NL DIVISION SERIES: CUBS v BRAVES

October 2, 2003

Bobby Cox

BOBBY COX: Putting the ball in play is always a good idea. No doubt about that. It's easier said than done. A guy like Kerry Wood, he's going to get a strike out. Sure, it's always good to try to make contact. If you have to shorten up, that's not a bad idea either. We'll see what we can do tomorrow.

BOBBY COX: They're completely different types of pitchers. There is no doubt about that. Prior is one of the top guys in the game already at a tender young age, and Greg is still at the top of his game. He's just throwing the ball great, and he's had another super year for us, and it's a matchup -- I think one of the reasons we're in primetime is because of that matchup.

BOBBY COX: Well, if I wasn't in here, I could be out there watching him right now. He's going to work out and take some balls and do some hitting and we'll see. Yesterday when I saw him, I thought he might have a good chance to play Friday, and I still do. It's still very, very sore.

BOBBY COX: We have not. We still have Ramirez ready or we could go with Ortiz. Either one. Russ and Hampton both are in good shape to go on short rest, but both of them threw right at 100. They're perfect to come back. We'll see.

BOBBY COX: I think Gary is always trying to drive in runs. He hit a bullet I think two in that area. One off his glove and one a great play where he threw him out. He's hit three balls right on the button. He just didn't get them elevated. When I watch Gary swing the bat, I never consider him being anything but a hot hitter.

BOBBY COX: His defense is very good right now. He's worked with Greg now several games, and he's done a great job with him every single time. There won't be any problems there on pitch selection. I can't say enough about Lopez's defense; let alone his offense. That's what everyone talks about. He sets up well, presents a big target back there. He's good to throw to.

BOBBY COX: That question was asked last night in Atlanta after the ballgame. Greg to me is exactly the same pitcher as I saw with us in '93 when we got him, and for me, I mean, he may say differently, I don't know, but he looks exactly the same.

BOBBY COX: Well, first of all, it's still a ballgame. It's still a game of baseball. You don't change a lot. Smoltz wanted -- he went two innings or more I think eight or nine times this year. I think. And he's had a lot of rest, and he's feeling good, so he's the one that came to me and suggested that he could go two, and if he went two, and we had a game the next night, he may not be able to pitch or he could go one. His arm would determine what we would do. But we have a day off. There is no reason not to. We would have been complete idiots if we hadn't done it.

BOBBY COX: You bet. I think every organization would come at these guys that the Cubs have right now. They have done a terrific job. They're all young. The trick is to hang onto them when they've become free agents and they will all be in their early 20s or mid 20s. They're guys you want to hang onto. That's how you stay in the ballgame year after year after year.

BOBBY COX: We expect the same. I have a few friends flying in from around the country. We're talking about a handful. We've always had a lot of Cub fans even during regular season that trek on down there and root them on. I think it's great. Whether it's cheering or booing, it's noise. It's good for the game. We had two electrifying nights in Atlanta. I thought it was just great and we expect the same here.

BOBBY COX: We haven't really come to a conclusion yet what we're going to do or the defining question we would have to ask ourselves. It's pretty hard with their pitch counts low not to have it in the back of your mind that he could go ahead and start very easily. You know, we still have not made up our minds. We still have Ramirez ready. As you know, Mercker was not able available in last night's game. We had Ramirez warming up and Mercker may be ready for tomorrow's game. It's shortened our staff up a lot now.

BOBBY COX: Any changes I ever made, I always talk to the players first before I put it out, and the same thing with those two. I met with them and talked to Greg or Javy and told him Javy wouldn't be getting much rest anymore. Javy's been so hot this year. We must do that. The years past Javy wasn't hitting exactly like this, and as a matter of fact, Blanco was doing a pretty good job too. He always got some big hits for us. He can throw real well, and as you know, teams run on Maddux quite a bit. Javy is throwing well now. He's had injuries before, and he's had seasons where he wasn't hitting, but the way -- the year he's had, the way he's hitting and pitching, it's a no-brainer.

BOBBY COX: No -- no, nothing -- there hasn't been any homeruns yet. One, Giles, that's right. That might be with the two clubs, they've got power too and we've got plenty of it also. The wind was blowing in a little bit. Sammy's ball would have been out on a normal summer day. Late in the year, the ball doesn't carry like it does some of those humid days we have had down there.