AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: INDIANS v YANKEES

October 9, 1998

Orlando Hernandez

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: Well, first of all, I'm a big fan of Dwight Gooden because I was able to see him pitch and just as everyone else has a person who they root for and is a fan of Doc, I am a fan of his and I like the way he pitches.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: Well, in the past, when I was pitching the Cuban National team, we played in Italy and Ireland, and other countries in Europe and it was pretty cold. I'm not sure what temperature, but it was pretty cold and we all pretty much know my story. I've been through some cold times, and I don't feel that the cold in the field will affect my pitching tomorrow.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: As I've explained in the past, I am very happy to be where I am right now. Baseball-wise it's been a great year, I have enjoyed everything and it's great to be in a position competing for World Championship. Also, in the past two years, not being able to play I wasn't active while in Cuba for two years and it's a great position to be in right now, playing for the World Championship.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: It really doesn't have an effect on how I'm going to pitch tomorrow. If we win tomorrow, I'll be happy and I'll pitch tomorrow. If we lose today, I won't be happy but I'll still pitch tomorrow. But it really doesn't have any affect on how I'm going to pitch tomorrow.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: Though I haven't spoken to my brother, as everyone knows I've played in big games before in Cuba with the national teams, we've played in World Championships. Obviously I haven't played in a game of this magnitude in the Major Leagues, but I do have experience pitch in big games and, no, I haven't spoke to my brother. I've pitched 21 starts with the same focus, just a little bigger stage.

THE INTERPRETER: This gentleman said didn't you ask your brother for any advice for how it went and he said, no, I haven't spoke to him about it.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: I've trained hard as always, as I always do, but those two weeks off are not justification for me to have a bad game tomorrow.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: The biggest game that I've pitch to this date is jumping on the boat and leaving Cuba.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: To me, every game I've pitched this year has been a big game. There is pressure involved and every game is an important game to me.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: Last year at this time if I recall correctly, the Marlins were playing the Braves and Livan was pitching and CNN has an office in Cuba and they allowed me to go to their headquarters and watch the games or sometimes listen to them and I am grateful to them. Also many stopped by my house in Cuba and kept me up to date as to what was going on in the playoffs.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: I cannot respond to that question.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: I really don't think I had a bad outing here -- I don't think it was a bad outing here, I think California and Atlanta were bad outings, but the Indians I don't think it was a bad outing, I don't really have a response to that.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: That's his critique, not mine.

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ: As you all see, Dwight Gooden doesn't raise his leg as he used to in the past. In the past he raised his legs keeping his arms in tight and I watched that and adapted my motion, incorporating some of what he did and from there I went on developing what I was doing and through training and practice, I've got to where I raise my leg the way I do now.