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AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS v RAYSOctober 3, 2011Colby LewisMike NapoliTAMPA, FLORIDA: Game Three Texas – 4 THE MODERATOR: Okay. Questions for either one of the guys. Q. Colby, that's four straight postseason wins for you, two against the Yankees and one in San Francisco and one today. Now you just feel comfortable pitching in these atmospheres? COLBY LEWIS: You know, for me, I think it's just October, it's either win or go home. So you kind of go out there with the mentality of just blow your lid, and that's what I tried to tell myself a lot, is it's one batter at a time, and then move on from there. Q. Mike, can you talk a little bit about what kind of stuff Feliz had today and why you felt real comfortable going with the slider, especially in the eighth? MIKE NAPOLI: Well, coming down the stretch he has been throwing a little more off-speed. We definitely used it today. He's built up confidence with the slider and not just throwing a fastball all the time. I think it's huge for him to be able to back it up velocity-wise. You know, a big at-bat with Zobrist up and you do about four good ones. Q. Were you aware it was the year of the Napoli? MIKE NAPOLI: No. I guess I know now. Hopefully I can keep it going and keep this postseason going good. Q. What has been the difference for you this year and specifically Maddon talked about your two-strike approach. What's changed? MIKE NAPOLI: Just try to shorten up and see the ball to contact. Not trying to hit a home run every time. Maybe shoot the hole through second. Just put the ball in play. That's all I am really trying to do and cut down on my strikeouts and make things happen by putting the ball in play. Q. Mike, is it hard to believe you were traded twice like within like five days or whatever the heck it was earlier this year and here you are now? MIKE NAPOLI: It was a pretty crazy offseason. I got traded to Toronto and four days later get the call from J.D. saying welcome to the Texas Rangers. I was excited. I knew they had a winning ballclub and I was hoping I could come here and help contribute. And it's been a great year. Q. Yeah, Colby, just obviously you gave up one hit over six innings. But what was the emotion going through your head the final three innings once you left the game? COLBY LEWIS: I really wasn't too worried too much. Our bullpen has been pretty phenomenal all year long. Of course Mike had a little hiccup, but it is not very often that guy has a hiccup. And Gonzo came in and did his job, and Feliz of course stepped up for the four outs. But the big thing was our offensive production. It's been there all year, and Mike stepped up huge today with the two-run blast. And I think that just got us kicked off. And then we rallied and got two more there in the seventh. And I think it was huge. Definitely the tables turned there in the seventh. Q. Mike, I saw Mike Young had a quote the other day. He said: Mike Napoli is one of the best players in Major League Baseball right now. People haven't talked about you that way all that much before this. What does it mean, and what's your reaction to hearing people like Mike Young, who has been around, put you in that kind of company? MIKE NAPOLI: It means a lot coming from them. I work hard. I work hard every day. I am in the cage every day working on my swing. Before the games I work on my catching. I work with these pitchers and try to get the best out of them every day. So for him to say that, it means a lot. And I still have things to work on and try to get better. I'm trying to get better every day. So just hearing that from him is nice. Q. Do you believe it? MIKE NAPOLI: I believe I am a good baseball player. I come out to be a good baseball player. Q. Just real quick. Mike, the throw-out, the pitch-out and throw-out, can you just take us through that? MIKE NAPOLI: I got the pitch-out from Jackie and I just tried to stay calm and go through my emotion, have my feet under me and make a good throw. You know Upton will try to run and get to second, a one-run game. Just kept it cool and got the pitch. Mikey gave me a good throw to handle, and just put the ball on the money. THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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