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AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS v ATHLETICSOctober 7, 2012Gerald LairdDETROIT, MICHIGAN: Game Two THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Tigers catcher Gerald Laird. Questions. Q. How much do you guys have a sense, what kind of a position, how much this puts you in the driver's seat if you manage to take Game 2 with the series shifting back to Oakland after this one? GERALD LAIRD: We know it's going to be a huge advantage. I mean, to go up two games up in a series is huge. And especially going on to the road. So we've got to take care of business at home. We know it's a big game today. We don't want to split it at home because then the advantage swings to them. If we can take care of business today and go up 2‑0, I like our chances to take one on the road. Q. How much have you learned about Anibal Sanchez and what do you expect to see from him starting in Oakland? GERALD LAIRD: I expect to see the same things in the last couple of outings. Sometimes it takes a while for a guy to adapt to a new team and new league and get familiar with everything and feel comfortable. But I knew what we were getting, seeing him last year a little bit with St. Louis and seeing him in the past just kind of going through Florida. And I knew he had great stuff. And the stuff that he's been throwing out there the last couple of outings, definitely the guy I thought we got. Q. To be able to sleep in your own bed, for you guys last night, how much of an advantage do you think it is or hope it is with an early‑‑ really early start for them? GERALD LAIRD: No lie. We were just talking about it last night. It's 9:00 on the West Coast right now. That's where I grew up. My parents go: I gotta get up early to watch this game. I can't imagine those guys. It's 9:00 there. We know it's a good ball club. They're ready to play. Melvin has done a good job getting those guys ready every day of the last season to make the run they went on. Can't take them lightly. They're going to come out ready to play. They know how important this game is. If they can sweep‑‑ I mean, if they can come out and win one and split it here, they go home and basically have to win a series to knock us out. So we'll be ready to play. We've got Dougy on the mound today, and I like our chances. Q. A lot of those guys, the A's, were pretty frustrated about the strike zone, in their words they didn't think it was fair yesterday. Does that sort of frustration in your mind carry over from game to game and do you do anything behind the plate to maybe add to that? GERALD LAIRD: Not really. I kind of do my thing. I try to work the corners as much as I can. I've got a pretty good relationship with all the umpires being around a little while now. I try to get what I can and kind of work it a little bit. But they've got a good crew. So we're just going to set up on the corners. If Dougy has his stuff, we'll take what we can get. And we know they'll make adjustments. We've gotta do what we can. Q. Just one more on that. From your experience, does the hitter's frustration from day to day, does it kind of roll over, new day and it's done? GERALD LAIRD: I think it's a new day. I mean, they've got a lot of good hitters over there. Obviously they've got a lot of young hitters. They know what they've done. They've had a good year, good run. I don't think they're going to let one game affect they way they come out today, because they know the importance of today's game. When I've been talking to Dougy the last hour we've been here, we'll do what we did all year and see if we can get them to expand a little bit. And maybe last night will help us a little bit, if they can chase a little bit off the plate. But, for me, I think they're going to come in ready to play and locked in, and we're going to have to make pitches. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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