NL DIVISION SERIES: DODGERS v CARDINALS

October 8, 2004

Eric Gagne

Jayson Werth

ERIC GAGNÉ: Big advantage, I mean, the fans are going to get involved tomorrow. If you win that game tomorrow, it's going to be big. You're going to have to play again one more game here. Just got to go one pitch at a time, one game at a time, go out and perform and have fun about it. The fans going to get involved. It's going to be a lot better than St. Louis.

JAYSON WERTH: I think the one thing about this team, we've been playing our best baseball all year with our backs against the wall. I think that would definitely be the case as we go into the weekend.

JAYSON WERTH: I think with Finns (Steve Finley) in center, Milton (Bradley) in right, those guys with a lot of experience in the outfield, two really good outfielders. With me in left, I think that makes our outfield pretty solid. I think we can compete with any team in baseball with our outfield.

ERIC GAGNÉ: Just adapted to different catchers. Takes a little bit. Mayner came in there, talked to every single pitcher. He's adjusted real well to it. Just the thing we lot a friend, Dukey, all the guys that left over there. Biggest adjustment is just to get to know our pitchers, get to know our pitches, what kind of sequence we like to pitch against certain hitters. Took about a week, week and a half. He learned quick. He's a veteran. He knows what he's doing.

ERIC GAGNÉ: Yeah, pretty much. We have team meetings, so we kind of speak up. He usually tries to go in the bullpen, catch us a little bit, ask us what we're trying to do on certain counts, certain situations. And sometimes, you know, if I don't like one pitch, I go up to him and ask him what he was thinking, what I was thinking. He just gets to learn about me.

JAYSON WERTH: Yeah, I think, you know, we had both their starters on the ropes both games. Just didn't get the timely hits that we have been getting. We had some big hits, the guys are still swinging the bat good. Just didn't drive in the runs to get the job done. You know, pretty much got out-hit there.

JAYSON WERTH: I think that's something you'd probably have to ask Shawn Green. From my standpoint, I think Shawn Green's a veteran guy on this club, fits his role accordingly and very well. He does a lot of things off the field in the dugout to get this team going. He's definitely a big part of this team. I think, you know, if you look at his numbers at the end of the year, he had a pretty solid year. But he battled and he persevered through the whole year.

JAYSON WERTH: You know, I don't think anyone's ever said, "You're a No. 2 hitter, this is what you're supposed to be doing." I just think they want me to go in there and play my game in that spot. You know, I guess that's the way they want to work it. But it seems to be that's the type of situation that most of the teams are going to, you know, putting someone in there like an A-Rod or a Walker or someone like that in that spot. Seems to be clicking for a lot of teams.

ERIC GAGNÉ: It's real important because, I mean, he's going to feed off the crowd, the crowd is going to be in it. He's been thinking about this game since last night at 4:30. Turned on the music at 4:30 on the bus. He's getting fired up already. He's the man to have on the mound. He's pitched really good here at Dodger Stadium. Every time we needed a big game, he stepped up this year.

ERIC GAGNÉ: Yeah, he always wakes us up. He's the one that always gets everything going. That's good. He changed the mood last night. Everybody was down a little bit. He came in at 4:30, started dancing, started singing. He's always positive. He's always optimistic.