AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS v MARINERS

October 8, 2001

Jim Thome

JIM THOME: I think in any line-up they -- those guys kind of set the table when they get on. They make things go. Very similar to what Ichiro does here. I think for us, hopefully, we can keep him off base, and get Kenny on base, so we can score some runs. So we're excited. Hopefully Kenny will have a great series.

JIM THOME: I think it's, for us it was nice to do that, but I think that was two months ago. We don't really look at the fact that because we came back in that game, that's going to give us any advantage or disadvantage in this series. Obviously the way they've played all year long, we've got to come in here and be ready, because they're going to probably do what they've done all year long, play good baseball.

JIM THOME: Charlie is our guy. He's our leader. When he's around we kind of feed off of him. He's a guy that gets you pumped up. He's a guy that keeps everybody loose. And it's good to have him back. It's No. 1, for his health, but to be back with us and during this special time that we're all put in is a great thing. I'm just glad that he's okay.

JIM THOME: Yeah, I think if you keep him and everybody else. Boone has had a heck of a year. Olerud, Edgar, it goes on. So I think with Ichiro he's very similar to Kenny, when he gets on it kind of puts pressure on the pitching staff. You hurry up, you quicken up. And like I said, hopefully we can keep him off base.

JIM THOME: I don't think so. We tried to play well all year long. We came back -- I think with the way the Twins were playing all year long, we had to give them a lot of credit, because I think they motivated us, they pushed us. With what the Mariners did, they kind of went down in history. And like I say, coming in here it's going to be tough. I think we're excited. We're ready to go, and that's -- it should be a fun series.

JIM THOME: Well, when you get into postseason, you know, you want to win. I don't think -- it's like you take your year and you wash it out the window, because everything kind of starts over, you know what I mean? It's a new season. You prepare for this time, and hopefully when you're put in this time you have the opportunity to do well. Anything can happen. A five game series is a really fun series, because if you get off to a good start, like I said, anything can happen.

JIM THOME: Yeah, I think Charlie's acting like he used to. I could tell before there were times when he -- because of his sickness, he was real quiet, he went to his office, for good reason. But he seems to be ready to go. And it's great to have him back.

JIM THOME: Well, it wasn't a fun winter last year, it wasn't. When you've had the opportunity to play during this time, like I said, you come to Spring Training, you prepare, you work hard, you get to this point. When you've been in it and then that gets taken away from you, it makes you work harder. I think guys this year stepped it up. For me I give my teammates credit that they did step up and we all came together as a group. And I think the main thing we're going to try to do this postseason is enjoy it and take everything in stride, no matter what happens.

JIM THOME: Dominating guy. He's a guy that has got three great pitches, and you just -- I think when you get the opportunity on him you've got to make the best of it, because when he settles in he's a dominating guy.