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AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS v RAYSOctober 7, 2010Ron WashingtonTAMPA, FLORIDA: Game Two Q. Do you think C.J.'s past experience as a closer will give him help in a high pressure situation like his first career post-season start? RON WASHINGTON: Well, I think it has, simply because he's always been in tough situations as a closer. So when those opportunities present themselves during a starting opportunity, he doesn't panic and he knows how to get out of it. Q. Aside from what he does with his bat, can you describe any of the ways that Vladimir Guerrero is good for the Rangers? RON WASHINGTON: Presence is number one; leadership, we have quite a few young Latino players and they draw to him, and his experience has been a big help. His experience in our clubhouse has been a big help, the way he goes about his business. We always felt that we were just missing that one presence in that lineup when things got tough that someone can come through for us, and that's what Vlad has done for us. He's a winner. The greatest thing about what he's done for us this year is his health. He's stayed healthy, and by staying healthy, he made everyone in that lineup better. Q. I know you had the plan for the alternating catchers already concede, but the way Bengie was hitting the ball yesterday, did it cause you to reconsider at all? RON WASHINGTON: No, it didn't, simply because this is what we've done all year, and more than anything else, players expect things to happen, and you try to keep things as even keel as you possibly can. This is the way we did it all year, so I will continue to go that way. So no, I didn't. Bengie will be back in there tomorrow. Q. How many guys in your lineup do you feel comfortable giving a green light on 3-0? RON WASHINGTON: There's four or five of them that I'm comfortable giving it to, and I've given it to them all year. It wasn't something that just flared up yesterday. We just executed yesterday, so it made it look more than really what it was. There was an opportunity there with the right people at the plate, and they delivered, and it made it look good. But I've given the 3-0 to many, many guys throughout the year, so that wasn't anything for alarm for them when they saw it. Q. After the controversial call in the first inning yesterday, I was wondering what your thoughts would be on the possible expansion of replay moving forward. RON WASHINGTON: Well, the umpire was the closest to it, and I know it hit something. I don't know what it hit. But even if it would have went against us, I felt like Cliff would have still pitched around it. You know, it was a judgment call, and the umpire made his decision and we all have to live with it. Q. Did you have a chance to see the other two games last night? RON WASHINGTON: Yes, I did. I saw the end of Halladay's no-hitter, and I only seen part of the Minnesota Twins-New York game. After Teixeira hit the home run, it was time to go to bed. I woke up this morning and the score was the same. But I did. Q. Talk a little bit about your reaction to the no-hitter. It's only been done twice. What were you looking at? RON WASHINGTON: I knew the guy that was on the mound. We've faced him many times, and he certainly has the ability to do what he did, and he did it to a very powerful lineup, so that speaks volumes to the type of pitcher that Halladay is. When he's hitting the spots, keeping the ball down, getting ahead of hitters like he did yesterday, he's a thoroughbred and he knows how to take it to the finish line, and yesterday he took it to the finish line. At no point in that ninth inning when I watched it did I see any stress. I just saw a guy that every time the ball left his hand, he was going to execute his pitches, and that's what he did, and that's what they do, the best ones, and he's certainly one of the best ones. Q. A lot has been said about the fact that you don't have a roster filled with guys who have post-season experience. Being that they won, is there anything that you've had to keep an eye on, the idea of them becoming either over-confident or them feeling like now that they've won it they've got the home field? Are there any things that you've particularly paid attention to because they're young? RON WASHINGTON: No, I haven't. These guys have been a group that's hung together all year. We've certainly been in some stressful ballgames during the course of the year, and coming out on the good side of those games has certainly helped them to understand that they are capable of playing baseball, no matter how the game is presented to us. They are a very relaxed bunch of guys. They believe in one another. They play as a group. No, there isn't anything that I had to say. I mean, the only thing I told them yesterday was have fun. This is what we play it for. Go out there and play our type of baseball. Look for opportunities to take advantage of, do the best we can to limit the opportunities we give, and I think if you can stay consistent like that, things work out good for you. So no, my guys are ready to play, and we're not going to concede until the ninth inning is over. They've done that all year, and I don't see anything changing. End of FastScripts |
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