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NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ROCKIES v DIAMONDBACKS

October 12, 2007

Brian Fuentes

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Game Two

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What's it like to play for Clint?
BRIAN FUENTES: It's always an experience. I mean, I've been there since my first year, I guess it was '02 when he took over for Buddy. All you ask from your managers is he's fair. He's definitely that. He's very intellectual. He knows the game well.
He stands behind us. So, I mean, there's not much more you could ask for other than that.

Q. Obviously you've been a closer for a long time before you were taken out of the role. How difficult was that stretch in June and a lot of guys have commented about how professional you handed it. Was it difficult to handle it that way?
BRIAN FUENTES: No, that's just kind of the way I was brought up to play the game. It was a tough stretch. The first thing I wanted to do was get right back on the horse and throw again.
Unfortunately, I was hurt. And I had to sit out four to six weeks before I came back. And while I was gone, a lot of guys stepped up. Manny Corpas stepped up big. Jorge and Julio and Troy. When I came back, I just wanted to worse-case scenario just slide right into the mix and not mess up that chemistry.
And that role for me was going to be setting out. I started off sixth 7th inning. They wanted to baby me in a bit and gave me some work and they did that. Then I worked my way back into the setup role. That's where I've been ever since.
So it's not a big deal for me.

Q. There have been a number of games in this streak where you guys have really been up against the San Diego game and playoffs comes to mind. When that happens what's the mind-set? Is it like we're going to find a way to win this or it's more like well it's a good streak while it lasted and now it's over?
BRIAN FUENTES: I can't imagine anyone taking the attitude of it was fun while it lasted. But every day we go out we expect to win. It's just that last week we had our backs to the wall. We had to win. It was either win or go home. So it was only two options, right? So we play hard. We played hard every night. And fortunately we were good enough to win that night and move on.
And it's been that way for a while now. We just try to find a way to win that night. We're out of that do-or-die situation, but it seems like we still kind of take that mentality out there and try and win every night. Like it's a do-or-die. And we've put together a nice little streak.

Q. You know the D-Backs probably better than any other team in the Big Leagues. You're in the same city for spring training. Played each other nine times during spring training, players have been on both rosters, what not. Do you consider this a rivalry? If so, do you think the best is yet to come given all the young players on both teams?
BRIAN FUENTES: I wouldn't consider it a rivalry in my eyes. I don't think there's any bad blood between the two teams or Arizona-Colorado rivalry. But we definitely have played each other a lot of times and we know each other well. There's a lot of young talent on both teams. So it's going to be a battle between these two organizations for a while.
A lot of prearbitration guys. So there's probably not going to be a whole lot of movement either side on the rosters. So you get to see guys match up time and time again, and who comes out on top, who knows.

Q. Obviously a lot has been made you were the closer. There's five or six guys in the bullpen that have been closers at least at the Major League level or aspired in AAA. How much has that helped the success of this bullpen, the way you guys come in and just take care of your business? So many guys that have pitched in the pressure situations?
BRIAN FUENTES: It's definitely helped. We were talking about that before. It's got to be a record for most guys with closing experience in the Big Leagues. I think everybody had had some sort of closing experience except for maybe a Buchholz. And he's the long guy.
So I think having that slow heartbeat helps. Everybody's been out there when the game's on the line and know how to react when the game's on the line. So there's no hesitation to put someone in the situation where it's a little hairy, got guys on and you need a big out strike out, ground out, double play, whatever it is. There's a lot of guys down there who have been there before.
So I think it works to our advantage quite a bit.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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