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NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS v BRAVES


October 15, 1999


Bobby Valentine


NEW YORK CITY: Game Three

Q. Bobby, were you amazed that the first time all year you had two errors in one inning that that turns out to be, in essence, the ballgame?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I didn't realize until just now it's the first time all year we had two; that that's the case. That makes it even weirder, doesn't it? The one by Al, Al just caught it and kind of stepped to second and threw to first. Mike stepped on the plate when he threw his; it slipped. It was pretty amazing. I guess without that, we could still be playing. But we still didn't score any runs.

Q. Mike is severely beat up all over?

BOBBY VALENTINE: Well, he had what they thought was just one of those slight concussions there with the collision at home. We were on pins and needles the whole time, seeing if he could go. He kept saying he was okay to go, and then got hit with about four balls in the dirt that he blocked, and then Gerald Williams got him again with the backswing on his hand; got him pretty good on that. But he was okay, just missed that last one.

Q. In the 9th inning, did you consider running for Agbayani?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I didn't have anybody that could bunt Rocker, I didn't think. He's tough to hit; I think he's tougher to bunt.

Q. Is that about as good as Glavine gets?

BOBBY VALENTINE: We couldn't break it. He threw ace after ace, for called strikes. A couple of our guys hit pretty good at-bats off of him, but they weren't that real solid at-bats. But obviously, we put two hits together back-to-back once, and that was with two outs and Mora and Ordonez, and that was because Mora was running.

Q. Are you going to move Alfonzo back to the No. 2 spot in tomorrow's roster?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I don't think so, no. I don't see any reason to. Do you think that's why we didn't get any hits? Someone might be silly enough or dumb enough to think that, but not me.

Q. Either because of the concussion or the shot he took on his wrist, is there any possibility that Mike may be unable to play tomorrow?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I think there's a possibility. We'll have to see. He has a knot on his knuckle, right above his knuckle here that's pretty severe. Hopefully that swelling will leave him.

Q. That's the same hand from last week?

BOBBY VALENTINE: Yeah, but it was the thumb last week, and this was right above the knuckle, here (indicating).

Q. That's from the Gerald Williams?

BOBBY VALENTINE: Yes.

Q. What do you think history will say about the Braves pitching staff in the 90's?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I don't think we have to wait for historians. Braves pitchers are as good as there is in any era, in any decade.

Q. Bobby, I don't know if you addressed this before we came in, but the Leiter play in the first inning, could you describe what happened out there?

BOBBY VALENTINE: Well, he got the ball, and he felt he had a shot at second. And then for some reason, he decided not to throw to second, but he still kind of stepped that way, and then as he stepped toward second, he decided to throw to first.

Q. On that same play, just to follow up, was Fonzie to the bag in time, was that the problem? It looked like he might not have been there?

BOBBY VALENTINE: I didn't hear anything about that. I think Rey had coverage. I don't know. I think so. It was Boone hitting, right? So I think Rey was covering on balls back to the mound.

Q. What about John Rocker? Just your general impression, coming here, enemy territory, got the bad break with the first batter, and then was able to shut down you guys?

BOBBY VALENTINE: When I mentioned the Braves pitching being as good as it is, he's included in that group. He's got a terrific arm. A lot of his pitches are close to unhittable.

Q. On a lighter note, I'm here from the NFL today. You've been juggling your pitching, your bullpen coming in and out. Who would you throw Monday night, Collins or would you throw Grant?

BOBBY VALENTINE: That's a good one. I don't know. I have a tough time with my own decisions.

Q. What was Leiter's move after that first inning? Did he have to be calmed down, was he upset with himself or did you just leave him alone?

BOBBY VALENTINE: He was upset. He was angry after the first inning, but Dave talked to him a little and he got a lot of pats on the butt. Al Leiter pitched great. You can't pitch any better than that. He might have pitched as well as anybody has pitched this series. It's a darn shame.

Q. With Leiter and Glavine out on the mound, did you get a sense that that run might have cost the team the game early on?

BOBBY VALENTINE: No, I never thought that that run would cost the game. I thought we'd score today. I felt it in my bones. I'm going to have to get some new bones.

Q. Trailing 3-0, do you see any hope as far as the 3-0 comeback, not to at least win the series, but make it close? You seemed to play well in all three games.

BOBBY VALENTINE: There's some hope. It's a long shot. No doubt about that, but we're going to show up tomorrow and try to play one game at a time and see how close we can get.

End of FastScripts…

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