NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS v CARDINALS

October 14, 2000

Bobby Jones

BOBBY JONES: Yeah. I had more phone calls than normal. But, again, I got another game to worry about, and that's the way I approached it, just start focusing on the St. Louis Cardinals now and put that one behind me.

BOBBY JONES: Well, I think a week ago today, when I was here last, I said that that would be my nervous day and that would be the day that, you know, preparing yourself with a game plan on what you want to go out and do. But game time is when you forget about all that and you go out there and you do what you have to do. I didn't feel any differently than any other game. You knew it was an important game, but I think that's the kind of approach you have to have, as if it's a game that you got to go out there and pitch in, no matter what the circumstances.

BOBBY JONES: Yeah, and I watch Rick's starts, every single one that I'm pitching behind him because I chart him, I chart from inside most of the game, and I can -- me and Rick are, in a way, similar pitchers. As far as control-wise, and as far as spotting and locating our pitches. So I'll sit there and I'll watch how he's throwing to guys and what their reactions are to certain pitches, of course.

BOBBY JONES: Both. We chart -- if it was a left-hander, obviously I would not need to pay that close attention to the reaction of hitters. But since it is Rick and I've followed him for some time now, that's how most of our pitchers chart, from inside and watching the reaction on TV.

BOBBY JONES: Well, you also have to take that into consideration. If Rick's getting a certain guy out on all fastballs inside, they're professional hitters, they're going to make adjustments. I have to remember that and I have to go out and not find myself doing the same things as Rick's gonna do because we do throw similar. You have to mix it up both ways, I think.

BOBBY JONES: It's great to be mentioned, my name with a lot of these other great players who have played the game and who have been a part of New York. To be honest with you, I've said it all along, that once my game is over, the next day I focus on my next job. And I just don't think it would be right if I was up in a cloud right now worrying about my last start, I put that behind me good or bad, and worry about my next start. That is a good feeling, and that's for all of you people to say that it was one of the best or the best, whatever it may be. I'm just happy that I'm here in the post-season and I gave my team a chance to win. It was special to have a good game like that in such an important time.

BOBBY JONES: There's occasions where I do go back and think about games, but there will be games that, for instance, I'm facing the Cardinals tomorrow, I'll go back and look at video of my previous games this year against the Cardinals. The whole reason I do that is just so I try not to fall into patterns. I mean, they remember just as I would what I got them out on, what they got hits on. There may be situations where, very important situations out there, where I don't want to fall into that same pattern. I don't go back and look at great games versus bad games unless I'm really struggling and I'll look at some tapes just to analyze mechanics, but not results.

BOBBY JONES: No, I really don't do that. I mean, once the game is over, then it's time to look on to the next one.

BOBBY JONES: Not normally, but I think this time of the year, you have to work with that. You just have to alter your work habits, make sure that -- you're used to throwing on the fifth day and you have to prepare yourself like it's a fifth day. Obviously, I'd probably rather have six than three, but it's a little bit of a change. It's just something that you have to prepare yourself with your work in between on the mound, your work sessions in between to be ready to start for that.

BOBBY JONES: I haven't heard anything about that yet, no.

BOBBY JONES: It would be real exciting. I mean, just to be -- I think pitching us into the NLCS was a little bit of a shock for me. I mean, like I said, to a lot of you, I didn't really know how to react. It was a weird feeling. I don't know how to explain it. But to do it again possibly and to get us in the World Series, it would be -- I would welcome the feeling because it was a great feeling.

BOBBY JONES: Not at all. I think, when you start to worry about other things other than your game plan and what you have to do when you're out there, then you're getting yourself into trouble. I'm going out there, whether it's whatever it is, whatever the circumstances are, whatever the weather is, you got to worry about those guys that you're facing and approach it that way.

BOBBY JONES: Well, I think nowadays everybody watches videos and everyone is prepared, as others. Just because it's the playoffs, I mean we watch videos all year long, and try to figure out pitchers, try to figure out opposing hitters. So it's just a matter of, like I said, me trying to not fall into any patterns and going back and remembering what I did last time.

BOBBY JONES: I heard a little bit about it, just from guys saying, "Chipper was rooting for the Cardinals," or whatnot. That kind of stuff doesn't really bother us. We're rooting for the Mets. As a team, we're going to go out there and do the best we can and not worry about what people think about you or who's rooting for who. We know what we have to do and that's the way we approach it.