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MLB WORLD SERIES: CARDINALS v RED SOXOctober 29, 2013John FarrellBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Workout Day Q. I know you don't want to get too ahead of yourself, but one of these teams is going to win a World Series in the next two nights here. What would it mean for this team, I'm sure you know, 95 years since it was last clinched and celebrated at home, but particularly in this season, given the bombings and all the things that have united the city and the team? JOHN FARRELL:  Well, we're certainly looking forward to getting on the field tomorrow, there's no doubt about it. We continue to beat that drum. Tomorrow we get here, we'll focus on that being the sole thing. But I think what's really built over the course of this season, I think our fans have appreciated the way we've gone about playing the game. I think they've witnessed guys that care for one another. And in return the way they've demonstrated their appreciation, the energy that they create in here, we have certainly fed off of that. And I'm sure it's going to be an incredible atmosphere here tomorrow night. So if we happen to be able to share it with them, that would be great. But we've got to take care of business first. Q. To what degree was Shane Victorino available last night? And do you expect him to be able to play tomorrow? JOHN FARRELL:  He was available last night. There was no restrictions as far as the type of play. In other words, he wasn't restricted to defense only or at the plate only. We fully expect him to be full go tomorrow. And that's the update on Shane. Q. Could you just talk about the road that John Lackey has taken to get where he's at, going through the Tommy John and really not knowing if he's going to be able to pitch at this level and how far he's come? JOHN FARRELL:  You know, the protocol for the rehab of Tommy John is pretty straight forward. And that doesn't mean it's a guarantee to get back to previous levels of performance, but where John deserves all the credit is the way he reshaped his body, what he put himself through physically last offseason, and seeing him and meeting with him early last December it was clear that the reshaping of what he went through, coming away from that meeting I felt like he had as much opportunity to impact this team as anyone. And it's played out. He's, I think, shown a different side of him this year. And it had to start with his performance on the mound, which has been very consistent. But the way which he's interacted with people around here, maybe just the perception has changed with John, and rightfully so, it all goes back to John. Q. Did you like pitching here as a pitcher? And what are your feelings about the ballpark now as a member of the Red Sox and a manager? JOHN FARRELL:  I pitched here, good and bad. There's been days when you wind up, you feel like the wall is moving in as you're making your delivery. And yet the environment that's in here to me is second to none. In June it's a playoff atmosphere. The expectations of the fans keep our guys accountable to bring their "A" game every night. And we're fortunate to have this series played in two places where there's such a passionate fan base. And we're looking forward to that continuing tomorrow night. Q. You look at Game 6 World Series, Fenway Park, you think about Fisk's home run. As much as you're focused on tomorrow, is that in your mind at all? Where do you rank that as a moment for this franchise? JOHN FARRELL:  You know, I don't know that we're ‑‑ with no disrespect to history or to Carlton, you know, it's an iconic video and a highlight that is shown repeatedly, and one of the more memorable swings that probably has taken place in this ballpark. But hopefully there's somebody tomorrow night that can wave their arms just the same. Q. Teams that have come home for Games 6 or 7 have won the series a high percentage of the time. I wonder, as you guys come back here, do you feel you guys have a big advantage coming back here to finish out this series? The second part, do you think the perception around the Red Sox has changed from whether it's the fan base and the franchise wondering if they would win to now feeling like they should win? JOHN FARRELL:  I don't know if that correlates to a different expectation, on the outside. I can tell you that the expectation internally has been consistent since early in Spring Training and that has not wavered one bit. As we've gone through the season, I think the talk and the intent in that conversation has become more consistent within our clubhouse. But more than anything, just getting on the field in front of our fans tomorrow night. That's going to be something that I know we're going to thrive on. If that means ‑‑ I don't know how that correlates to the end result. But still this is a place our guys love to play. Q. Are you at the point, do you know or can you announce how you're going to handle your catching tomorrow night? JOHN FARRELL:  Yeah, David Ross is starting tomorrow night. Q. When you think back to where you were, you, where you were a year ago today and where you personally are now, do you sometimes even for a moment marvel at, wow, look at where I am, one win away from a world championship, when last year you were in Toronto? JOHN FARRELL:  Not a lot. And I mean that with as much genuineness as I can tell you. Because you're entrenched in what you do every day. And I try to live out what our team has lived out this year and that is not to look back. You learn and you're a product of your experiences and what you come from. But at the same time, we're so entrenched in what we've got going today and focusing solely on that. There might be a time in the future, once this season is finished, that you look back and say, you know what, it was a pretty action‑packed 13 