	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NL DIVISION SERIES: CARDINALS v PHILLIES

October 1, 2011

Ryan Howard

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Game One

Phillies Â– 11
Cardinals - 6

Q. After the first inning and that first single in the second, what, if anything, changes where you retire 21 straight guys?
ROY HALLADAY: You know, really, I felt like we weren't making bad pitches other than the pitch to Berkman was a bad pitch. But really just tried to stay the course. I couldn't think of a worse start, really, than putting your team in a hole like that.
You know, you get to this point, you're not going to pack it in. And I feel like sometimes you get in those situations, you try and do too much, and it continues to get worse.
Really I just tried to stick with our plan. I felt like for the most part we were making good pitches, just tried to continue with that, be aggressive, and let things take care of themselves. Just really was trying to avoid at that point trying to make up for what already happened. At that point there's nothing you can do and you really just have to continue with what you're doing.

Q. Can you talk about watching the guys hitting in the sixth inning and how that inning played out, specifically Ryan's at-bat to take the lead?
ROY HALLADAY: Yeah. You know, through the first few innings Lohse was throwing the ball well. He was using his change-up a lot and moving the ball around, and at that point it looked like it was really going to be a grind. Got a few guys on, and then obviously I know he's in the room, so I don't want to swell his head too much, but that was huge. You're down three. At that point we were down two. It's starting to get late in the game, and one swing of the bat, you're up. We were able to add on after that, which made my job a lot easier.
But that's the game right there. One big swing put them ahead, and one big swing for us gave it back to us, and we were able to add on from there.

Q. What were you trying to do with Berkman?
ROY HALLADAY: We were trying to go away from him early in the at-bat. The last few times we faced him, we've thrown a lot of stuff soft and really pitched him in a lot, so we felt like first at-bat, let's get away from him and then we can get back to our plan. But really just kind of a pulled sinker left to right over the plate, and if it's down, I might get away with it, but it was pretty much thigh-high, center cut, about as bad as you can put it.

Q. Do you suppose there are areas in St. Louis tonight where you're very popular and others where you're not quite as popular?
RYAN HOWARD: It very well could be. I guess it's a good thing we're in Philadelphia right now. You never know.

Q. Were you looking on that 3-2 count something for up in the zone like he threw or were you just protecting at that point?
RYAN HOWARD: I think it was a combination of both. I knew that he was going to be very careful in that situation with Shane (Victorino) coming up behind me and didn't want to make a mistake. Actually rattled off a couple really good pitchers' pitches and was able to get one where he just kind of left it hanging and made a good connection with it.

Q. Ryan, given how Kyle was pitching up until that inning, talk about being able to break through, break it open and take advantage of it as a team.
RYAN HOWARD: It was big. Lohse came out and he was throwing very well, mixing it up. We just knew it was just a matter of time. We had had a few hits here and just needed to get the momentum on our side and just continue to kind of chip away. Just didn't really focus on trying to get it all back at once but trying to get one run here and one run there and continue to give ourselves opportunities, and that's what we did tonight.

Q. Last year, there was a lot made about your production numbers in the post-season and the struggles. How much did you think about it this year at times? And what was it like when this ball kind of lands in the stands and you run around the bases?
RYAN HOWARD: You know what, coming into this year, I knew that people were probably going to say whatever, but I left last year in the past, and this is a completely new year. You can't bring what happened last year into this year, so for me it was a fresh start to be able to come out, try and do what I can to help my team win the game.

Q. Charlie said you were mad after that home run in the dugout. Were you? And how did you kind of get back on track, get calmed down, get your emotions in check?
ROY HALLADAY: Yeah, I was upset, but you know, the biggest thing, I think, especially it's early in the game, and the biggest thing you try and think about is I can't get it back. I can't go out and pitch and start subtracting runs. You know, you have your moment of frustration and you've got to move on, you really do. You can't dwell on it, and you can't do anything to get it back. I felt like at that point the frustration was out, and I've just got to go out and pitch. I'm not going to pack it in, and I've got to stick with my plan.

