AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS v MARINERS

October 9, 2001

Charlie Manuel

CHARLIE MANUEL: This is a game where it's played on the field. Things happen every day. It's a different game every day. And there's been a lot of upsets in this game. I remember '97 when we went to the World Series, if I'm not mistaken, Yankees and Baltimore, they were favored over us, and I felt like that we beat the two best teams that we played. And I felt if Florida beat us, I thought we had the best team. So the game has to be played. And people's opinions, and things like that, that's actually what makes the game go on. That's what makes second guessing -- that's all for the good of the game.

CHARLIE MANUEL: Well, basically we signed Chuck Finley, and he came to Cleveland, he looked at us as a team that played a lot in the playoffs, and he wanted to get to the World Series, that's what he talked to us about when we signed him. And tomorrow when he goes out on the mound, we're in the playoffs. And I looked at Chuck as a veteran pitcher, and about the last 2 months of this season Chuck's been throwing the ball real well, has good command of his pitches, he's strong, he's healthy, and has always been good down through September. And I think this is a big chance for Chuck.

CHARLIE MANUEL: I've seen Jamie Moyer pitch his whole year, Minor Leagues to the Big Leagues. He's amazing as a pitcher. But at the same time I also feel like when our ballclub, like if we approach him right, I still think we can get to it. Basically I want us to get close to the plate and let him try to jam us, but at the same time stay inside the ball, if you're right-handed hitter, I -- we start swinging wild, and start hitting him out of the yard, and I think that's what makes him good against us. We have to change our approach against him.

CHARLIE MANUEL: I think it definitely helped our ballclub. But at the same time, I've said this before, we get down like 5, 6, 7 runs, early in the game and we come back and end up winning the game. But that's a sign of a team that doesn't quit. And also it's a sign of a team that can hit the ball. I said it all year long, that we hit good pitching. If the game stays close, and you get us into, like a set-up guy or closer, I feel like we can hit him. I feel like we can score runs on him. We have a very dangerous team, and I think that especially with the kind of line-up we've got, it's an established line-up, we've got a lot of experience, and if we are patient we can be a good scoring ballclub. And I think -- actually I like our matchup with Seattle.

CHARLIE MANUEL: I think if we look at both of those guys, I think we've played enough against them, I feel like we know them, and I think who they are and how we're going to approach them, and our idea on what it's going to take to win the game counts. I think the experience as far as a playoff series, I don't think that has anything to do with it.

CHARLIE MANUEL: I could use Rocker in situations. And also at the same time what develops in a game and how the game is going, and there comes a time where teams might score runs or you use pitchers, and you look at who you've got left and things like this. And I basically, sitting here, would say I'd use Rocker more how the game is going, and what's dictated in the game, would be how I use Rocker and when.