months. I'm not letting myself do that right now. Q. Allegedly the tickets for tomorrow night are the most expensive tickets in the history of tickets or something. You guys talk about how great the fans are here, do you let yourself really think about what they're willing to do to be in the ballpark tomorrow night? And what do you think about some of these outrageous prices they're willing to pay? JOHN FARRELL:  There's a lot of people with a lot of money willing to spend. From a historic perspective, when you consider that an event like this hasn't been here in a couple of generations, possibly. There's a lot of people that are willing to take some extra cash and try to be a part of it. We don't take for granted the passion that our fan base have or that our fans have. And I think our guys get it. They understand their place here. And they understand that what the Red Sox mean to this region, particularly this city. And I think there's kind of a rekindled relationship between this team and the fans. And that has grown out of the personalities that are here now, and like I said before, the way we play the game. Q. If Shane is going to play right field tomorrow, what are your thoughts on left field? Can you elaborate why Ross is starting on Game 6? JOHN FARRELL:  First of all, David has given us a spark offensively out of the position. And that's not to be disrespectful to Salty in any way. We've had to try to jump start a couple of different positions from an offensive standpoint. And at the same time David has done a great job with running the game from a game‑calling perspective. And so that's the thrust of him being back behind the plate tomorrow. Right now we look to have Vic in right and Gomes in left. Q. Ortiz said last night that now you guys were one win away, that this is the tough spot now. Do you agree? Does everything feel so much harder now, now that you're that much closer? JOHN FARRELL:  If it's any harder than what we've come through, both teams, we're in for a hell of a two days here. This postseason has been ‑‑ we've talked about it, tried to trade some text messages with Tito. The thing that you look back in time, when the series goes back and forth in a 3‑2 situation, sometimes you have lopsided scores, and you go through certain games just to manage and get through it. These have been, every pitch, every play is a significant moment in the game, all the way through. So you walk away from the game pretty exhausted, and we're not even on the field. So I don't know if it can be any harder. Q. How much do you look forward to getting Mike Napoli back in this game? How much different does your lineup look when he's hitting behind David? JOHN FARRELL:  I think both lineups are going to be extended by a power bat. Craig will have his opportunities. With Mike Napoli at first it gives us some additional range. And David Ortiz did a great job at first base. Without having the game log in front of me, I don't know the last time he's played three consecutive days at first base. He's come through it well physically. But getting one of our middle‑of‑the‑order bats back to us, we're hopeful that it really has a chance to extend the lineup even that much more. Q. Their starting pitcher, Michael Wacha, has had an unbelievable season, but he is a rookie. Do you have to hope the atmosphere and what's at stake, will finally get to him? Most rookies have trouble with stages like this. JOHN FARRELL:  Well, he's had the postseason he's had because he's an extremely talented guy. And when you consider not just Wacha but their young pitchers, they've done a great job of meeting the challenge they're thrown into. And that includes the environment in which they pitch. We know he's going to come at us ‑‑ we have some familiarity. Obviously Game 2 was a set of experiences that we can draw that from. How he responds tomorrow, we fully expect him to be as equal to the way he was in Game 2. He's a heck of a looking pitcher, there's no doubt. Q. You mentioned David's fielding a minute ago, was it almost like whatever he does, he'll succeed? If you put him in pitching, would he do okay on that? JOHN FARRELL:  David's a heck of a player. And I think a lot of times because he's been the DH for so many years here, that's the view of him. And yet he came up through the Minor Leagues as a first baseman. He goes over there in interleague play when we're on the road without hesitation. He's got very good hands. And sometimes I think people just kind of look at him physically and say, you know what, he doesn't have range or he can't move. And that's not the case at all. Like I said, three consecutive days, and the way he's swung the bat is second to none. Q. Can you just elaborate on Gomes versus Nava? We've asked you a lot about that this postseason. JOHN FARRELL:  Well, I can't say that it's because of matchups in Game 2. Wacha was tough on all of us. But you get to the point where you look at the style of the pitcher on the mound in Wacha. And you look at what certain hitters in our lineup are more equipped to handle. And even though you might say, well, it's a left‑handed hitter, he should be in there. But I like the matchup of Gomes versus Nava. That doesn't mean at some point in the game that Nava is not going to be involved. But that's the way we're going right now. Q. Do you have Felix tomorrow? And will you keep Jon Lester working in case you need him for Game 7, possibly, in relief in Game 7? JOHN FARRELL:  Felix is available tomorrow, yes. And I'll get with Jon here today as he goes through his workout to find out where he is physically. Q. Is that something that's physically possible with him with his back? JOHN FARRELL: I'll have a better feel about that once we get through the work out today. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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