MLB WORLD SERIES: PADRES v YANKEES

October 20, 1998

Wally Joyner

WALLY JOYNER: I don't think we're surprised. I think that they've been very successful, not only this year, but through the course of their career. And El Duque threw the second game, and they got him some runs, so he could settle down and not be as nervous as he was going into the game. And David Wells has had a great year. David Cone, I've had the privilege of playing with him. And seeing how he goes about his business, and they're all very, very good, very talented pitchers.

WALLY JOYNER: I think the atmosphere is up. I think we realize that we took some positive things out of New York, other than we would have liked to have taken at least one win, we didn't take any. But we thought we were -- in Game 1 we thought we played them very well. Sunday's game got out of hand early, and there was too much of a hill to climb. But I think we're very confident in our ability, still. I think that whether people agree with this or not, I think we've earned the opportunity to be at the World Series. We've played with a lot of grit, determination. We've beaten some really good teams to get here, and I think we're enjoying it.

WALLY JOYNER: Well, I think we did that in Game 1. I think we took an ailing Andy Ashby in Game 2. I thought they both pitched well. I thought Andy Ashby got at ground balls that found the hole. A few feet here or there, we might have gotten out of those innings so without any runs scored, and it would be a different game. Kevin Brown is tremendous. He wants the ball. If he can stand up and throw a strike, he wants the ball. He's pitched with all kinds of injuries and ailments this year and has done very well. In my opinion he probably -- he shouldn't have lost the game this year. The games he did, the offense didn't score runs for him. He pitched seven, eight strong innings every time he was up.

WALLY JOYNER: I don't think so. I think the two games you saw in Yankee Stadium, Tony Gwynn proudly swung the bat as well as he's swung in two or three weeks. I think he's very confident. And he feels comfortable now. I don't know if any of us knew exactly how bad the pitchers were, sickness-wise, but in my opinion, whether they're sick or not, it's been a long season, and nobody is a hundred percent, not even the Yankees. So I think that evens the playing field. And unfortunately we had some illnesses that might have kept us from being as good as we wanted to be, but I thought we played and competed very well.

WALLY JOYNER: I'd be very surprised. I think that -- I would imagine the only reason he's not going to start tomorrow is because Bruce Bochy's stayed away from asking him if he'd like to. I'm sure we all know the answer, and Bruce knows the answer. So it has to be his decision, if he's going to ask Kevin or not. I'm sure that once he approaches Kevin, Kevin will say, yeah, give me the ball, just like everybody on this team.

WALLY JOYNER: If you go out and play out of control, probably, but I think that we've played this game long enough to know what we can and can't do. I think this ballclub will -- the players will take themselves out of the line-up if they know there's someone else that could probably do a better job that day. Ken Caminiti is not a hundred percent, and that's the way we like him most of the time, so he concentrates a little bit more and doesn't worry and think about anything else other than playing the game. In 1996 he had a tremendous year with a blown rotator cuff, and was MVP, so whenever he starts to feel very -- like he's a hundred percent, we try to knock him down a little bit.

WALLY JOYNER: It depends on if you've looked at their statistics for this year or not. If you haven't -- if you've seen what they've done, I can't imagine any team scoring more runs than they have. I thought 950 runs or so in 162 games, that's remarkable. And to have a platoon situation in the postseason in left field and every one of those players produce, and hurt the opposition in the No. 9 slot, it just shows you their depth and their efficiency. I think the bottom of the line-up with the Yankees has hurt us more than the top of the line-up. Up until the home run with Tino Martinez, his confidence level wasn't up, and now he's one of the hardest guys to get out, he got three hits Sunday, he looks like a different hitter. That happens in the game of baseball. To have young, talented players like they do, Ricky Ledee, and Shane, just tremendous players who thrive on the opportunity Joe Torre gives them. And I've had the opportunity of knowing Joe for a few years, he was with the Angels broadcasting and he's a tremendous man, he's a great motivator, and I think the ballclub, the Yankees have shown a great response to what Joe Torre gives them.

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