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AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS v ATHLETICSOctober 3, 2013Miguel CabreraOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Workout Day THE MODERATOR: Questions for Miguel. Q. Miguel, as best as you can tell us, how are you feeling today? How have you been feeling? Is this thing going to improve, this groin, enough to where you can swing sufficiently or swing at a full capacity? Full capacity, during the playoffs? MIGUEL CABRERA: I mean, I wish tomorrow game time 100%. I feel much better last couple of days. You know, I think it's not going to be issues anymore, we're in the playoffs, anything can happen. Right now I'm focused about being ready to play tomorrow and don't give me anything on the field. Q. Miguel, I understand tomorrow is a brand‑new day and you're going to do what you need to do. How have you been limited over the past four to six weeks or so? What specifically have you been struggling with at the plate due to these ailments? MIGUEL CABRERA: I mean, you know, you gotta do what it takes to go out there on the field and perform. Doesn't matter if you go 4 for 4, you do anything to help your team to win games. It's why we was in Atlanta trying to help the Tigers to win games and go to the playoffs. Q. Miguel, what do you make of Josh Donaldson's season? He spent much of last year studying film of you to learn about your swing. MIGUEL CABRERA: That's great. He's a great player. I think he's one of the reasons the Oakland A's are in the playoffs. I think he brings a lot of energy to their ball club. He can change the game not only with his bat, with his glove, too, he's very smart hitting, too. We're going to face a tough lineup, tough pitches. We need to come tomorrow to play. Q. In a five‑game series, how important is it to win Game 1 to set the tone? MIGUEL CABRERA: Very important, especially here in Oakland. We know we are going to have a tough time here, you know, but that's what it's about, trying to come here and trying to be ready to play, trying to get the first game. Q. I don't know how much Sports Center or MLB Network you watch in the winter, but they showed the last pitch of the World Series a lot, over and over. I'm wondering if that was hard for you to watch and did it motivate you at all to want to come back? MIGUEL CABRERA: No, I mean, it was a good pitch. He throwed me six, seven sliders in a row, that fastball up and away, I don't wait. I think that's part of the game and you got to be ready. Somebody is going to lose, somebody is going to win. I mean, it was part of the game. We were not able to turn around the series. We lost four straight games in the World Series. I think it's a new year and you never know what's going to happen. Like I said before, we got to be ready to play. Q. Did you turn off the TV when you saw it? MIGUEL CABRERA: I mean, why? I'm good, man! No complaints, I'm good. Q. What did you think of the crowds here last year? Were they a factor and how did they compare with the crowds you saw in the postseason last year? MIGUEL CABRERA: It was unbelievable when we were coming here to Oakland, the crowd was very loud. I think we're going to face a loud crowd tomorrow. I don't know how you are going to prepare, but I think we're going to be ready for that. We know it's going to be loud, but we've got to focus and play our game. It's tough to play, people are very loud. Even if they lose, they're loud, too, doesn't matter. Nine innings in the game, that's very impressive. Q. This year you have Torii and Victor, do you think this year's team is better than last year's? MIGUEL CABRERA: Well, not yet. We don't play the first game of the playoff, we win the division, let's see how we play, let's see how we start tomorrow. If we are a better team this year, we got prove it, so we don't know yet. Q. Miguel, what was it like playing with Torii Hunter this season? MIGUEL CABRERA: Unbelievable. Torii is one of the leader on the team. One of the reasons we are in the playoffs right now is the veteran guy coming to our ball club. He's an amazing player, man. Q. Do you watch other third basemen? When do you remember is the first time you actual saw or heard about Josh Donaldson? MIGUEL CABRERA: I mean, last year or year before, got a chance to talk to Brandon Inge. He told me he was good. They hit for power, excellent third baseman, he was catcher before. I mean, I always talk to Adrian Beltre and Longoria, and I always ask how to get better, always wanting to learn the game and how to play better. Q. How would you compare the two batting lineups? MIGUEL CABRERA: I don't know if we can compare, the Oakland A's, they always fight, never give up. They are very special because they take walks, they work counts. They don't take anything for granted, you know? You know how comparable, it's going to be a tough game. They are going to be hard and we gotta play hard ball. Q. Miguel, has the five days off helped significantly for you to feel better? Next question, would it have been better for you to have taken two weeks off at the end of this season or two weeks off in Julyor Augustto help that heal? MIGUEL CABRERA: After season we can let it rest. What was the first question? Q. Have the five days helped? MIGUEL CABRERA: Yeah, I feel better today, like I say, before, hopefully tomorrow feel much better. Yesterday in batting practice, I feel better, and I'm positive tomorrow is going to be good. I'm going to be okay, and hopefully I can play 100%. Q. Miguel, do you see this A's team as better than the one you guys faced last year? MIGUEL CABRERA: Don't get me wrong, last year everything, it was a great thing. This year I think they got more experience, I think they're better. They know what they need to do to win games. It's going to be fun, it's going to be fun playing against them. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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