AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 8, 2023

Brandon Hyde

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Baltimore Orioles

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Do you have your Game 3 starter yet?

BRANDON HYDE: No, we'll announce that at some point tomorrow.

Q. How did you find managing in the postseason, was it more nervewracking than you anticipated?

BRANDON HYDE: I feel like the game we played yesterday was the game we had played 80 times this year, so it was -- you know, we played a lot of close games. We played those type of games, and we've been on the right end on a lot of them. Yesterday just came up a little short.

I thought the atmosphere was amazing on the ballpark. And reflecting back to all the pregame ceremonies and how loud the crowd was, that was a special thing. And our players really appreciated it. Unfortunately we came up short.

Q. You said you were the play in the ninth inning, the call for stealing was a miscommunication. Was that call a hit and run or a steal?

BRANDON HYDE: We just missed the hit and run sign there. And that's just something that we've done a lot this year. Unfortunately Hicksy has been wonderful for us this entire season in so many ways. We do put runners in motion, we don't hit a ton of homers, trying to generate offense a little bit at times. And we bunt, we do the little things. And yesterday we just missed a sign in the ninth inning there.

But that didn't cost us the game. We had opportunities to score before that. We need to start taking a little bit of pressure off our pitchers and start scoring earlier in the game. Yesterday we didn't execute in the time we have this season.

Q. What's the lineup for today?

BRANDON HYDE: Yeah, so Adley just to get him up to the plate as much as possible. The in-between inning breaks is nice from behind the plate, getting a little extra -- when I moved him out of the leadoff spot, he had to rush every time to plate and had to call time and that kind of thing. Against the left-handed starter, I'm going to lead him off with Montgomery probably going further down than Heaney was yesterday.

And with Jorgie, he's started almost every game against a left-handed starter this year. With Montgomery being a normal starter, that's what the difference was there.

And I'm also looking for a little bit offense. Jorgie swung the bell well against left-handed starters especially in the second half. If he gets on base, he normally scores. And that's the reason behind that.

Q. What specifically has this team showed you about battling adversity that has them set up to bounce back in the playoffs?

BRANDON HYDE: It's something we've done really well this year and the last couple of years. Losing the first game of a series and putting it behind us. Like I said earlier, I feel that game was a game we played a hundred times this year. We've had a lot of come-from-behind wins, we've had a lot of close game wins.

But those games we've lost like that, I feel we've done a great job of bouncing back. I feel like Grayson is ready to take the mound today, take the ball. I'm really excited and looking forward to watching him pitch. It's always about the next day starter, we're happy to see Grayson out there today.

Q. This team is able to turn a page quickly after losses. Do you get an impression they're still lose that day?

BRANDON HYDE: No, I didn't feel any different being in the clubhouse the last couple hours. The guys were loose. Keeping the same routine they normally do, and I didn't feel any tension in the clubhouse.

Q. Just sort of a question about the Tides. How important is it or how much stock do you put in these guys winning on their way up to the big leagues. What do you think of the job Buck did this year?

BRANDON HYDE: Buck did a great job. Communicated with him quite a bit throughout the season. Obviously we've had a lot of players come up from Norfolk come up and produce and help us when they got here. The Triple-A staff have done an outstanding job. Congratulations to them on a wonderful season and winning the Triple-A Championship.

I think that winning is a part of development and I think winning -- developing a winning culture in the Minor Leagues, there's some importance to that. And for our Triple-A guys to have so much success, that means players are playing well and your prospects too, and that's huge from an organizational standpoint. I'm proud of what they did in Norfolk, and the coaching staff did a great job there, as well.

Q. What have you seen from Montgomery over the years, and how has he been able to take the next level these last two or so years?

BRANDON HYDE: Well, some quite a bit in New York. I don't think we've seen him since we went to St. Louis. But it's a big lefty, power sinker, watched that game against Tampa, it was an incomplete command throughout. He's got really good stuff. We've really got to be able to see him up. Try to get the ball in the air, get the sinkers really good. He knows how to pitch. We've taken some decent at-bats against him when he was in New York. Hopefully that carries through today, but that was a while ago. But it's a guy that has got some postseason experience and pitched a heck of a game his last time out.

Q. Can you talk about not having Jorge Mateo in a pinch running spot yesterday?

BRANDON HYDE: I wouldn't have pinched runner for Gunnar there, anyways.