MLB WORLD SERIES: MARLINS v YANKEES

October 21, 2003

Carl Pavano

CARL PAVANO: It sure is exciting, knowing who we're going against. Not only Roger Clemens, but the Yankees. This is the World Series, I play for the Marlins. I'm excited to pitch for this team tomorrow. His career started in Boston, so I grew up in Connecticut, so, obviously, I got a lot of opportunities to watch him pitch some of his biggest games. He's definitely a great competitor. And his work ethic is something I really try to follow. To follow him as a pitcher would be awfully tough, but his work ethic is what stands out the most for me, especially at this time in my career, being in the Big Leagues, that's what's gonna keep you here.

CARL PAVANO: Definitely, I mean, that was something I was shooting for. I was a young kid at the time when I was with Boston before I was traded to Montreal. I had an opportunity to be in instructional ball. I think I was 19 or 20. The film that they showed all of us pitchers was his 20th strikeout game against the Detroit Tigers. To emulate something like that would be particularly impossible. I mean, maybe possible, but it was definitely something that at the age of 20, you're automatically in awe of that situation. But coming out tomorrow, thinking of those things aren't gonna do me any good. I have to think of the game plan I'm gonna bring to the field tomorrow and stick to it.

CARL PAVANO: The opportunities I got to go to ball games were always Yankee games. I had some family in New York that always had tickets. So when there was available tickets for our family, we always went to Yankees games.

CARL PAVANO: I didn't think so. I felt my game plan and my preparation was the same as if I was starting. The situations I came in, they were looking for me to go a couple extra innings. But with the National League, the way they pinch hit, my spot always came up in the order so I was taken out after an inning. The preparation isn't that much different. You don't get as many pitches in the pen. But it's kind of exciting. I went out there, pitched in San Francisco and Chicago in big games, big part of the series and I had a lot of fun.

CARL PAVANO: Changing speeds is a big part of my game, and throwing strikes. Staying ahead of hitters, making them hit pitches that you want to hit. You definitely don't want to fall behind in any hitter, lefty or righty. My approach is definitely stay ahead in the count, make pitches when I need to, put myself in a position where they're swinging at my pitches instead of me having to come in to them.

CARL PAVANO: It did give me a little break as far as pitches. I was only throwing 20 or, you know, 20 pitches an inning, an inning at a time every couple of days. But I think coming out of the pen, the mentality is, you know, your intensity is a little different. You know you're gonna be in there for an inning or two, so you can really let it all hang out. It's more of a marathon when you're starting. You have to pace yourself. When it comes late in the game, that's when things start getting interesting and you want to have something left so you can step up.

CARL PAVANO: I haven't seen him hit that much, though. I did see him last year, I think against New York; get a couple bats. He's obviously a good athlete. He's not one of my concerns in that line-up (laughter).

CARL PAVANO: Well, I had an opportunity to spend a lot of time with Brad Arnsberg. He was a big part of my development. The nature of the game is you don't ever want to get too comfortable. The situation wasn't my decision. I'm not paid to make those decisions. Manager made those decisions. Obviously, Rosenthal worked out well for us. We all really took to him and he took to us and he helped us in our own individual way, which I think was good. He's definitely a big part of our winning this year.

CARL PAVANO: The character of this team, I mean, if you're around our club for any extended time, it's a really special, special feeling in that clubhouse. I mean, the adversity that we've gone through has made us stronger where some people, some teams it might make you weaker. I think we really overcame a lot of obstacles and that made us better ball players, better men in the same. So it was all a learning experience. Now we're in the World Series. We've overcome a lot of things. This is another obstacle that we need to overcome.

CARL PAVANO: I come from a pretty similar situation when I was in Montreal. So I think the fans' hearts were broken down here. That takes a toll on whether they come to the field or not and whether they're gonna be behind the team. It was the same situation in Montreal. Winning, obviously, cures all that. They're behind us now, I think that's what counts.