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AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS v RAYS

September 30, 2011

James Shields

ARLINGTON, TEXAS: Game One

THE MODERATOR: Again, questions for James.

Q. James, obviously you've had a lot of success against the Rangers this season. Kind of what's your approach against them and kind of what has been the key to that?
JAMES SHIELDS: Well, I mean, as far as my opinion goes, they got one of the better hitting teams in the Big Leagues, but you have to be a aggressive. You have to attack those hitters. You can't make too many mistakes. They will capitalize on the mistakes that you make in the game, so you have to minimize your mistakes as much as you can.
You know, like I said, they are a good hitting team and you really have to -- you really have to focus down and bare down.
I will try to stay aggressive, pitch my game. Not try to do too much different. I faced them back to back earlier in September, and that's pretty tough in itself. But now is the time to get down and dirty.

Q. Joe said you would pitch Games 2 and 5. Do you like that opportunity knowing it's there and is that what you expected?
JAMES SHIELDS: I hope we don't get to Game 5. I definitely wouldn't mind that. But, yeah, it's exciting. I think I am ready to go. I feel good. My body feels great right now. So right now I am focusing on tomorrow and focusing on what I need to do to get a win tomorrow, and I'll worry about Game 5 later on.
Yeah, I am going out there and pitching my game.

Q. James, your postseason start against these guys last year serve as any motivation for you coming into this season?
JAMES SHIELDS: Well, I just hope I throw more than 62 pitches (laughing).
You know, last year I struggled. I struggled all season long last year. You know, Joe had me on a short leash going into the playoffs. I was a better pitcher at home, and that's probably the reason why I pitched Game 2 last year.
You know, I think this year's been a completely different year for me as far as pitching. I have been really consistent, so I am sure Joe has a lot of faith in me in what I need to do this year.
And I am not really going to take too much out of last year. I am just going to go and pitch this year on exactly how I have been pitching all year long.

Q. You obviously accomplished quite a bit this year, career highs in many things. What are you most proud of in your season?
JAMES SHIELDS: Staying healthy, that's about it. You know, I really haven't thought about it too much, to be honest with you. Obviously I wanted a complete game. I hadn't had a complete game since 2008 before this season, and surprisingly I got 11 of them.
But just staying consistent. I am very proud of what I have done this year as far as staying consistent. I think that's what I am all about and what I am capable of doing.

Q. James, do you have any idea what Matt Moore is going through right about now?
JAMES SHIELDS: Yeah, I have a little bit to do with it. In 2008 it was my first, my first playoff experience. I started Game 1 back then, too. And obviously this is a little bit different scenario. This is his second career start (laughing).
But, I mean, he's got -- he's very well beyond his years in pitching, as far as I am concerned, from what I've seen. He's very comfortable out there. He's very calm. You know, obviously he throws 97 from the left side and he's got a pretty good idea of how to pitch.
You know, I have all the confidence in the world in him. What he showed me against the Yankees just proves the fact that he can do this. You know, he told me yesterday he's ready to go. I asked him. I asked him when he didn't even know he was pitching. I said, Get your mind right and get ready to pitch tomorrow just in case. And all he told me is -- he said, I'm ready. I'm ready to go.
This is his time right now, and I am happy for him.

Q. Can you talk about the Ranger lineup, top to bottom, what makes them so tough?
JAMES SHIELDS: Top to bottom, 1-9, the whole lineup is pretty good. I mean, they hit homers. They move guys over. They got speed. They steal bags. They play the game the right way.
You know, I think that's one of the reasons why they score so many runs is because they play the game the right way. They are aggressive. They have their power hitters, the guys that get on base and steal bags. They will bunt on you.
And, you know, you just kind of got to -- like I said before, you have to be aggressive with them. You have to be careful with them. You know, you can't make too many mistakes. And hopefully with our defense I think we have a pretty good defense behind me.
You know, I think we're one of the better defensive teams in the league, and I think that kind of helps us out a little bit.
As far as the pitching goes, you have to make your pitches, execute.

Q. James, Joe said basically described the end of September as every day is a playoff game. Is there any fatigue on this team? I mean, the fight to get into the playoffs, do you think that it's taken anything out of you guys? Or do you think maybe the opposite?
JAMES SHIELDS: Well, I tell you what, I am the oldest guy on the pitching staff, starting staff, and I am 29 years old. So I don't think fatigue is too much of a factor for these young guys.
But, nah, we're excited. We feel really good as a team. Throughout this whole process a lot of times you kind of stress out a little bit, you kind of put a lot of pressure on yourselves going into October trying to make the playoffs, and as far as I am concerned, we're probably one of the loosest groups around. I don't know about any other clubhouse, but we were pretty loose. So staying as loose as we were, having fun with it. I don't think it took too much out of us. We kind of played our game and did what we did.
So it's been phenomenal so far the way we got into the playoffs, for one. You know, I mean, that's a story in itself. But we're ready to go. We're all fired up and I think we have as much energy as we possibly can have.

Q. James, have you pretty much embraced the nickname after the three or four years of it?
JAMES SHIELDS: (Laughing) are you talking about the "Big Game"? Like I said, man, it is definitely not self-proclaimed. That is "Big Game" James Worthy's name. Any nickname is a good nickname, I guess.
I haven't really embraced it because it is not a big deal to me. I'd like to consider myself a big game pitcher. And I want to pitch in the big game. I mean, but other than that, I mean, it doesn't really mean too much to me. I will just go out there and pitch my game.
THE MODERATOR: All right, thanks.

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