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AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS v RAYS

October 5, 2010

Ron Washington

TAMPA, FLORIDA: Workout Day

Q. Can you describe a little bit the way the news that Cliff Lee was going to come to your team affected you and affected the players on your club?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, you know, we felt like we needed to try to upgrade our pitching staff and mainly get a No. 1 guy, and when my general manager Jon Daniels walked in my office and said we've got a shot at Cliff Lee, I was overwhelmed, really. And then he told me that we had to give up Justin Smoak to get him, I mean, I felt elated, and I couldn't wait to get out to the clubhouse to let the players know that.
And in doing that, it made them understand how serious we were about making a charge at the Western Division title. They were quite excited, you know, and I just told them one guy can't get it done. It's still going to take 25 guys.
We knew right there that our front office, Jon Daniels, Nolan Ryan and everyone involved, was serious about what we had set out to do in Spring Training. So it made it a reality.

Q. How has Vladimir Guerrero's presence helped Hamilton and maybe the other way around?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, I think they feed off of each other. We were very fortunate that we were able to convince Vlad to come to Texas, and I think Jon Daniels deserves a lot of credit for that. But in the process of talking with Vlad we made him understand that the one thing we were missing was a guy with his type of presence and a guy that has been there and done that before. And when he arrived in Spring Training, from day one he was committed to, number one, trying to stay as healthy as he could, and we knew if that happened, he would produce like he did.
Along with that, it certainly made everyone else in our lineup a lot better. It relaxed Hamilton to the point where he realized he didn't have to try to take us on his shoulder and do everything and try to be superman. He just had to be Josh Hamilton. On the days that he didn't produce there was someone else in that lineup that could produce, and when the day was over, we still had an opportunity at winning.
That also made Nelson Cruz a lot more relaxed because now he don't have to try to put us on his shoulder, either, and it just went through the whole lineup. At the top of the lineup, all they had to do was work to get on base and let the guys at the bottom try to drive in runs, which is the name of the game.
I think they feed off each other. When Hamilton does well, Vlad does better. When Vlad is doing well, Cruz does better, and Kinsler and so on down the line, they complement each other.

Q. How did Josh look over the weekend, and where is Murphy at?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, I thought Josh was very surprisingly almost Josh. I certainly didn't see his rhythm that bad during the three games that he played in Texas. Of course, you know, as you continue to see pitches when you haven't seen them in a while, that usually kicks in. But once again, we have other guys in that lineup to pick up the slack until he gets going.
The fact that he's in that lineup, he's made our lineup 100 percent better because he can put the ball in play, beat the back end of a double play, plays tremendous defense, has a tremendous amount. He plays with a lot of energy. And just his presence back in that lineup will make a difference.
As I said earlier, we don't need to jump on Josh's back. We have enough guys in that lineup to pick up the slack. But just having him there, one swing of the bat can make a difference. When you haven't swung the bat in a while, that's all that matters.
As far as Murphy goes, yesterday we certainly picked up his workout. He was running at about 65, 70 percent. He did all the outfield work, took infield, hit, ran the bases, and today we will ramp it up more. So from today on, we just have to wait and see. But Murphy will be a player.

Q. Along those lines, I mean, some of your players said they held their breath when Josh dove for a ball. They said, oh, don't do that. Is that just the way he goes, all out, all the time? That's the only way he knows? And how nice a story is it for him to be on this stage after all he's been through in his life, especially back here in Tampa?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, it's a real big story, but more than that, it's -- the big picture is the Texas Rangers. Josh proves to people that there's only one way to play the game of baseball, and that's all out. And when I seen him fall, because he said he didn't dive, I knew right there that everything was fine. That's the way he plays.
Now, I think if he has to go get a baseball, he'll go get the baseball. We just want him to play smart. But we certainly don't want him to change the way he plays.
The first day back he showed that he won't, and we're very happy about that. He got up. He's well, and he played two games afterwards. He's doing well, and he will do well. And right now, we're at the point where little nagging injuries can't matter because it means you will move forward or you won't.

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