AL DIVISION SERIES: ANGELS v YANKEES

October 4, 2002

David Wells

DAVID WELLS: No, I just -- playing with the Yankees almost every year, you get an opportunity to get into postseason. Having been in postseason play, with this team, I don't know what it is. You want to step it up a notch. The history and tradition that the Yankees have and have had for many, many years. Not only myself, but I think a lot of other guys want to step it up just because you're proud to wear the uniform. And it's something that's -- that's what we play all year for, is to try to get into the postseason. What better place to get there than in New York?

DAVID WELLS: Try not to give them, you got to keep them off stride. They got a great line-up. I faced a lot of these guys for a long time. Just a matter of me going out there with my game plan and hitting my spots and being effective. Everybody knows strike one is the best pitch in the game. So whatever it is, hopefully, every pitch that I throw, I could throw for strikes tomorrow. And if I could throw everything for strikes, you know, I think I'm going to have a good day because I just, you know -- location is everything and just basically keeping them off balance is what you have to do. They're a very, very strong hitting team. It's great for me because I love pitching against teams that have really good line-ups. It brings out the best in me, win or lose. It's a challenge for me, and that's what I look forward to, is a great challenge. I think tomorrow is going to be one of those days.

DAVID WELLS: No. They're fighters. That's something that, you know, they have to. It's been a long time, you know, since they've had playoff time. I think that's, you know -- these guys are hungry. You can see it in their eyes, as well as us. These guys on this side, with the Yankees, have been in it for a long time. I don't think they're quite as nervous as I think some of the other guys with the Angels are. It's mixed emotions. These guys are fighting to go to the next level, and, you know, anything can happen. They got a lot of guys in this line-up you can't make a mistake to. I think that's what you have to avoid. But some guys can get so geared up on a certain pitch and just swing right through it, that can be from lack of experience. Game 2, they came in, they settled down, they were poised and they came out and they beat our butts. No question about it. That's something that you got to be careful with that, you got to know who's hitting and in what situation.

DAVID WELLS: I think after my last outing, I proved that I can pitch in day games in Baltimore. It was, you know, fairly hot out here, but California's got great weather. I don't know what the forecast is for tomorrow, but, you know, I have to put this out of, you know -- and just think of it as a night game, huh? Just with some bright lights. No, I have to bear down and accept the challenge, you know. Over the last few years, managers have pretty much pitched me pretty much night games and tried to avoid the day games because of my record over my career. I've had some pretty good day games in my career as well. So I just got to drink a lot of fluids if it's hot, just stay hydrated and not, you know, not look back. Just go back there and fight to the end.

DAVID WELLS: Yeah, well, when I was traded in '99, it was something that I know going back to Toronto I had slim chances of going to the postseason. But we had a great team. We had an opportunity, but we just didn't have that depth in Toronto. That's something that -- that was, you know, was tough to swallow, because knowing that the Yankees had the team, had the depth and had the, you know, the willpower to go to the postseason every year, it just was -- it's really hard. Because everybody plays their butt off every year to get to the postseason. You know, that's what we try to do for three years. Then I was gone, didn't make it, it's like a whole new life for me. I'm fired up because I'm in a situation where I want to be in, I want to pitch in postseason. I've pitched well, and hopefully I can continue to pitch well. I'm not afraid. It's something that I accept the challenge and win or lose, I'm not going to hang my head if it does happen, on the bad side. But on the good side, we can move on, hopefully, and keep going.

DAVID WELLS: No, not at all. Because I'm not afraid to fail. That's my philosophy going in. If you're not afraid to fail, then what have you got to lose? Either you do or you don't. The thing is, a lot of times I go in thinking worst-case scenario. If it happens, then I'm not -- I don't let myself down that much. I'm already expecting it. But this is a situation that I, you know, I want to be in, win or lose. To me, it's, you know, I get gratification whatever it is, because this is a time to shine and this is what I want to do. This is what I was programmed to do my whole life. No matter what happens, I'm still going to be happy one way or another.

