series. I mean, we swept Atlanta; one of the best teams, obviously the best team in the National League. To me, it means a lot. It means a lot to win back-to-back World Championships.

MARIANO RIVERA: I said I feel good about it, I just feel tremendous to be there. I want to be there, when this happens. I was there, and I was the guy throwing the last pitch. And I had the last out. It feels tremendous.

End of FastScripts�.