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NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: CARDINALS v BREWERSOctober 8, 2011Zack GreinkeMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN: Workout Day Q. Are you getting more used to the post-game celebration situation where there's all kinds of guys around and lots of partying, and it's not really your thing? ZACK GREINKE: The one yesterday was more exciting than the first one to me. It was fun. Q. How much will your Division Series start impact your start in Game 1 of this series? ZACK GREINKE: Not much. I guess I know what to expect when the game starts now. But it was just kind of like a normal start. And maybe a little more intense and a little more focused. But it really wasn't that much different. So I'm expecting the next one to be the same way. Q. How much did you warm up in the bullpen last night before the 11th inning, and will it affect you in any way pitching tomorrow? ZACK GREINKE: It shouldn't affect me. I guess probably got like almost completely loose. But I threw like a really, really light bullpen earlier. So it was probably about the equivalent of a normal bullpen session, maybe just like a little bit more, but it shouldn't make a difference. Q. When you look at the Cardinals' lineup, what strikes you about it? ZACK GREINKE: Mainly it's just -- I think it's the best lineup in the National League. It's just really deep. There's really no easy outs in the lineup. And not only that, they have a couple of guys on the bench that they could plug in and are just as good as the guys in there. I think it's the deepest lineup in the National League and the best. Q. After being around it for 18 matchups this season, do these two teams legitimately dislike each other? ZACK GREINKE: Maybe now. I think no one really likes Carpenter. But besides that, I think they respect mostly everyone on their team. Q. I'm curious, with the rally towels and stuff, is that distracting to a pitcher, because you guys see it more than the hitters do? ZACK GREINKE: I couldn't even tell you if it was going on when I was pitching, the last time I pitched. If I was pitching when that was going on, that's your answer. If I wasn't, I don't know yet. Q. Did you hear Ryan Braun's comments after your start about living life awkwardly, and what were your thoughts? ZACK GREINKE: Yeah. He just -- I mean, he's jealous of a lot of things I do (laughter). But my wife was actually mad at him because I complimented him and he said that. That doesn't bother me. Q. Is that a glimpse of just how loose the clubhouse is and how you fit in with this team? ZACK GREINKE: I guess everyone has different opinions on it, like he didn't even see it, but I guess he assumed that it wasn't normal. I don't know, it was just what we do. Q. What's your impression at this point of Nyjer Morgan, and just all the ways that you can talk about? ZACK GREINKE: 95 percent of the time he's great. Everyone else probably likes him 100 percent of the time. But every now and then he talks too much for me and gets annoying (laughter). But I tell him that. Everyone on the team loves him. He has a good heart and he's fun. Q. When you tell him that, does he shut up? ZACK GREINKE: Sometimes. Q. You talked about in the beginning about the rivalry with the Cardinals, for a while it was the Brewers chasing the Cardinals and now you guys are right there? ZACK GREINKE: I don't know what it is, but it seems like everyone always wants to make a rival with the Cardinals. Maybe just -- I don't know, I like how they play the game. I think their manager is really smart. I like how their players play. They play the game good. They hardly ever make mistakes. I don't know why it seems to be like that, but coming into Spring Training, no one liked the Cardinals on our team. And I guess the Reds didn't like them last year. And I mean, I don't understand it, but a lot of guys respect how they do it and a lot of guys get mad at them. Q. Going back to Spring Training with your interview with us, is there any part of the public part of this that you're comfortable with or do you still lay low? ZACK GREINKE: I guess I'm getting more used to it every year, just -- just kind of get ready for my starts, and that's all I really worry about. And the media hasn't been a problem at all, even in the playoffs. It's kind of set up pretty easy. I don't mind talking to you guys, I just don't like when I'm trying to get ready and then someone comes and talks and tries to talk to me about something. If it's set up like this, it's fine and doesn't really bother you at all. I just don't like it when it gets in the way. And it hasn't this year at all. Q. Could you speak a little bit about your chemistry with Lucroy, in calling the games and what it's like to throw to him? ZACK GREINKE: I like him a lot. I actually -- the guys give him a hard time because he's a young guy. Like John Buck, I used to throw to him. And when he was first in the big leagues, I thought Lucroy was way ahead of where Buck was when Buck first got in. But now by like the third or fourth year, I told Buck it's unbelievable -- I think Buck is great back there now. And he has an amazing understanding of the League and the hitters. But it takes a while sometimes. We give Lucroy a hard time on what he does, but I think he's farther along than any other young catcher I've ever thrown to. And does a good job blocking. A good job throwing. He's not like the best in baseball blocking, the best in baseball at throwing, but overall package, I think he's a very solid catcher, and for how young he is, he's ahead of where most people are. Q. Here's one you haven't heard before, home field advantage. Is it just impossible to ignore now, since you won all three games this past series at home and you just continue to win at home? ZACK GREINKE: Yeah, you know, I never really thought about home field advantage being that big of a difference. In the playoffs the crowds were just so intense, and I really think it definitely helps. It's just -- the crowds are so good here. And in Arizona the crowds were great there. And I could definitely feel how the momentum can change just by that slight difference. Q. Did you help Lucroy with his development or how did that happen? I know he played with your brother. ZACK GREINKE: Yeah. I don't think so. Maybe a little bit. I don't know. Most people, they make fun of young guys, that's how it always is. But I try to let him know that -- I mean, I think he's really good. And even right away at the first month and a half or something, I think I threw to like a different catcher every start. And I told our coach, I don't know why you keep messing with me. I like throwing to Lucroy. Not that I hate throwing with other people, but I like throwing to the same catcher and not switching. I think Lucroy is really good. You can just let me throw to him. And just experience I think has helped him more than anything, more than people helping him. Q. So what do the guys have against Carpenter? ZACK GREINKE: I don't know. They think his presence, his attitude out there sometimes is like a phony attitude. But -- and then he yells at people. He just stares people down and stuff. And most pitchers just don't do that. And when guys do, I guess some hitters get mad. Some hitters do it to pitchers. But when you do that some people will get mad. There's other pitchers in the League that do it, but, I don't know, a lot of guys on our team don't like Carpenter. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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