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NL DIVISION SERIES: BRAVES v GIANTSOctober 9, 2010Tim HudsonATLANTA, GEORGIA: Workout Day THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tim Hudson. Q. Do you think having this week off since your last start -- I know that last month didn't go like you wanted it to. After a long season, do you think with a little extra time off, do you expect that to help you going into the start? TIM HUDSON: You hope so. You think this time of the year any extra day's rest is always a welcome thing. Having seven days off is, for me -- I think it's going to be a good thing. I came on short day's rest a couple starts ago, and I had to pitch the last game this season. I feel really good physically. You know, I was able to throw a couple bullpens while I was in San Francisco to stay sharp. I feel like things are coming together for me. Q. Now that you've had a long plane flight to reflect on it, what did that win last night say about this team with the adversity you guys have been through this year, and even last night losing Billy there in extra innings and still managing to pull out the win after being behind 4-0? TIM HUDSON: You know, Mitch has kind of been the personality of our club. We've been a team all year that just rolled with the punches. Whatever things we have to deal with, we just deal with them the best we can and still go out there and play hard and try to fight and do whatever it takes to win, you know. It's been no different in the playoffs. It's been no different in the last month of the season. Even though losing Chip or losing Martin, Saito, it's almost like the list goes on and on, O'Flaherty. We still have to go out there and play. That is part of the game. Injuries are part of the game, adversity's part of the game, you still have to go out there and deal with it the best you can. We've been able to do it. We're not the most talented club, but I feel like we have the most heart and a lot of guts. Q. For some of us National guys, can you talk about the comeback from the Tommy John surgery after all the success you had early on in your career? TIM HUDSON: Yeah, it was, for me, I think the Tommy John surgery was almost a blessing in disguise for me. Any time you have major surgery at 34 years old, that's usually never a good thing. But, for me, having surgery and being able to go through that rehab process really rejuvenated my arm, rejuvenated my shoulder. It helped me realize that my arm wasn't where it needed to be before the surgery. Obviously, the success rate from Tommy John is pretty high nowadays. They have the rehab pretty much down to a science. So, if you do it by the book and you put in to the rehab, what you want to get out of it, things usually turn out pretty good for you. For me, it's pretty much how it went. It was the little things where it was either I do it and rehab hard and come back and extend my career, or my career probably would have been over. I just thank God that I'm able to pitch again, and I was able to rebound. I thank God the Braves extended me out a few years, because I still feel like I have a few good ones left in me. Q. I noticed that usually it's a year, year and a half out on the surgery. But I noticed that you're back pitching in the Minor Leagues less than a year after the surgery. TIM HUDSON: Yeah, it's about a year process from the surgery to when you first start your rehab stuff, your rehab games. But last year when I came back that last month of the season, I felt like I was good enough to go out there and compete. Good enough to go out there and show the Braves and other teams that I was healthy. But you don't quite feel like you're 100 percent. I know coming and pitching that last month, having the whole off-season to continue my rehab, continue working out and continue the healing process, coming into spring training this year, it was like night and day for me physically. It just felt like I was -- my arm was just felt like I was 25 again. Which was refreshing, because a couple years leading up to surgery you could feel the wear and tear starting to creep up on you. That's why I said I feel like it was a blessing in disguise having the surgery and being able to almost give your arm a little bit of a kick start. Q. Do you talk to Zito at all the last couple of days about being left off the Giants' roster? TIM HUDSON: Yeah, a little bit. I read some things coming into San Francisco and I kind of had an idea what was going on. I know Barry. He's a great friend of mine. He was an unbelievable teammate. The team's always first with him. I talked with him and told him, man, keep your head up. I know you're bummed out. And he was bummed out about it. Not necessarily that I was left off the playoff roster, but just the fact that he didn't feel like he performed good enough to be on there, and the fact that he didn't do what it took to make the playoff roster in the month leading up to the end of the season. He has a lot of pride. He wants to help the team win. Him not being on there I'm sure was tough for him to deal with. But I just told him, I said, man, just keep your head up and things will turn around. Hopefully we'll get to the next round, but if we don't and you guys make it to the next round, I'm sure you're going to help this team win going further. Q. I have two questions. One, what it meant to win Comeback Player of the Year, first? TIM HUDSON: Well, for me it was awesome. Obviously nobody ever wants to win Comeback Player of the Year because that means you have to come back from something. But beings that I did have to deal with the injury and the surgery, it does feel good for people to recognize that you were able to bounce back from something that was potentially career ending and being able to bounce back strong. You know, it just feels good. I said all along, I'm just so happy to be back pitching again, and feel like I can go out there and give the team a good chance to win. Through the early process of this whole thing, it really felt like I was better than I've been in a lot of