NL DIVISION SERIES: METS v DIAMONDBACKS

October 6, 1999

Rick Reed

RICK REED: Well, I think the last start was more like a playoff game. You know, our backs were against the wall. We had to win those three games, and, you know, I had struggled pretty much all year, to try to get to that point to where I was pitching good again. You know, it was just good to go out there and pitch well and we outscored them.

RICK REED: Well, I don't know how important it is to me, but I'm having a great time. This is all new to me. I've only been in the playoffs one time, and that was in the minor leagues. Like I said, this is all new at this level, and I'm just having a good time with it.

RICK REED: Seeing a guy like John Franco who has been playing for 15 years and never had the opportunity to be in postseason, and, you know, here we are in postseason, it's a thrill just to see him and the way he's going about it, and, you know, a lot of guys don't get a chance. We've got a chance this year to do something special, and hopefully we can continue and move on a little further than what we are.

RICK REED: It's the same thing like with John Franco. Bobby has been managing for God knows how long. I know it's taken him over 1,700 games to get to postseason. It's really special. I know my wife and his wife talked. They talked about how special it is for one another. It's just great. I know it's a load off his shoulders.

RICK REED: Well, Tony Womack, if you can keep him off base, you've pretty much keep him off the board. Like Roger Cedano and Rickey Henderson for our team. If he gets on he can cause a little havoc on the bases. When he's on, you've got to face Jay Bell and Luis Gonzales and Matt Williams. That makes your job even tougher. If you can keep him off base, that's just one less thing you have to worry about.

RICK REED: I've watched the game last night, obviously, from the clubhouse. We had Yoshii, who was a right-hander. I watched how he pitched them and, you know, tonight I know Kenny Rogers is left-handed; I probably won't pay attention to that game, but I will look at some videotapes. I did pitch against him twice this year. Once here, I'd rather forget about that one, and I had a pretty good one against him in New York. So I think I'll just look at that videotape and just get an opportunity, get a game plan together and go from there.

RICK REED: I don't think we're any more tired than what we have been in the past week. We've been through a lot in the past week; so I think everybody is refreshed now, and just ready to go and get at it.

RICK REED: If it's in this case like the past three or four days there, it's going to be hectic. It's going to be crazy. I know the fans have been waiting on this for a long time. I know the Mets organization has been waiting on this. I'm looking forward to it and I know it's going to be exciting.

RICK REED: I try to shut it off. You know, I know that we consider them the 10th man. But it's a lot easier to pitch in front of your home crowd when they're behind you, and I know they will be behind us.

RICK REED: I was throwing on the side, I think it was in Atlanta. He told me like, I guess he watched me in spring training when we first went down there for spring training. Just noted that I was gripping the ball a little tighter, a little further back in my hand. And he just said, "Just move the ball out a little bit and we'll go from there." I did that. I had more life on my fastball, and my curveball had a sharper break; so it wasn't breaking; that that was the answer. It took me two or three starts to really get comfortable with it. It's shown over the last two or three starts, and it's gotten better the last few times out. In the game against Pittsburgh it seemed like everything I threw was a strike and where I wanted it to go.

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