	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

AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS v RAYS

October 3, 2011

Ron Washington

TAMPA, FLORIDA: Game Three

Texas Â– 4
Tampa Bay - 3

THE MODERATOR: Question, questions for Ron Washington.

Q. Did you think Colby was going to make it kind of an easy night for you there for a while?
RON WASHINGTON: I thought he was the way he was throwing the ball. And he certainly did for the time that he kept the ball.
You know, you have to give Jennings credit. He threw a pitch down and in and he got it out of there. And from that point on, it was just about matching zeros with Price because he was throwing well, also.
We had some opportunities, I think three times, by the time we got to the fifth inning where we had runners in scoring position. But, once again, it was all with two outs. And it's tough runs to score.

Q. Hey, Wash, can you talk a little bit about the decision to go to Feliz in the eighth and then what you thought about his ability to get his slider off in addition to his fastball?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, you know, he's been using his off-speed stuff pretty regular here as of late as the season winded down. And Mike just didn't have it tonight. He was battling his butt off out there, but he just didn't have it. And we decided to just go to Neffy and see if we can get four outs out of them, and we ended up doing just that. Gonzalez did a great job when he came in of taking care of Johnny Damon.
But that was one intense ballgame. And we needed everything that we got from everyone today.

Q. Ron, speaking of the intensity, just what emotions were going through your head the final three innings there?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, it was three of the toughest innings that we experienced all year. And you had two ballclubs out there that never quit playing baseball. And it certainly showed up today. And if you ever wanted to see a great baseball game, that was one out there today. It was quite intense. Each one of the clubs had opportunities to do some things, and I am just so happy we were able to get the 27th out.

Q. Wash, Joe Maddon called it the year of the Napoli, and Mike has got a higher OPS than Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Gonzalez, Granderson, Cano, anyone but Bautista. How has he turned from a part-time platoon player to maybe the most dangerous in your lineup at times?
RON WASHINGTON: I think it has a lot to do with the atmosphere that he's in. It has a lot to do with the work ethic that he brings. He's a dirt bag. He is a baseball player. He really is. We always knew he had the power, we always knew he had the on-base percentage, and this year he put it together as far as average-wise go.
And in certain situations he learned to shorten his stroke. He used the opposite part of the field. And all of that helps. And he can definitely turn on the high ball, and today he turned on one that Price threw, and it put us in a position to be where we are now and win a ballgame 4-3.
He has been very special for us. And I commend Jon Daniels and the group that scouted him and brought him in because he fits well with the rest of the guys we have there, and he's been a big, big part of why we have this opportunity to be in the playoffs and try to continue to move forward. And tonight he showed it again.

Q. Hey, Ron, can you talk about the decision there with Mike Gonzalez coming in there to face the left-handed hitter and then going with Feliz for the final four outs and how that all worked?
RON WASHINGTON: As I said, Mike just didn't have it today and I just wanted Johnny Damon to see something different, especially from the left side. And Mike came in and got first pitch fastball, threw a nice breaking ball and then threw another pitch and got rid of him.
And from that point, we had decided if Mike had gotten Johnny, that we was going to have to use Neffy for four outs. And it worked out perfectly. We got him in the ballgame. He got us out of that inning, and then he got us the ground ball double play to finish the game off.
What a game.

Q. Wash, can you talk about the chess match where you guys got the pitch out to get Upton?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, Upton is on the base paths and his job is not to sit at first base. I don't think anyone can blame him for what he did, trying to get to second base and get in scoring position. We know he was antsy. We had thrown over there quite a few times and the count, in my opinion, was perfect. And Jackie say, You want to try a pitch out right here? And I said, Why not. And it was lucky.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Ron.
RON WASHINGTON: All right. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297