MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS v WHITE SOX

October 21, 2005

Brad Lidge

BRAD LIDGE: That's a good question. Actually I like to throw once every three or four days. I don't like to go a whole lot more between that without throwing games. Everybody is different when it comes to that. I know myself, if it's been three or four days I definitely like to get in the game. I'll ask our manager, hopefully if I can get in the game that would be great. I know most relievers don't like to go that many more days past that without throwing.

BRAD LIDGE: It's just a new experience like everything else can be. Last year was the first time a lot of us had ever been in the playoffs, period. It can actually bring out the best in you. You're able to put those blinders on because you've been through a lot of first situations as your career progresses. This is another one of those firsts for us that hopefully will bring out the best.

BRAD LIDGE: It's been awesome for us. I've been their teammate for a couple of years now. If there's one thing we all wanted, two Hall of Fame guys to get in the World Series. It's something they deserve and worked so hard for for so many years. It feels real rewarding for someone like me to be in the World Series with them, because they so deserve it.

BRAD LIDGE: Brad has meant a ton for us. It's hard to describe exactly how much he helps us. Without him it would be a whole another level down for a lot of us. Just going out there and being able to know and have confidence in your catcher that you don't have to shake him off, he's studied the hitters and he's incredibly smart. When I have runners on third base, less than two outs and I need a strikeout and throw a sinker in the dirt, I know I have total confidence because he'll block it. His intelligence behind the plate gives the pitching staff a ton of confidence and helps us out.

BRAD LIDGE: Well, I think in general they're kind of like our team, obviously Podsednik, lead off hitter we faced him in Milwaukee, tremendous speed and can get on the base with the best of them, like Willy Taveras. They have guys that can hit the ball well. Konerko is a guy that's had a good postseason, too. Both lineups are pretty well balanced and they're fairly similar. We'll have a lot of in depth scouting reports and get a good feel of what they've done, but we have faced certain hitters in their lineup before and certain guys it will be the first time for some of us to face.

BRAD LIDGE: Yeah, that really -- I was over it the next day, so that's really -- I'm pitching the World Series now, that really doesn't mean a whole lot to me anymore. Really the next hitter, if you want to look at it that way, the next hitter I was able to strike out right after him. I get over it the next hitter, because you have to. Obviously it's been a few days and now is a completely different situation. So inevitably I won't think about it.

BRAD LIDGE: It really is amazing. The guy has meant so much for our team, and so much for a lot of us young players watching his example and his leadership. When he first signed with the Astros I couldn't believe it. When him and Pettitte came over, I was sitting back in my house in Denver and I remember how happy I was, and all my friends were pumped up I was going to get a chance to play with Roger Clemens, and what he's meant for us the last couple of years, and he's gotten better, it's just amazing to watch. I consider myself extremely lucky to have pitched a couple of years with Roger Clemens.

BRAD LIDGE: Yeah, and I know the bulbs were going off everywhere. I'm sure it will be the same this year.

BRAD LIDGE: Well, I think the biggest thing was we didn't try to make too big a deal of it. I think the one thing we've done on this team is the whole year we knew despite where we were, our situation, our record, we had a lot of bad games this year, but we never doubted our ability. And I think that's one thing Garner let us know. He let us know you guys have incredible talent, you've got the leaders, you've got the players to make a run. So despite the rough start we obviously needed to make a few adjustments, and after we did that, things just kind of took care of themselves. We didn't need to make over-adjustments, we just needed to keep playing. As we kept playing our talent took over and our leadership, and we started winning games, and it started snowballing from there.

BRAD LIDGE: I don't think so. Obviously it will be not the climate-controlled conditions of the Minute Maid park. But at the same time we're used to pitching twice a year when it's cold, at the beginning and at the end. I think by now at this point in most guys' careers they know how to deal with different situations, when it's colder and warmer, what they need to do to warm themselves up. What it will mean is we'll have to do more things to keep ourselves warm, more stretching or whatever we need to do. But most people know themselves well enough at this stage in their careers to know what they need to do to get ready to pitch in a colder game.

BRAD LIDGE: Last year was -- first of all I will say it was awesome for me to throw behind Wagner and Dotel, because I learned a lot from those guys, especially watching Billy and everything he's accomplished and his approach and what he did. When I became closer last year I just tried to stick to a routine, that is something that he would have done, and tried to work my way from there. I think this year obviously having a lot of experience even from the postseason last year, I felt more confident out there, and really this whole year I felt that I've gotten myself in a good routine. I don't know, I'm definitely enjoying the role. I enjoyed it last year when I became that. It's nice for me that I was able to learn from those guys before I became a closer.

BRAD LIDGE: I don't think so. That St. Louis series was awesome for us to nail down that game and watch Roy do what he did. I think the biggest thing with our starters the way they pitch, they have so much experience, I don't think they'll have any trouble refocusing. Just watching those guys, I mean really we have a lot of veteran leaders on our team, and they can get themselves ready for any big game. I think watching those guys go to work and relying on their experience is going to help all the young guys, too. But I doubt we'll have any trouble refocusing. We've had a couple of days off and we're real anxious to start playing.