years physically and mentally. I think it shows throughout the season. You know, just from that comes the Comeback Player of the Year, it's a great honor. It just shows and reflects the hard work that you put in considering the adversity, and I'm thrilled with it. Q. I just want to ask about the bullpen and what it's been like watching these guys the last couple nights, especially Kimbrel, so young and out there just dominating. TIM HUDSON: Yeah, I tell you, man, they've been pretty much our rock all year, our bullpen has been. Bullpens never get the credit that they deserve. And the one time when they do mess up every now and then, they're the goat of the whole deal. It's just unfortunate because they're always so good for us all year. These young kids are just coming there. And Kimbrel's been unbelievable. Came up his second time through. He was like a different pitcher now than he was his first stint with us earlier in the year. You just can't say enough about him, man. Mike Dunn is coming on since coming back up with us. Losing Billy was a big blow last night, but the way Kimbrel's been throwing, we have a guy that can step in there and be as dominant as Wags. We definitely wouldn't be where we are without those guys and I know we wouldn't have won without those guys. They came up huge for us. For us to be successful and for us to get past the Giants and into the next round and hopefully into the World Series, those guys are going to be the MVP of our club, I'm sure. Q. What do you think about -- what has Hinske done to aid or influence the personality of this club? Everyone talks about the resilient and fighting spirit, and that seems to be exactly who he is. TIM HUDSON: I didn't catch that. Who did you say? Q. Hinske? TIM HUDSON: Oh, Hinske. Q. What has he done to influence the personnel? TIM HUDSON: Well, he's been a key piece for us, man, this year. He's been a bench player most of the year. He's been a role player. But he plays a huge role on the bench and in the clubhouse. His personality is a personality that is strong and is very likeable and very likeable on our club. He's just -- for clubs to have -- most great clubs that go far in the playoffs have those pieces on their club. Those pieces that fit in both in the clubhouse, on the bench, and from a key bench player type of role. He's one of them. Obviously Rossy's one of them. I think those two guys combined have played an enormous role in our team chemistry this year. Obviously, we haven't been the most talented team all year, but we play with a lot of grit, and determination, and a lot of passion and heart. I just think it goes back to those guys that are on the bench keeping that spirit in the dugout and on the team. Keeping that let's get after them type of attitude. He's been key. He's been key. There's no question about it. I don't think it's a coincidence that these last three years have been on clubs that are World Series-caliber clubs. I don't think it's a coincidence that we're here in the playoffs back again with him. I think it definitely plays a role. Q. To win like you guys won last night and to be coming back home where you guys have played so well tied in this series, and for you to be getting the ball, tell me how confident this bunch is as a team and you yourself. TIM HUDSON: We feel really good. We feel really good. Obviously, last night was a huge turn of events for us. We were down late in the game, and to come back and win, to split the series, was enormous. If you go down 0-2, I mean, your chances are pretty grim of getting back in that thing and winning three in a row. So last night was huge. It was enormous. I think that really led the momentum our way. Being able to come home, play in front of our home fans and at our home stadium where we've played well all year. I feel really good about taking the ball on Sunday. I feel well-rested. I feel like I'm ready to go. I feel like I have a pretty good game plan against these guys. But, you know what, they're a good club. Even though we stole one from them at their place to even the series, they're a competitive team. They have great pitching. Their team's very similar to ours. They have guys that can go out there and put a stranglehold on you on that mound. You've got to go out there and try to fight and get all of the runs here and there that you can get, because runs are always a commodity against this team. Q. Just wanted to ask you about the guys that have come in this year mid season, particularly Rick Ankiel and Alex Gonzalez, and how they fit in and how important they've been to your team's success. TIM HUDSON: They fit in really, really well. From the start, Gonzo was welcome with open arms. You know, he was really good for us from the start. One of the best glove guys in the game, in my opinion. So me being a sinker ball pitcher, I want to give him a big hug and a kiss when he walked in the door. But they've done a good job of bringing guys in that fits the Braves' personality. That fits the kind of role players that we need. Bringing Ankiel over brings unbelievable defense, and unbelievable arm, some sock whenever he runs into one. He can hit them a long ways. From a personality standpoint he fits into this team very well. I mean, right from the start he was one of the very well-liked guys on the team. You know, it's one of those things where Frank and John and those guys and Bobby have done a good job bringing people in that complement our club. Bringing Farnsworth over with Ankiel. Think about it. Those are two guys that won the game for us. I think with Farnsy coming in and throwing the shutout innings to win the game right there in the end, you know, it's one of those things where they go out there and bring in whatever we need. The one thing that the Braves do, they make sure they bring in guys that complement the personality and chemistry of the club. They'll never bring in somebody that's had a pull against that. And I think those guys that they brought in are examples of that. End of FastScripts |
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