NL DIVISION SERIES: MARLINS v GIANTS

October 1, 2003

Jeff Conine

Mike Lowell

MIKE LOWELL: Well, from a strength standpoint, I feel very good. I know the doctors said after that four-week timetable, I was going to notice a significant difference each day, and I have.. I think that's a positive. I felt pleasantly surprised from a comfort level. When I played on Sunday, I felt like I was recognizing off-speed pitches. That's what I was most concerned about. For me it's just the batting practice each day, you know, getting my swing down mechanics-wise. I feel good. I actually feel very healthy and able to participate.

JEFF CONINE: He's definitely evolved a long way since I started playing with him in '99. When I first started with the Orioles, he was more of a power pitcher. You know, he was young, had a great arm, tried to throw it by you most counts. Since that time, he's turned into more of a pitcher as far as he will throw any pitch at any count. You know, 2-0, you're not seeing a 98-mile-an-hour fast ball like you used to. You're going to see a 91-mile-an-hour sinker or slider or change-up. He's a much better pitcher now than he was in '99 when I first started playing with him.

JEFF CONINE: I think along with Sidney, Bonds has evolved into a different player now than he was in '97: He's gotten better. I think on that team, there's a little bit more of a balanced attack where now Barry is the one guy you fear most in this lineup. You got to single him out as the one guy that you can't let beat you.

JEFF CONINE: No. I thought we knew about a week ago it was going to be Sidney. I know they were undecided as far as either Rueter or Sidney today. But all the talk that we heard, even three, four days ago, was going to be Ponson the second game. I don't know if that was just dumb luck that we figured it would be that, and we could prepare for him. I don't think it was a surprise.

MIKE LOWELL: It's very frustrating, I think especially since I feel like if I got the at-bats, I could help out and contribute. But you can't take away the fact that Miguel and Jeff have stepped up big-time these last few weeks. Cabrera is a kid who doesn't play like he's 20 years old. He's come up with big hits for us. It's a tough decision. You know, that's why I think I'm glad I'm not the manager. You know, I think just my responsibility is to try to get ready and prepare myself for whatever can be. I think if I'm healthy, Jeff is healthy and Miguel is healthy, I think that's a positive as opposed to a negative.

MIKE LOWELL: No.

JEFF CONINE: You pray in the morning it will be the overcast the entire day here. But the sun doesn't really pose a problem till about the sixth or seventh inning. They've got to deal with it also. If it gets in the sun, it gets in the sun. There's nothing you can do about that. You just do your best to try to keep it out of there.

JEFF CONINE: You know, it was quite an experience, you know, being able to come back to basically where I started from, playing the last month of the season in a playoff race. It was something that I think every player dreams of as far as being in a playoff race and at home at the same time. Obviously, the team is much different than the one we had in '97 as far as experience goes. But, you know, this team, I feel, has just as good of athletes. They're young, but they haven't really show any effect of the pressure down the stretch, which is very surprising.

JEFF CONINE: I can't remember Kirk Rueter pitching against us in '97. They asked me that about Schmidt yesterday. I said I was 4 for 8 with two homers off him and I don't remember facing him. Obviously, six years have gone by. You would think he's evolved into a better pitcher simply with the fact that he's gotten that much more experience. From what I remember, he's a control lefty that works the outside part of the plate, mixes speeds, pitches up all the time.

MIKE LOWELL: I guess it's something we had hoped would happen all year. It's a long way from the 6,000 fans we get an a weekday, even though I think we were playing good baseball. I hope it's a sign for what's to come in the future for this organization. I think, like Jeff said, we're young, but I think we're exciting, we're a team that brings out a good product. I think if fans would keep coming out, they'll be happy to see us play. Maybe this playoff berth that no one expected is something good for the community, is something good for the future of our organization. If we play well, which I'm hoping we do, people keep getting excited, I mean, it's going to be unbelievable. That stadium is loud. Even when we have 25,000, it gets loud. 53 plus is going to be hopefully a big lift for our team.

MIKE LOWELL: I think that's a question we've gotten a lot, basically comparing Jack and Jeff Torborg. To Jeff's defense, Josh Beckett, Mark Redmond and AJ were all on the DL. We hadn't gotten Dontrelle or Miguel Cabrera from AA. It's not to say we wouldn't have turned it around. Would we have turned it around in this way? I don't know. I give Jack all the credit because the numbers don't lie. There is definitely a difference in style. Jeff Torborg is very patient and understanding. He's kind of like the father figure that says, "Hey, everything is going to be okay." Jack is the exact opposite. He wants results now. He's very fiery. The first thing he said when he took the job was, "I don't need the job. I don't care about this job but I think we can win." In that sense, his total focus was to do what's best for the team to get us to win. And we responded. He's not afraid to get in your face and let you know what he wants done. You see when he goes to the pitcher's mound, he's moving his arms and hands all over the place. You know he's not just saying sweet nothings into your ear. But our team has responded. Sometimes a young team needs that. I mean, if he's not Manager of the Year, he's got to be up there.