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NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS v BREWERS

October 7, 2011

Ron Roenicke

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN: Game Five

Q. Have you seen many games impacted that you've said wow, this is different, closed versus open?
RON ROENICKE: No, because every time the weather is a little tough outside it's always closed. So weather-wise, wind-wise, really hasn't been a factor here.
I heard it's going to be a little windy today. If it is going to be a little windy, probably would rather have it closed so it doesn't affect things.
I don't like when the elements play into a ballgame. I like when you hit a legitimate home run it's because you hit it hard. You go to Wrigley, for example, huge difference when that wind is blowing in or out.
I think you need -- I like guys to earn things. So when they hit it good, I think it should be a home run. And when they pop it up and just miss it, I think it should be an out.

Q. The Diamondback guys were still talking about the shadows yesterday and how they had to adjust. You'll have that regardless, whether it's closed or open?
RON ROENICKE: Right.

Q. And how do you feel? Do you feel that that is making an impact on the games?
RON ROENICKE: Well, I think there's going to be two or three innings where if the sun is out, like it is, there are shadows. The sun comes in through the panels and it's tough for a left fielder for a little bit. Tough for the hitters maybe a couple of innings.
But that's the game times that we get. The game times are not conducive to the exact thing that the players would like, which is no shadows. But it's the same way. I turn on the TV, I look at other places, I heard the St. Louis game the other day was really tough. I think any ballpark you go to if you have a 4:00 or 5:00 start there's going to be shadows.

Q. Gallardo is throwing his curveball really well this series, I think I saw in Game 1 they didn't hit it. Is there anything special about it this time around that wasn't maybe there during regular season?
RON ROENICKE: I think it's there. Maybe not every game it's there. Sometimes the slider is so good that he stays with the slider. He's a guy that kind of pitches off what he's got going that day. When his fastball is really live and he's locating really well, he pitches with the fastball.
Yo is a guy that it changes. It changes from game to game and what he has. But he's got three outstanding pitches. And it's nice for him to be able to vary that a little bit in a ballgame.

Q. After you left last night, did anything go through your thoughts about either keys to the game or maybe getting away from this situation coming up? Did you do anything?
RON ROENICKE: Actually, I stopped by the river just right next to the parking lot and I saw a guy fly fishing out there. So I walked over and asked him a couple of questions and walked down to the river and watched the big old salmon swimming around. And I stayed there for a while. It was pretty cool.

Q. Did he know who you were?
RON ROENICKE: No, no.
But it was neat. There's salmon all over that river. It's pretty cool.
Other than that, no, just dinner last night with my wife and, hey, we all understand what this game means.
The reason that Zack Greinke pitched the last game of the season is for this game. Really, that's what it's all about. We wanted home field advantage. We knew we would get three games here, and that's why we pitched Zack. If we didn't care about this, we would have pitched somebody else, we would have saved Zack for Game 2, knowing that he would have been on full day's rest, probably too much rest for him. But he may have just pitched two innings that last game. But this is why.
So we should be at least pleased that we're here with Yovani pitching. That's how we set it up.

Q. A lot of different things can become the focal point of this important game. The five hole, playing out differently so far this series, could you talk about maybe the five hole?
RON ROENICKE: Well, it's important. We always talk about what's happening behind Brauny and Prince. And Rickie, even though I like the way he's been swinging the bat, he's just missing a lot of balls. He's feeling better all the time. He is not a hundred percent. We've talked about that.
But I think where he is and what he can do for us, I think he's still a great guy to have there. I know Prince is very comfortable with Rickie hitting behind him. And I expect him to -- if they make a couple of mistakes, I expect him to take good swings at it again and hopefully he's going to square a couple up.
I don't want to talk about that other guy (laughter).

Q. You said that Greinke would be on call today if the situation came up. Because he's maybe more routine oriented than a lot of other guys, how would you work that, would you have to specify an inning and give him lots of time --
RON ROENICKE: We need to give him more time than I think you would a normal pitcher. You know, I don't want to think about this a lot, because I really don't expect this to happen. If it does happen it's because some freak thing, maybe Yo's bunting and he takes one off the finger or something. You never know what can happen.
I think you have to plan for something, but I don't want to spend too much time on something that I don't think is going to happen. But we need to give him a little bit of time. If we have to send a reliever out there to get him ready, that's what we'll do.

Q. Because it's winner take all three, would you be quicker on making any move, whether it's pitching or lineup? You've made it clear that you like to give guys a chance to settle in.
RON ROENICKE: I like guys to have a chance to settle in, but during the course of a year I think all those games are important. And we try to win them all with what we think is the best way to do things.
So I don't know that it would change very much. I think you've got two very good pitchers going today. If there's a chance to score an early run, even if it's just one run, I think it's important to do.

Q. We just noticed the other day that Gibson pulled Saunders while they were winning, pulled his pitcher out. So he was in a lose or go home situation, and looked like he wasn't going to take any chances. I wondered if you were of the same inclination today.
RON ROENICKE: He's got Saunders going and we've got Yovani going. I think there's a difference. I've seen Joe when he's on. When Joe is on, you just let him go. If Joe is off a little bit, and I think that's what he saw, then he made the change.
Yovani is different. Yo's a stud. When he's out there you feel good about him going deep into games. You know when he gets it going, it's going to be very difficult for them scoring runs.

Q. You mentioned the fishing story and keeping perspective. You always seem outwardly calm. Is that deceiving and how important is it that you display that so that your guys feed off of it?
RON ROENICKE: I don't think it's deceiving. Hey, I know this game is important. I know this is what we worked for.
Is there a little anxiety there with me? Maybe a little bit. But I'm not overly excitable. And I'm not -- usually I'm not down. So I think with me remaining calm, that's who I am normally. If you see me in the wintertime, I'm the same guy.
But again, I know how important this game is and I know that it's also important for the guys to see that I'm the same.
I have a lot of confidence in this team. It's not an act. It's not something when I talk to them that I say that I really don't feel. I really think this team is going to step up and play a great game.
Now for me to show that, that's my same temperament during each day that I come to the ballpark; to let them know I'm not worried about what's going on. Early in the season we were playing poorly, I was basically -- at least I thought I was -- the same guy coming to the ballpark. I knew we were good. I knew we would come out of it.
I know we played two games in Arizona where Arizona played really good ballgames. I understand that. But I'm not too concerned about those two games. I think we're going to bounce back today and play well. It's not to say we're not going to go out and lose this game. But I think we're going to play well.
And, hey, whoever steps it up and gets those key hits and maybe gets a couple of breaks, they're going to win that game today.

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