DAVID WELLS: I'm nervous, very much so. But, you know, to me, I got to, you know -- I just got to stay active. I've got my family here, I've got friends here, so it takes a little bit off. It takes a little bit of that edge off. I can just hang out with my kids and do that. Tomorrow, I'm going to have butterflies. That's a good sign. If I didn't, I wouldn't want to be here, if I didn't have them. You know, to me, when I come to the game, the ballpark tomorrow, I get into my game mode and, you know, go through what I'm going to do. Tonight's a good indication on how I'm going to pitch tomorrow as well. So, you know, I put all those factors in and just go with it.

DAVID WELLS: Neither. I've known these hitters for a while. There's a couple guys I've only faced a few times, but we have a lot of video on them. I just go across that and watch, see how they react to certain pitches and all that. But I think in a situation like this, 1-1, these guys are coming out swinging. That could be to my advantage. But if I'm not on, then it can work against me. So, I just, you know, I have to use my whole arsenal. That's something that I plan on doing anyways, because you have to keep these guys off stride. You can't get into a pattern because you got a few guys over here that will sit on you and make a big difference in a ball game.

DAVID WELLS: Well, it's not fun watching it on TV, and the last three years I wasn't in postseason, I very seldom paid any attention to the playoffs. Except for last year, when I did some analyzing in "The Best Damn Sports Show." That was the only time I really watched any of the World Series. But it's something that you can appreciate a lot more when you're in it. When you're not, still, I'll catch glimpses of it here and there. It's hard to swallow, because knowing that you can be in that situation, it's not fun to watch it. I'm not a guy that likes to watch baseball, you know, from TV. I want to be right in the mix of it and enjoy it that way. Playing or not, just sitting there, you know, cutting up with the guys and joking around, you know, that's the funnest part. That's what I'm going to miss when I'm out of the game.

DAVID WELLS: With Mike, I mean, we all go through a period in the season that we're just -- we go through a dead spell. That's, I think, what Mike did. I can really relate to that, because I've had a lot of bad second halves in my career. You know, it's something that usually the last couple weeks or last month, you know, he stepped it up a notch. That's just -- it's kind of uncharacteristic of Mike because he's been such a great pitcher these last six, seven years. I think that, you know, for him to get through that and then come out and pitch, you know, unbelievably the last couple weeks of the season, that's just -- that's just a carry over with him in the playoffs. He's very sound and he knows what he's doing out there. As long as he's got his game on, he's going to be tough to beat.

DAVID WELLS: The way the conversation started at lunch, I had no, you know, I thought I was heading to Arizona, to be honest with you. We sat there, talked about family, about this and that, just nothing that related to baseball. Then he just -- he just dropped it on me. I was in shock. But it was, you know, it was a great feeling knowing that the place where I wanted to play and, you know, and want to be, I feel comfortable in New York. That's something that I don't feel any pressure there at all. I go out, walk around, I have a good time. People are very good to me there. It's something that -- except one -- but, you know, it's something that I feel good about, you know? The relationship with George has been great. Even in the off season, you know, things in Tampa that they asked me to do, I'll do them for him. Come to a hockey game or something with him, it's something that we've got a good relationship there and I think we'll have a good relationship until I'm done with baseball and hopefully somewhere down the road I'll do something with the Yankees.

DAVID WELLS: Well, until last year, I've never really been big on scouting reports at all. I mean, they're nice to have and I know being with the Yankees, it's very accurate. But when I was in Toronto and Baltimore, I very seldom looked at scouting reports because I was pitching well, I had a good idea what my game plan was and I stuck to it. That's something -- I don't care -- they got to show me they can hit a ball or hit the pitch I'm throwing consistently. If they can't do it, I'm going to stay right there until they can prove to me otherwise. Scouting reports, I do -- I am a big believer of them. But it's just the individual who wants to take it all in, or if he wants to go on his own, you know, what he knows about the team, then sometimes it can work against him and a lot of times it can help you out. But they are good to have, you know, when you are struggling, especially in the mid of -- towards the end of the season. If you're struggling, it's nice to have those stats there for you, because they could help you out.