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NL DIVISION SERIES: PIRATES v CARDINALSOctober 5, 2013Francisco LirianoPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Workout Day Q. Francisco, I talked to Justin Morneau about you yesterday, and he said that you reinvented yourself as a pitcher from when you first were with the Twins and now. Do you agree with that? What do you think I means? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: Yeah. He means before I used to just‑‑ I used to go out there and throw. Now I'm trying to lower the pitch and try to go out there and pitch and be a different guy and know how to pitch every day. When I came out, I was used to going out there to throw. Q. Francisco, can you explain your success here at this park? The numbers are unbelievable. FRANCISCO LIRIANO: I don't know. I don't know what to say. I think I've been‑‑ been able to execute pitches and have good location here and the guy behind me makes some great plays for me here. Just be under control, not try to do too much. Just be more consistent with the strike zone, and like I said not try to do too much. That's the whole key for me is trying not to overthrow. I miss my spot. I make a lot of mistakes. Now I just try to hit my spot and let the guys behind me make some plays. Q. Two questions. First of all, are you still sick? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: Yes. I feel kind of sick, my nose and throat. It doesn't bother me to pitch. I'll be okay. Q. When Clint was in here before the game on Tuesday, he said he was talking about you and the way you fit into the clubhouse. He said Francisco has a lot of Pirate in him. I'm curious what you think about how you fit in with these guys what being a Pirate means to you. FRANCISCO LIRIANO: It means a lot to me. Being here for a couple of months, and didn't have great guys‑‑ they have great guys and coaches and manager too. Like you said, I try to fit in with everybody. Thank God I get along with everybody. Just try to be part of the team and try to do everything I do with my heart. So I love baseball, and just being here is like a home. I'm having a good time here, and hopefully continue doing that. Q. Do you think some of those good Minnesota teams would have gotten further in the playoffs if they didn't have to play the Yankees every year? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: We played Oakland in 2006 and we got sweeped too. I don't know. I had some good times down there with the Twins. Baseball is tough. We had to play the Yankees the last two playoffs I was there, we went to. And we didn't play that well. Q. Francisco, can you talk about just the atmosphere on Tuesday, what that was like for you and kind of what you are expecting from the crowd tomorrow? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: Tuesday was a very exciting game for me. The fans were pretty loud. They wanted to win. So I would just‑‑ I went out there to be myself and try to do what I was doing before, and not try to do too much and trying to keep the team in the ballgame. Trying to please the fans as much as I can, try to be myself and make some good pitches and just give them the win what they want. Thank God we won and won well. Q. Probably about midway through the season Greg Brown came up with the nickname Papa Francisco. What do you think of that? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: First time I heard that. I didn't know that. I don't mind that. I have a lot of nicknames. Everywhere I go they find a nickname for me. I just go with it. Trying to have fun, like I say, trying to play baseball and have fun and get along with everybody. Q. Francisco, you have had a lot of success against the Cardinals this year. What are the keys to facing that lineup and what are the things you do to make yourself successful? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: Like I said before, not try to do too much. They have a pretty good lineup. So I just go out there and try to execute some pitches and use whatever is working for me that day, try to mix some of my pitches in and out. Like I say, not try to do too much. That's the whole key for me. Hopefully tomorrow I can go out there and try to do the same thing. Not try to do too much. I won't change anything. Like I said, be myself and hopefully everything goes well. Q. Francisco, considering you were hurt when you first signed and everything else, could this season have unwinded any more perfectly in your mind than the way it's become and obviously the way you've pitched? FRANCISCO LIRIANO: I think everything happens for a reason. I broke my arm, but everything happens for a reason. I didn't think I was going to play this year, so I'm surprised by the year I have had this year.  Just thank God for the opportunity and the Pirates to give me a chance to be able to pitch. Everything has been amazing for me and I'm very thankful. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Francisco. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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