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MLB WORLD SERIES: GIANTS v ANGELS


October 24, 2002


Robb Nen


SAN FRANCISO, CALIFORNIA: Game Five

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Robb Nen.

Q. Can you talk about what Dave Righetti has meant to this pitching staff over the last couple years?

ROBB NEN: I think he means a lot to us. I think he's a guy that when he pitched, he did everything, everything from start to close to setup. He relates to everybody really well. I think he knows this game. There's a lot of mental side to this game. He can go out, help, talk about it, figure out what guys are troubled -- not as much mechanical, more than the mental side of it. He helps out with that a lot.

Q. You were here with the Giants in 1997. Can you appreciate this a little more this time around?

ROBB NEN: I think so. I think the first time, it's such a whirlwind, you don't know what to expect. You're out there just in awe of everything. This time, coming into here, I told myself that I was going to sit back, relax, enjoy it and watch everything else, watch everybody else kind of get caught up in the hype and all that stuff and still enjoy it, but just really kind of look around and watch everything.

Q. When pitchers get this deep into a season, do you have to bite the bullet because you're not as fresh as you were, obviously, in April and May, and just go out there?

ROBB NEN: Yeah, this is not a time to take days off. Everybody makes a big deal about being tired, being sore or being stiff. But the way I look at it, if you can't pitch now, your arm better be falling off and you better not be able to lift it. So, this is crunch time. This is the time that you need to go out there, really kind of suck it up and do everything you can to help this team win.

Q. What makes, in your opinion, a good manager? Do you see those qualities in a few guys, a lot of guys on your team? Can you name some guys on your team that you wouldn't be surprised seeing manage one day?

ROBB NEN: Guys on our team managing?

Q. Yeah.

ROBB NEN: Oh, I don't know... I think David Bell would be a great manager. I think he's a guy that understands the game and realizes what it takes to play the game hard and play the game the right way. He goes about his business by showing people how to do it, as opposed to really being outspoken. For me, I think he'd be a great manager.

Q. You're going to be playing one more game at least, of course, in Anaheim. At this level, does home field advantage mean a lot? What should we expect? What do the players think going down there, anything or nothing?

ROBB NEN: I don't think home field advantage really matters right now. I think everybody's kind of gotten used to going to each one of the fields and playing at the fields. We went down there and beat them, they came here and beat us first game. I think as far as home field, I think it's kind of thrown out. I think you go down there and just do what we've been doing the last few games, just staying focused, playing the game the way we know how, scraping hits here and there, throwing strikes, getting ahead of guys, and really just kind of staying in the game as long as you can and going from there.

Q. A lot of talk about Dusty being a great players' manager. In your mind, what is it that he does that makes players respond to him so well? Is he less controlling and more supportive or what?

ROBB NEN: First of all, I think he's a guy that played for a long time, he knows it's not an easy game. He knows any added pressure you get put on yourself, makes it tough. He doesn't do that. He sits back, lets you play. If you're struggling or if you're doing good, he just keeps throwing you out there in the same situation. He knows it's a long season and you'll have ups and downs. If you play this game long enough, you realize it's not an easy game. You just go out there, keep battling, keep playing, get the support from your teammates, your coaches, everybody else, and it makes the game a little bit easier.

Q. In the same vein, there's talk about Dusty leaving. Are the players, yourself included, disappointed that as a free agent, he might have to go somewhere else to get the respect that he feels he deserves?

ROBB NEN: Well, I think the first thing is I don't know if anybody's really worried about if Dusty is leaving right now. We have some games to play ahead of us. I think we're all worried about playing those games, not as worried as much about what's going to happen at the end of the season. When that time comes, I think everybody's going to be wondering what's going to happen, whether he's going to be gone or whether he's going to stay, what is going to happen. He means a lot to this organization, this team, and I know, the players. Hopefully, he stays and hopefully, he sticks around with us.

End of FastScripts...

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