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NL DIVISION SERIES: ROCKIES v PHILLIESOctober 6, 2009Ubaldo JimenezPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Workout Day Q. Your postseason experience two years ago, especially for a young pitcher, pretty low on service time at the time and even still now, really. How did you find that experience? You pitched like you were pretty much unfazed by it, where a lot of guys struggled with it being such a big stage. How did you find the experience? UBALDO JIMENEZ: Well, the first thing, it was a dream come true for me. Probably I was so excited I didn't even know what I was doing. But thank God when I got to the mound, I was able to relax and just pitch my game, just forget about the crowd, forget about everything else. But just focus on the hitters and just go there and have fun. Q. First of all, your name seems to be mispronounced very often. Do you consider it an honor to be named the Game 1 starting pitcher or is it just another turn in the rotation? UBALDO JIMENEZ: Yeah, it's an honor, yeah. But the thing is any of our pitchers could be starting opening day because everybody has the talent, have made the job to earn that. It just matters -- I threw four days ago, so that's why I was there. So I'll take it. But I don't think it was something that they chose me because I was this or I was that. Anybody in our rotation, anybody could be starting on opening day. Q. Your thoughts on pitching in this ballpark? It's obviously a very hitter-friendly park, a home run friendly park. Any particular strategy, just go out and pitch your game, or do you make some kind of an adjustment for this park? UBALDO JIMENEZ: Well, the first thing is I'm not going to be thinking about the park, because like you say, it's a hitter's park; anybody can hit them out. The only thing I can do is try to look at my fastball and try to throw everything down so they can hit ground balls. Q. Two questions for you: Can you briefly discuss what kind of challenge the Phillies lineup poses for you in particular. And then the second one, a question about your family. Did they come here with you or are they still back in Denver? UBALDO JIMENEZ: The lineup is a big challenge. Anybody in that lineup can hurt you, from the front runners to the eighth hitter. The first thing is you have to try to -- I don't know, like try to get those guys not to get on base so much, especially Rollins and Victorino, because every time they get on base they're going to try to steal right away. It's a big challenge. And then they have Utley who's one of the best hitters ever. Then Howard. It's a tough lineup, a really tough lineup. But there's nothing you can do. The only thing, I'm going to go out there and just pitch my game, try to win. Q. And your family? UBALDO JIMENEZ: My family, they stayed back in Denver. They're going to watch it on TV. Q. The crowd is going to be overwhelming tomorrow. Is that going to faze you at all? They're going to wave those rally towels, make a lot of noise. Even at the slightest hint of a rally, they're going to go crazy. Are you ready for that? UBALDO JIMENEZ: Yeah, I'm ready. I was here before. I was here in 2007 in the postseason. Even when we came here this year, even in the regular season, this place got nuts. The fans, they love baseball so much here. They're going to be there for the team, rooting since like the first pitch. But I'm prepared for it. I'm just going to go out there and just focus on the hitter. I know they love this game here, and they're going to be on us all day. But I'm ready for it. End of FastScripts |
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