NL DIVISION SERIES: METS v GIANTS

October 3, 2000

Livan Hernandez

Jeff Kent

Robb Nen

JEFF KENT: He's got some cool wrist bands. As he had mentioned, he failed to mention the word, but it's his relationship with the players that's key to him. And that is valuable and most important to him. He's a straight shooter, as he has mentioned. One way or the other, it doesn't matter, he wants to keep it in-house; but above all he wants to know, because he wants to know how to work a relationship with you. I think that's what matters to me most is he cares. You can see that he cares. He cares about you, above all, but he cares also about what other people think. And he's willing to do whatever it takes to make your relationship with him successful.

JEFF KENT: Well, the first year was more of a big deal than I might have led on to or believed it to be. Always, your first year going back to where you came from is a big deal, because you've entertained the fans for so long. And I did so for four and a half years. You try to put that aside. But I've gotten more mature in the game, more experienced in the game, and gotten to love the Bay Area above all the places that I've played, probably because we won more here than anywhere else that I've played. The relationships that I have with the guys on my team have now been four years in the making. That's probably the biggest difference, I guess, for me now, and in the past, is ultimately winning and ultimately being a better ballplayer. Maturity, experience, exposure to adversity and overcoming that, all those factors are making me a better ballplayer, and liking it here in the Bay Area.

ROBB NEN: Yes, last year was a tough year for me, battling an injury, not letting a whole lot of people know about it, and trying to pitch through it, and trying to help this team get to the next level. And to be able to go through surgery and go through the off season and get to this point, it's been a great feeling to contribute and be a big part of it. And this is one step that hopefully we can get to the next step. And like I said, it's going out and staying positive and having fun with it.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: You know, I had a good year in '97, a good experience. 2000 is a new year, and I play for a different team. I feel good. And I want to go outside, and I want to win the game, and that's it.

ROBB NEN: I think it's part of everything, between maturity in the game, learning the game, being healthy, and going through what I went through last year, walking a lot of guys, and battling through the injuries, I really focused this off season about mechanics, and trying to get myself back to where I was in the past a little bit and just making sure I was right when I was on the mound, not having any second thoughts of what I needed to do out there or what I needed to do to get people out. It's a combination of everything.

ROBB NEN: I think he's one of the best managers in the game. We go through bad times, and he's still right behind you. He's still throwing you out there and putting you in the mix of things. The emotions that he has out there kind of carries over to the players. And just being able to come off the mound and seeing him there with a smile and just being pumped up, whatever I could to stay here, that was my big thing was to stay here. Hopefully, he'll stay here, too. But he was a big part of me coming back. And like I said, hopefully he'll be back, too.

JEFF KENT: Well, we hope they never do figure it out. What has been a benefit for us is the fact that this is a quality, beautiful, odd-shaped ballpark, and it doesn't bug us. I think a lot of players that come in here get wrapped up in its beauty and its quality corners, if you are out there in right field, as well. The fact that it looks like a short porch, so pitchers might be intimidated by that a little bit. This is a very fair ballpark, I believe. You don't know why, and you play better at home. When we went to Shea, they kicked our butts for three games before we finally won the fourth. Baseball has a way of evening itself out over the long haul. So that's why it's frustrating for us to play 162 games and have a five-game series, so we'll see.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: When somebody hits a home run.

JEFF KENT: He gets mad.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: You know, when somebody hits a home run, I'm not feeling good. I need to concentrate for the next hitter. And somebody hits a home run, it's behind me. It's one run, two runs, or a score, it's okay, and I want to throw the ball for these guys. And you don't want to miss a game, because maybe they'll hit another home run.

JEFF KENT: You bet. I've put a couple of magnets in my glove to make it easier for me to catch the ball. But what's going to benefit me more than anything is Shawn is pitching, which Bobby will probably end up subbing for a bunch of right handers. Hopefully, he'll hit the ball into right field, and I'll just have to catch the ball. It's been fun for me. It always has been fun to play first base. J.T. plays it better than anybody I've seen, and it is a difficult position. I'm there to hit and catch the ball. And our infielders throw the ball in the right places just about all the time. So we'll just -- hopefully, they'll do it more often when I play than not. I have fun with it. I don't even think of it as being uncomfortable. I just have fun with it.

