NL DIVISION SERIES: BRAVES v CARDINALS

October 3, 2000

Bobby Cox

BOBBY COX: It wasn't a shock at all. We wanted to win that ball game. We had a chance to get home field advantage throughout the entire Playoffs because Randy Johnson going against the Giants, we thought he might beat them. We would tie with them. Ends up, we had one more game, as they did, through the season, so we were really trying to win that ball game, we blow it in the ninth. We have not blown any in a long time. We were a little frustrated after the game for about five minutes, there is a lot of pluses on the road, a lot less distractions for sure.

BOBBY COX: Yes. We decided to carry two of the younger kids, George Lombard, an outfielder and Sisco who plays outfield also. We will carry ten pitchers, Kamieniecki will be the 10th guy. We talked about nine, but we did not have enough guys injured on the disabled list; Perez, we had Veras, we had two, we can only carry two to replace those guys, the others guys injured were pitchers.

BOBBY COX: It would always be a coin flip. Maddux was set up perfectly. His rotation day fell perfect, today. Glavine's falls perfect for his second game start. They were right in rotation from the beginning. We did not want to mess with that at all. Both are throwing outstanding.

BOBBY COX: He has the ability, No. 1, or he could never have done what he did. He won 20 games, five times now. Some of the greatest pitchers in the last five years maybe did it twice, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, those types of guys. That is some kind of accomplishment. In order to do that, you have to be good, No. 2, the concentration level he has got is as good as it gets, just about. He knows how to pitch. He can move the ball in and out, he has tremendous off-speed pitches, he is a great fielder, and he can hit and bunt. He always does something to help himself during the course of a ball game. He stays in great shape, watches his weight, workout programs during the winter are excellent. He comes to work. He is one of those guys that punches in, when he punches out, he has given you everything he has.

BOBBY COX: I think Brian is fine. He played with these nagging injuries all season long. Right now, I thought he swung the bat good yesterday, in batting practice. I have him hitting behind Galarraga today, I hope it pays off. He is swinging the bat good.

BOBBY COX: I don't know. I don't know. I have been lucky. We have had a lot of great ball players in the last 10 years, I have been the one sitting in the saddle riding them along. We have another good club this year. But I can't answer that. Thanks a lot, Bobby.

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