MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES v BRAVES

October 24, 1999

Bobby Cox

BOBBY COX: We switched the line-up a little bit, see if we couldn't generate a little offense. They run two real tough righties at us, Hernandez and David tonight, and, you know, they get left-handers out there. We're just throwing it out there and see if they won't change things. We didn't hit much last night. What little we did hit got caught. Ozzie will play tonight, Lockhart will play, Eddie Perez has a little bit of a sore finger. He exploded a blood vessel in his catching hand last night, was black and blue. He can play. But Myers will start tonight.

BOBBY COX: Neither club scored any runs last night really. You run into good pitching, you're not going to score no matter who you run out there. Ozzie's been swinging a nice bat. Lockhart had a good game in New York when he got in. Myers is a hitter with power. All during the playoffs you're going to face really good pitching. There was some blowouts with the Yankees in Boston and this and that and some other ones. But basically they're all tight ball games and one hit here or there could be the difference in a game. So, like I said, we're just trying this tonight and see.

BOBBY COX: Yeah. Tommy came to the ballpark. He just finished throwing a little bit. As soon as he showers, he's going to go right back home. He felt pretty good. He thinks he can start Tuesday.

BOBBY COX: I honestly think Kevin moved way up the ladder in some of the media. Way up. And he was pretty dominating, just about all season long. So I think he's moving on up, and, you know, he's a good pitcher. But still, you know, the other three guys have all those Cy Youngs, too, and richly deserved. Kevin's got great stuff. He should be good, and, you know, he should have a great career. He's a great competitor. You'd want him on your side in any endeavor you pursued. He would be a winner for you.

BOBBY COX: He had three days off. He could probably go two today if I asked him. And we have a day off tomorrow, too, so he's fine.

BOBBY COX: No, I don't know of any right now. I think it was kind of isolated with Tommy's family. I think they all were sick. Tommy was the last one to get it.

BOBBY COX: Yeah. It's Williams and Guillen, Chipper Jones, Jordan, Klesko, Myers, Andruw Jones. Williams has gotten a few hits off of this guy, not too many guys can say that to be honest with you. Not too many guys got hits off of Coney.

BOBBY COX: Well, I think he's swinging the bat really well. He wasn't given a lot to hit in some of the ball games, and, you know, one thing about Chipper, he drew a walk last night in the ninth inning to get on. We eventually had the tieing run at home plate, but he's not really slumping, so to speak. I think he's dangerous every time he walks up there. It's nothing that -- he's desperately walking on in the cages or in batting practice. He's normally, really.

BOBBY COX: Rocker, for that situation, with no runs in yet, then the other two guys if they had scored off Maddux, I would have brought them in probably, we just used Rock right at that time. Sometimes there's a need for that. Maybe we overdo it. We had the third mound installed because of that. And why not?

BOBBY COX: No, we've had it since the park was built.