JEFF KENT: If you look at the three of us up here, we're not flamboyant, outspoken; we're not arrogant. And I think that's the character of this ballclub. It's definitely the character of me. You saw Dusty. It's the character of Dusty. So I think that's the way that we've earned respect around the League. Amongst our peers that we play against, they're threatened by us, because of the quality of play that we can provide. But other than that, the media attention, and the scrutiny, the fans that are out there who want to build us up to be something that we should be, rather, we don't care much about that. We play the game hard. We play it for one reason, and that's to win the championship. All the other stuff that comes along with it, to be honest with you, we don't care much about.

JEFF KENT: Who is? Boy, isn't that the most debated question the last month? And that's something I don't care about, either. I think we all want to win the MVP. So to sit here and say I don't care if I don't win it, that's a lie. But honestly that's something that I don't care or worry about right now, because I build and put so much effort in playing in game as a team, that if we win the dang World Series, you might not see me playing next year, that's how much I care.

JEFF KENT: Yes, because then you don't have to answer all these questions, and be seen at Taco Bell the other day, and dang near half the restaurant was rooting us on. Those are things that I'd just as soon do without. But it's neat, because that's what we're here to do. We're here to entertain these fans, and we've all done a good job of doing that.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I like it here. It's a great park for hitting and for a pitcher. If you want to throw outside, you can throw outside, and inside is inside. You don't want to miss. And I like it here because it's a great park for -- the right field is hard. You throw outside, there's not too many people that hit a home run from right field. It's 41,000 every day. It's great. The fans are here, and it's a great city for baseball. I want to win, too, on the road.

JEFF KENT: I'm serious, guys. And I put that in perspective, because that's how valuable winning the championship is for me. I have World Series ranking from 1992 when I played with the Blue Jays my rookie year. I'd trade just about all my valuable possessions just to be there. I would trade everything I have, because that's what you work for when you're an athlete is to be No. 1. That's what we just got done seeing in the Olympics: Track and field, swimming, diving -- you name it, all these people were standing on top of the podium with gold medals around their neck saying: I'm No. 1. And they had true claim to that. And that's what I want to have. I can't be No. 1 with an MVP trophy. I could be No. 1 with the championship ring and the championship trophy on my fireplace.

JEFF KENT: I'll spend my World Series bonus on flying you all out to the ranch.

JEFF KENT: Robb Nen is going to close this conference out.

Sure. It takes the spotlight off you. It takes a little bit of the pressure off you. You're able to go incognito, undercover, if you will, through the season. But like I said before, the people and the guys and the coaches that we play against in the League know and respect us and fear us at times, because they know what type of a ball -- what type of ball players we are. But, sure, when you don't have to play Wednesday night baseball or Sunday night baseball or Fox every Saturday, it takes a little bit of pressure off.

ROBB NEN: You know what, I think they're one of the best out there. J.T. has been a Golden Glove a number of years, and J.K. And he's done a fabulous job. And Billy deserves a Golden Glove himself. For me, it's any little mistake out there can cost me. So when these guys make diving plays for me and make some great plays, it really adds to what I do. And if it wasn't for these guys, and the outfielders and everybody, I wouldn't be doing what I did this year. So they have a big impact. And I think they all did a great job.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: We had breakfast this morning, and I saw him last night, too. We're not talking about baseball. The Yankees are starting tonight, and I don't want to see my brother and talk about baseball, baseball, baseball. We talk about life, and where are you going in the off season and vacation. Baseball is -- sometimes on the phone. But now I don't want to talk about baseball.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I haven't got tickets.

LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I can't go, because today is a day off. I'm pitching tomorrow. It's hard for me, I want to go to sleep early. And tomorrow, what time is the game tomorrow? 1 o'clock. And maybe 5 o'clock in Oakland. It's difficult.