Q. To that effect, when you guys have all eight of your everyday players, you're a much different offense. Even though it's three right away, are you still thinking, well, we've got all our guys here and we can make this up?
ROY HALLADAY: You know, as a pitcher you try not to focus on that. Obviously we have a lot of confidence in the guys that we send up to the plate and feel like we definitely have the talent to make up those sorts of -- come back from situations like that.
But as a pitcher you can't think about it. I really had to focus on my job and try to pitch a good game from that point on. But I think all of us feel like we have the players to come back. That doesn't mean we want to put ourselves in that situation again, though.

Q. You talked about how the one bad pitch was the one to Berkman, but you had a couple of unlucky bleeders that got through the infield. Kind of looked like another one might happen and Ryan made a really good play on that ball in the second inning there. Talk about what that play meant and was there a sense of relief like okay, okay, the luck is kind of on our side now.
ROY HALLADAY: Yeah, I mean, as a pitcher when you get ground balls and they're going through the hole, it's tough. There's not a lot you can do about it. But yeah, that was a huge play.
After he made the play, he said, keep them right there. I think that means a lot to you, knowing that our team has confidence, too, that we can come back from this. Keep them there; we'll come back from this. I felt like, yeah, that was definitely a turning point. That ball gets through, maybe second and third, maybe first and third, and your back's against the wall again, so that was a big out.

Q. Over the last few years, this team has often depended on the big inning, but this year it hasn't come with a whole lot of frequency.
RYAN HOWARD: Is it good to get back to having a big inning? Is that what you're saying?

Q. Yeah.
RYAN HOWARD: Yeah, I think it is, but for us we want to continue to try to be more consistent across the board. The big innings are huge, and they're great momentum-shifters for us. But like I said, in those kind of situations, you want to try to get a run here, try to get a run there, continue to keep yourself in the game and give yourself opportunities to score more runs. When you've got guys like Doc or Cliff or Roy or whoever is on the mound, you're giving those guys every opportunity to go out there and win the ballgame.

Q. You've had a lot of success against Kyle batting over the years. Is there any particular reason why or something you can notice that he does that allows you to hit him the way you do?
RYAN HOWARD: I don't know, and even if I did, I don't think I would want to. I mean, for me I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I just go up there and just try to get good pitches to hit and hope for mistakes.

Q. Right before you hit the home run, Javier Molina goes out and speaks with Lohse. Are you trying to read their mind when you're standing there? And are you surprised he threw you a 3-2 change up?
RYAN HOWARD: No, I'm not trying to read their mind. I know in that situation they're going to be very careful, especially with Shane coming up behind me, and just try to make about pitches, maybe try to get me to chase a couple pitches or just have a couple good pitchers' pitches, maybe roll something over. But I was able to actually foul off two really good change-ups, and he left one hanging.

Q. Would the old Roy Halladay be able to compartmentalize what happened to you or has experience helped you deal with situations like that better and better?
ROY HALLADAY: Yeah, I definitely think it helps. It took a long time to -- for me to be able to learn that. Like I've said a couple times, you can't get it back. And I think that's something you learn as a pitcher, being able to put things behind you and continue to move on, and really as a player, pitcher, hitter, you can't lose hope. You can't lose the aggressiveness and the feeling that you have a chance to win. Yeah, I feel like experience does help.

Q. Ryan, as a post-season veteran, I'm just curious how important is it to be up 1-0 in a series? And how does the mindset change?
RYAN HOWARD: It's huge, especially at home. You have to protect that home-field advantage, especially going up against a team like St. Louis who are a lot like us. They don't give up until that 27th out is made, and they showed that tonight. But it's huge to be able to get off to a fast start, protect the home-field advantage and give yourselves the opportunity to go out and try to win another one and hopefully going into St. Louis be able to take the series.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297