|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
AL DIVISION SERIES: RAYS VS ASTROSOctober 5, 2019Tommy PhamWilly AdamesHouston, Texas - pregame 2 Q. Tommy, it's been obviously a long path here at Toronto and Oakland, and now here, and a tough game yesterday. How do you sense the team has kind of handled this and your mind set going into tonight with Cole pitching? TOMMY PHAM: Very good point. The travel hasn't been easy for us. Especially yesterday with the day game. But there's a team that can do it, it's us. A bunch of young guys. So, I mean, I remember when I was 25, I was going on, what, 20 hours of just, you know, a lot. But if there's one team, it's us. WILLY ADAMES: Just, like, I agree with Tommy. The traveling has been tough. We're playing probably the best team in the league. Like he say, if there is one team that can do it, it's us. We've just got to do what we've got to do. Adjust and just try to be impressive tonight. Q. You're obviously facing really good starting pitchers. Can you each describe the challenges of Cole tonight and how he differs from Verlander in terms of the way he attacks? TOMMY PHAM: Very similar in the way they attack you in general. Both of them are strike throwers. They love to work ahead. Tons of strikeouts. Cole has that hundred-mile-per-hour fastball, of course, slider and he's added a curveball. Always had a change-up. He's a guy, he's tough. He has plus stuff. His off-speed pitches are plus, his heaters are plus, and he's unpredictable. He throws them whenever. WILLY ADAMES: It's true that he likes to be aggressive like Verlander. He likes to, like he said, he likes to get the strikes going first. I would say for us we have to be attack first, be aggressive, get in the mindset and try to take advantage of every pitch they give us. Q. Obviously, you guys have to get through today first. How much are you looking forward to getting back home and playing in front of the crowd? They're expecting a pretty good crowd there. TOMMY PHAM: It's exciting. I hear that we've sold out at home and they opened up even the top deck. It's very exciting. But we have to get through today. Like you said, this is, in my eyes, a must-win game. WILLY ADAMES: We're just thinking about tonight right now. We'll deal with that when we get home. Like he says, it's really, really exciting that we're going to have a full stadium at home for the first time this year or second time. But it's really good, you know. We're just focused right now on this game tonight, try to get this win and try to go home and finish it there. Q. Tommy, the guy right next to you, Cash has made a lot of references throughout the year of his improvement on defense and even Gold Glove caliber. From the outfield, you've seen a lot of good defenders between your time here and in St. Louis. What kind of strides has Willy made and just how good has he been defensively, specifically over, like, the past three, four weeks? TOMMY PHAM: I mean, I don't want to take too much credit, but you guys saw me out there taking ground balls with him. I don't want to take too much credit. (Laughter.) I mean, from last year to this year, it looks like his throws, of course, have been way more consistent. His footwork's better, his hands. Give a lot of credit to Rodney for working with him throughout the season, and myself. But he's very underrated. I think the analytics favor Willy too as far as the shortstop in the AL that saved the most runs. So, you know, he's Gold Glove deserving. WILLY ADAMES: Thank you, Tommy. Thanks to you. TOMMY PHAM: Like I said, I don't want to take too much credit, but you heard it yourself. Q. Willy, how did you teach Tommy how to play the outfield? No, no. Tommy, you've talked a couple times about the injuries and the pain you've been playing through. What's the status? How does the will to win balance out the pain and discomfort? TOMMY PHAM: One, I'm at a point where the doctor said I can play. But, I mean, offensively, it's hurt me and defensively, I mean, you guys see I've been DH'ing a lot more. I mean, you take a hit from the power department but, I mean, the team wants me in the lineup because they know I can get on base via a walk and just add -- it creates -- it lengthens our lineup as well. Q. Tommy, you already labeled the importance of tonight. This group has been extremely resilient all year. Why has it been such a resilient group and how does the ability to bounce back in previous outings, does it help this group this evening? TOMMY PHAM: I think it's just our team, the character of our team. We have a whole bunch of guys who are grinders, that I believe that's the term used in baseball terminology, who usually haven't had things quite easy or, in a sense, their way. So it's just our club makeup. Q. Willy, have you enjoyed being on this stage and you guys getting a little bit of the attention? And then Tommy, the same thing? WILLY ADAMES: Yeah, of course, man. I think, you know, this is what we play for, to come to the postseason. For me personally, it's my first full year and to get to the postseason means a lot. Tells me that we have a pretty good group in Tampa. We have a pretty good, bright future. So it's special. First full season and in the postseason, that's great. TOMMY PHAM: To answer your question, I think it's extremely important. I believe the AL East is the toughest division because of the Yankees and the Red Sox. And the lack of -- what's the right word to say -- recognition that our team doesn't get just from we're always miscredited. But being here, it allows everyone to see how talented we are as a group. So it really helps. 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
|