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NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ROCKIES v DIAMONDBACKS


October 13, 2007


Livan Hernandez


DENVER, COLORADO: Workout Day

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. This game would seem made to order for you in terms of your reputation. How much do you like being kind of the guy in a situation like this?
LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I don't like it. But it's a situation you gotta go through and do your job, try to -- now the team is two games down. You come in here and try to win three games and come back home and try to win another one. That's the only reason, you gotta come and try and play smart and try to win some games.

Q. At the trade last year, what were your emotions then and has it worked out better than maybe you expected when you were traded?
LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I got traded last year and tried to help the team last year, and the team is closer to first place, there's no work. Made the play last year and gave me a chance. I played this year and everybody's talking about the young team. But these guys have a lot of talent and nobody expect the team to make the playoff and fighting for who will make the World Series or not.
And I'm really happy. Really happy. This is my last year over here, this is my last year of the contract. And I don't know if I stay here or go somewhere else.
But right now I'm really happy with the organization. It's a very classy organization. And everybody treat people professionally. Let's see what happens.

Q. Have you noticed a difference in how the baseball feels here now since they started putting them in the humidor and do you feel pitchers have more of a chance here?
LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I know about that. Before the ball is flying like crazy here. I think it's better for me, for any pitchers. Before I remember when I come no one wanted to pitch in Colorado. It's difficult. Right now you go and you don't see too many home runs in the game, and you see more blooper's than home runs. I think it's great. For me as a starting pitcher, for a reliever it's okay. Maybe it's not a big difference. But for a starting pitcher it's good when they come here and pitch and it's a big difference before and now with the balls.

Q. Miguel Montero told me you have a great ability to mess with the hitter's mind, and I wonder if you can tell me how you do that exactly?
LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I will tell you after the game tomorrow (smiling). I try and sometimes it happens, sometimes not. All my career I try to -- you got a ball and the hitter got a bat. You gotta try to make people out different ways. Sometimes you throw a fast one down the middle that people don't expect and come with a fast one, 3-2 waiting for a curveball. And sometimes when you've got different pitches, you can throw any count. And it will be like the last game in Chicago I tried to play with the hitter a little bit because it's a team that's got a lot of power. And you don't want to lose the game on one pitch. You don't want to throw -- so you throw whatever you want. Montero, he called a great game behind home plate. He's 24 years old, but he can catch and he can play the game the way -- the best way.

Q. With the cold weather, how does that affect you as a pitcher? Do you do anything differently and do you prefer to pitch when it's warm or when it's cold?
LIVAN HERNANDEZ: I'm not the kind of guy that thinks about cold weather and hot weather. Because in this situation, you don't go thinking about nothing else but just go pitch and try to make people out and try to win.
The more important thing right now is to try to win one game and because you win one, maybe you open for the other ones and win the other two games here.
And the weather is okay. It's not a big deal for me. I've been in this situation before. I remember in Cleveland in '97, it snowed. It's really cold and, you know, you go and pitch and make people out. That was the situation.

Q. You've played baseball a long time. You know how difficult it is to win a lot of games in a row, because every night you play in it you have to win that game. How crazy is it that Colorado's won 19 out of 20?
LIVAN HERNANDEZ: You're saying it's crazy. It's something -- Colorado, they got in at the right time. Everybody expected San Diego to be in the playoff and Colorado take the chance and take the spot from San Diego. And they're still winning. The team is really hot right now. And you don't lose a game, win five games in a row in the post-season. And 19 games out of 20, I think. It's crazy.
They've got a really good team. You've got a team that's fast and power team and you got a lot of young guys who can pitch and relievers, too. And you have Torrealba is a great catcher behind home plate, called the game for the young guys perfect.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

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