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NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GIANTS v PHILLIES

October 20, 2010

Pablo Sandoval

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Game Four

Giants Â– 6
Phillies - 5

THE MODERATOR: We've got Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval.

Q. Buster, Charlie Manuel said what a great at-bat that was. Could you talk us through what you were thinking what Oswalt was throwing you?
BUSTER POSEY: Just trying to get a pitch you can handle. It was going to be around the plate. Got a really good fastball. I was able to work and I fouled a couple of pitches off and got a slider out of the plate.

Q. Buster, the play at the plate earlier on, could you talk about what you saw there and whether you could tell the ball was short hopped?
BUSTER POSEY: I saw Victorino. He hit it pretty hard and kind of out of the corner of my eye seen Ruiz coming around third and Rowand made a good throw. I didn't have to move any. And it was really good throw on his part.

Q. Pablo, this was your first game of the start of the series. Could you talk a little bit about the time, how you managed to get such a good at-bat after so many days after playing regularly?
PABLO SANDOVAL: I was prepared to come here no matter what the situation was. I wasn't playing too many games late in the ball season. I come prepared every game, every minute. I haven't been seeing live pitches for a couple games, I've been used for a pinch-hitter. The situation right now is to get good at-bats to help your teammates. That's what we need to do.

Q. Buster, starting the season in the Minor Leagues, what were you best expectations for yourself in the season and how were you able to get here so quickly and succeed so fast?
BUSTER POSEY: I think your expectations, you know, when you go into Spring Training, you try -- you want to make the team. And once you are on the team, your expectations are to be here.
I think that's what -- the reason you play the game is to play in the postseason and you have the opportunity to keep moving on and winning ballgames?

Q. Buster, I think you're 1 for 11 in the series before this game. Did you feel all right? Was this all right and what clicked in for this game?
BUSTER POSEY: I mean, I just went out today and just tried to relax and keep everything simple. I tried to cut down a little bit of movement, and just put the barrel on the ball and not try to do too much.

Q. Each one of you, in your big at-bats, Pablo, you hit a ball that you thought was a double and they called it foul. And you hit one that obviously was foul, but you got good wood on it and it just sort of sliced away. How hard is it if you each can answer, to kind of come back after that, the disappointment of that and to focus to get the hit you need to get?
PABLO SANDOVAL: Especially when you hit two doubles -- just kidding. When I come back Buster was talking to the umpire, I just calmed down myself. Count to 10. Breathe. Get a pitch you can hit a fly ball or try to hit to the middle. Don't try to do too much. That's what we need to do, try to tie the game. That's what I do and then try to concentrate to hit the ball to the middle.
BUSTER POSEY: I agree with Pablo, I guess you just try to -- you try to refocus as much as possible. That's going to happen. You're going to hit some balls closer. They're going to be fair sometimes. Going to be foul, it's just part of the game.

Q. Buster, couple of questions, quickly. Have you had a chance to really digest what you did tonight?
BUSTER POSEY: I helped the team win. I guess that's how I digest it.

Q. But you do understand that it's an epic night for any player in a postseason game?
BUSTER POSEY: Well, thank you (laughter).

Q. On that last at-bat, you were talking about how you were handling Oswalt's pitches. But one thing you were doing is you were going away, going away. You had two balls down the right field line that could have been hit for the single, what were you doing going the opposite field?
BUSTER POSEY: You know what, I don't think I consciously went up there and said I'm going to go the other way. Just really was -- the guy throws hard. He's got an electric fastball. And good off-speed stuff as well.
So the goal was just to let the ball travel, try to see it and I think when I'm going good, that's what I do. I let the ball travel and can hit it the other way.

Q. At this time of year when everything is so much pressure, what's coming easier, more natural to you at this point? Is it the hitting? Or is it working with these pitchers in postseason?
BUSTER POSEY: I don't know. I don't really know. I mean, more natural...I don't know. I mean, every day's different. Some days are a grind behind the plate and some are a grind when you're up to bat. I think it's a matter of making adjustments each day.

Q. Pablo, when you got to second base, the second time, and the fans are going crazy and you're clapping your hands, you're throwing your arms up in the air, how great was that feeling considering what you've been through the last few weeks and not getting to play?
PABLO SANDOVAL: Exciting. When you dream, when I was a little kid in the backyard. Come through, being in the postseason, helping my team get a double two RBIs, it's one of those dreams when you're a little kid you're thinking my dream's come true. I'm here in the postseason. Last year I was at home on the beach. But right now I got the opportunity to be here, no matter what the situation I just try to be here help my team and support my team. It's like every day.

Q. This is for both of you guys. When you have a pitching matchup like you have tomorrow, are you even more conscious, or tomorrow night I should say, are you even more conscious about how important each run is?
PABLO SANDOVAL: You know what, we try to play the same game, play hard. No matter who is throwing, we've got one of the best pitchers in the Big Leagues. They've got one of the best pitchers in the Big Leagues too. We try to play hard, have some fun. Don't pay attention to that much. Have some fun there and try to play hard.
BUSTER POSEY: I think we all know that with these two guys going that sometimes runs are going to be few and far in between.
So I think probably tomorrow it's going to be extremely important to be able to execute, move runners and get an opportunity to drive a guy in. You've got to do your best to get it done.

Q. Pablo, Charlie was talking about at your at-bat that what they really wanted to do was throw the ball out of the strike zone, get you to chase. Were you conscious of that? Were you aware of that when you were at the plate or were you not thinking too much?
PABLO SANDOVAL: You know, I just tried to get a pitch to -- high pitch to hit the ball in the air, to tie the game. I get an opportunity, he made a mistake. That was it. You get the approach to try to hit the ball the other way. It was a high pitch. It wasn't there in the middle. It wasn't close. It was a high pitch. I got an opportunity to drive the guy in.

Q. For both of you, how do you feel going into a game tomorrow with a chance to clinch a World Series berth and Halladay and Lincecum on the mound?
BUSTER POSEY: Oh, man. I guess if you're a Giants fan, it would be pretty exciting. It's exciting for any fan. Two of the best arms in the game.
We're in a good position. But at the same time we know anything can happen in baseball. I don't think you take anything for granted.
You have to come out battling tomorrow.
PABLO SANDOVAL: You know, it's one of those situations we were in the first game, the good matchups. We come tomorrow prepared no matter what the situation is going to happen. We come here to play, play hard, have some fun. And it's an important game for us, important game for them, too, but we try to fight every inning, every pitch?
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen.

End of FastScripts

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