|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS v ATHLETICSOctober 6, 2013Jarrod ParkerDETROIT, MICHIGAN: Workout Day Q. Jarrod, what's your outlook going into this start? How are you feeling physically, and especially after those ‑‑ two of your last three starts were a little sub‑par. What's your take going into this? JARROD PARKER: I feel good. I think anytime you can get some extra days this point in the year, it's a positive thing for your body. Gives you a little extra time to iron out a few things and get mound work. And for me, it was definitely a positive leading up to this outing, and I was able to iron some things out and I feel great. Q. I was thinking this series feels like a continuation of last year's series, just extending it. You had some interesting games last year. What do you take away from those games that you bring to this year? JARROD PARKER: Just the experience of being in it. I think making two postseason starts last year is definitely a benefit to this year. Going to be able to settle in and slow things down right away. It's not going to be so foreign, I guess. It's just being there in it last year, it's one of those things where you pull those, from those things. You pull from the last two games, that atmosphere. It's a good learning experience to watch the guys before me throw as well to pick things out of that. Q. What did you learn especially from watching what Sonny did last night? JARROD PARKER: A lot. I think it's something we'll sit down and pick parts of both those guys and the way they attacked and the way they pitched to put into my game plan and kind of individualize it a little bit to my strengths. Q. Obviously you're aware of what Detroit's starting pitchers can do and what they've done over the last couple of games. When you go out there in a situation like that, is there more pressure to put up a bunch of zeros, or do you have to block it out? JARROD PARKER: Not really. That's the goal every time out. It doesn't matter the days prior. I think for me to go out and try and force the issue, trying to do something, I'm not used to doing or not trying to do my game and do that kind of stuff, it's not who I am. So I'm not going to go out and press and force and not be who I am. Q. What would you say was going on with you in those first two starts there down the stretch in which you weren't quite your usual self? JARROD PARKER: Yeah, I think just a couple of bad big innings, and those add up. And the pitches just weren't executed. I was up in the zone. Stuff was just not good. And then mixed in a couple of walks and all those kind of things. Just doesn't add up, and those kind of starts can happen. And coming off a decent streak and you're not expecting it, it hits you in your mouth right away and you take it and move on. Q. I know your hometown isn't too close to this but not too far away, but did you come here as a kid to watch any games? Do you have any memories of that? JARROD PARKER: Yes, postseason with the Cardinals was here. Scott Roland. Came here a couple times. Went to the old stadium. Went to the new stadium. So I've definitely come here for baseball. It's Fort Wayne's, kind of, Detroit, Chicago, you're kind of in the middle. It's one of those things where I've been here a couple times when I was growing up. Q. How old were you the first time? JARROD PARKER: Probably ten, maybe. White Sox fans, so we'd try to get up there to see them play, go there to see whoever they were playing. Q. [Indiscernible]? JARROD PARKER: No idea. Q. Tigers haven't scored a run in the last 17 innings. Talk about how you would you attack that offense. What do you expect from that offense considering the last two games, how they've been shut down? JARROD PARKER: I think you always expect that offense to be good. There's a reason that they've been good all year. You don't go into the game expecting them not to be who they are. So you just try to pitch to your strength and stay within yourself and pitch your game, and they're going to handle their stuff. And it's just baseball. Q. How would you describe what Sonny was able to do last night? JARROD PARKER: It's unbelievable. I woke up this morning and just shot him a text and said, hey, coming to the field? He said, I wasn't planning it. I said, no, you stay in bed all day. You can do whatever you want today. It was one of those things where I couldn't‑‑ I can't put words into how great he was yesterday and how fun that is to watch. I think for him, in that moment, to just‑‑ it's Sonny. He's smiling. He's having fun. And he's talking to me in the middle of the game. It's a great thing. I think it's going to be a huge experience for him moving forward and it's awesome. And I'm proud of him and we're glad for him. Q. Are you kind of blown away how many great young pitchers there are right now in the postseason? Besides Sonny, you got the National League. Those guys are awesome, but 20, 21 years old. JARROD PARKER: Yeah, it's incredible how many young arms doing what they're doing. And obviously we've got a couple of them ourselves. And I don't know what it is. But it's something that's working right now. Q. How have you liked working with Stephen Vogt and how would you describe him as a catcher? JARROD PARKER: It's been a pretty seamless transition. He came up two months from now and we've been able to work with him. All of us have had success with him. We've been able to get on the same game plan. He's a hard worker. He's always there early. He's willing to take time off the field to get to know us, and I think that stuff helps. Q. Talk about the feeling in the clubhouse last night. People talk about must‑win games, but given the spot you guys were in, was there a level of tension in knowing that you had to come through and get that game or you were coming here with an 0‑2 deficit? JARROD PARKER: I didn't sense any tension. Obviously, we know every game is a must‑win. I think for us to be someone and do something we haven't done all year, we've been in big games. Last year against Texas we had to win every game. So I think those kind of situations are made outside of the clubhouse. I don't think for us we're really in there worrying about those kind of things. We know if we take care of our business and we play our game, good things are going to happen and they have this year. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|