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MLB WORLD SERIES: RANGERS v CARDINALSOctober 22, 2011Edwin JacksonARLINGTON, TEXAS: Game Three Q. You talked about it when you arrived in St. Louis, you moved a lot, would love to get settled eventually with one team, but what does it mean to have one of these trades pay off where you're about to pitch in the World Series? EDWIN JACKSON: It's definitely a good feeling. You know, it's not always the easiest being bounced around, but at the end of the day, you still have an opportunity to play. And most of my trades have been midseason where I have an opportunity to play for a team that has a chance to go to the championship. It didn't happen, but this time it did, and it definitely makes the trade worthwhile to me, to be able to have a chance to play in October and have a chance to play for a world championship. Q. You were here in '08 with Tampa Bay and didn't get a chance to pitch. Can you talk a little bit about personally how much this means to you to actually get on the field now. EDWIN JACKSON: I mean, it's a lot, man. This is my first time having a start in the World Series. I've pitched out of the bullpen before, and just to even have a chance to be in either one is definitely overwhelming, and it was definitely a lot of fun. I mean, we have guys in the locker room, 19, 17 years in who have never been to a World Series, and me even to have an opportunity to be twice is maybe something that will never happen again. So definitely to have a chance to start in a World Series game, I'm definitely going to take advantage of it and do my best and leave it on the field. And at the end of the day if it doesn't work I know I gave it 110 percent. Q. How would you assess your last two postseason starts, which weren't nearly as long as the first one you made? EDWIN JACKSON: The last one was just a matter of not being aggressive enough, you know, trying to pitch, and next thing you know you find yourself behind in the count, and I'm definitely not that type of pitcher. I'm a pitcher who's going to be aggressive, and if I make mistakes they're going to be aggressive mistakes. I was kind of tentative last game. Wasn't nervous or anything, it was just a matter of going out and staying relaxed but not being too relaxed. So definitely I'll come out this game being aggressive from the first pitch. If it doesn't go the way I planned it, I'll definitely be 110 percent effort giving, and I plan on definitely not having a start like last time, and hopefully it goes well. Q. Obviously they put up a lot of runs in this ballpark. You're familiar with this ballpark, obviously, this team. Just talk about the challenges going into tomorrow. EDWIN JACKSON: I mean, at the end of the day, the park is the park. Both teams have to pitch in it. We get to hit in this park just like they do. You definitely can't pitch to a park. You have to go out and stick to your game plan and make pitches. I mean, as a pitcher you strive to keep the ball down anyways, regardless of what park you're in. If you go out and execute pitches, I mean, you might have some hits, there might be a routine fly ball somewhere that might turn into a double or a home run, but it's just part of the game. Both teams have opportunities to do the same thing. So nobody is going out and trying to pitch different according to park. You're going to go out, stick to your game plan, and hopefully it works out. Q. Nowitzki is throwing out the first pitch tonight. What are some of the memorable first pitches you've seen people throw? And what would be the key advice you would give to somebody throwing out first pitches? EDWIN JACKSON: I've seen a few different first pitches. It is pretty fun watching President Obama throwing out a first pitch. You get to see the president on the pitcher's mound sharing the same spot that we work at and throws out the first pitch. The only advice you can give is throw hard. If you miss, miss hard. Dirk has done it before and he has a second chance to do it. I'm sure this time will be a lot better than the first time. I want to say the first time he missed high, if I'm correct, but I'm sure he's got his practice in between then and now. Q. You faced the Rangers earlier this year. What do you remember about that start? And how does having already faced them this year help in the preparation? EDWIN JACKSON: I mean, this team is a team. They have a great team. They have speed, they have power, and they mix them in well. Those guys have been playing together for a while, and they're hungry just like we are, especially last year going to the World Series and not winning. So they definitely have the experience, and they're not going to fold under pressure, but it's just a matter of execution at the end of the day. We know what they have, they know what we have. You know they're going to get on, they're going to run, they're going to hit and run, they're going to steal, they're going to bunt and then they are going to mix in power, as well. Hopefully it all goes well, you can keep everyone off the bases. It's not always that easy, but you just always have to mix them up, hold them a little bit, make them pause on the bases and not just let them get in a rhythm where they see the rhythm and they can run all over you. Q. This is going to be the first start you get for the Cardinals where you don't get to bat. Are you going to miss that? EDWIN JACKSON: It's a little different when you don't get to hit, but definitely I won't complain about having another bat in the lineup. You can have a Craig in the lineup, who's a guy who's been clutch for us this year, and you get to have an extra at-bat. I would definitely rather have him hit than myself. You know, he's going to drive in runs, and he's a great guy to have in there. So I definitely won't mind the extra help. Q. To kind of follow on what you were just saying a minute ago, how big a part of controlling the running game are you as opposed to leaning on Yadi? And is there anything they emphasize or preach or do differently here than maybe other places as far as pitchers controlling the running game? EDWIN JACKSON: A lot of times it's on the pitcher. You see guys get good reads off the pitcher. Yadi has one of the best arms in the game, you know. He's been known to throw runners out. But at the end of the day the pitcher has to give the catcher a chance. If you don't give the catcher a chance to throw a runner out, it doesn't matter how good his arm is. Those guys out there, they're studying, they're doing their homework, so they know bits and pieces about every pitcher. You just have to mix it up. The better you can mix it up, hold the ball here and there, throw over and slide steps in between. The better you can do your job as a pitcher of holding a runner, the better chance a catcher has of throwing the runner out. Q. You mentioned mixing in the slide steps. How often do you feature that? And are you comfortable when you go to the slide steps? EDWIN JACKSON: I mix in my slide steps. It's something that I'm real comfortable with. It's not a problem. Just have to take your time and still make a pitch after that. I mean, you see some pitchers, they get so worried about the running game that they forget about the hitter. At times it can be tough, but as a professional that's what we get paid to do. You have to be able to do both, worry about the runner and worry about the hitter at the same time. It's just something that you practice on and you get ready for situations like these, especially against teams who are aggressive on the base paths. Q. This series has two of the better pitching coaches in the game in Mike Maddux and Dave Duncan. What's it been like for you working under Dave Duncan? And how has he helped you progress as a pitcher? EDWIN JACKSON: Dunc is a great guy. He's a man of few words, but when he does speak to you, you know there's definitely information that can help you. He's an open book. If you go up and ask him about anything, he definitely has answers for everything. He's been a great help. You know, he's changed some things mechanically when I was tipping or not. So we made a few adjustments, but Dunc is one of the best in the game. You have a lot of guys that have pitched under him that have great careers, and it's been a pleasure to work with him. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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