AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: INDIANS v YANKEES

October 13, 1998

Joe Torre

JOE TORRE: I don't really think it was restrained. To me, this is probably the tensest part of it, getting here. The World Series, if we win the World Series, it will be magnificent and we will celebrate. But getting there is such a tough mountain to climb and to have been able to do that against a club like the Cleveland Indians, who have been there so often, it is just very satisfying.

JOE TORRE: He won. You know, he won. And I don't say that sarcastically. David Cone gets it done. Tonight I think he had trouble staying loose and when I went out there and asked the umpire to come with me, you know, because he had pitched well the inning before. He said I will get this guy. And he did. He struck out Ramirez, and that is why I left him in. He has had a good record against Thome. One thing about Thome, when he hits a home run, you don't have to get off your seat. You don't have to see if it is out or not. And then, another Coney trademark for me he goes out there and gets the next two guys out. So it wasn't one of his stellar performances, but winning is what this game is all about and leadership and he has got that for us.

JOE TORRE: I just wanted to make sure he was okay. We had already had a trip to the mound, so I couldn't run out on my own because they would have forced me to take him out of the game. I just wanted to make sure he was okay. I always do that with David if there is something there that doesn't look right. I think he just had trouble staying loose with the weather with the long innings we had. He was going in getting some hot stuff. Between innings I just wanted to make sure health-wise that he was going to be all right.

JOE TORRE: Yes, not to be counted as a trip you do.

JOE TORRE: I felt the pressure leave us after Saturday's game. Once we got even to two, I thought we had a good batting practice Sunday, probably could have scored more runs, we left a lot of people on base and tonight I had a very good feeling about this ballgame.

JOE TORRE: When that happened, I had a flashback to two years ago when the ball went through Alomar's legs. And I never dreamed that that would happen and I just took that as a good sign for us because if he is not the best in the business, I don't know who is over there.

JOE TORRE: One of the two teams that are fighting it out.

JOE TORRE: I really don't. It is -- you know, you can't -- I have been asked that, who do you want to play in Division Series, who do you want to play, Boston or Cleveland. If we play our game, I think we have got balance, we can do some things, you know, we have to concern ourselves with ourselves. And not really think we are going to have a better chance to beat one team as opposed to another.

JOE TORRE: I don't think the win was important other than the team winning. Managing is very tough, you know, sometimes it may -- I am not trying to be sarcastic, you have to make some decisions. The other day I was questioned, which doesn't bother me, it is your job, that Boomer struck out Vizquel, then I took him out of the game and everybody was scratching their head. He struck out Ramirez and I didn't take him out of the game and people are still scratching their head. It is tough to make those decisions, you have to go with what you feel is the right thing to do. In David Cone's case he is going to get a lot longer rope than most people because of his heart.

JOE TORRE: There is no 7th game.

JOE TORRE: I haven't put it together. In all likelihood, it will be Boomer the first game.

JOE TORRE: You know, Scott Brosius when we made the deal to get him, really didn't know what to expect, hadn't watched him play a whole lot. Spring training he just blended in with our ballclub so easily. Especially at a position that we have had so much unrest over the last couple of years. Never dreamed of how well he played defensively until we watched him on a daily basis. Tonight, I mean home run, he did that, you know, in a Division Series. He hit a big two-run homer for us. Tonight I thought when they scored the five runs, may have been the most important play was the one right after that when Alomar hit one down the line and he made the play to lead off the 6th inning. That could have -- who knows, that is a -- tying run gets to second base. Another play was being able to get a jump off first on that short wild pitch. Those things you can't teach. It is instinctive. Not afraid to make a mistake, but Scott Brosius I don't care if he hits 7th, 8th or 9th, he has been a main part of this club.

JOE TORRE: I have not. I just spoke to him over the television of NBC. I had planned -- I haven't been able to get to a phone. I plan to go in here in there from here and call him up and just thank him because he has been a big inspiration to us. He got on our rearends a little bit about getting going and getting with it and I know several players talked to him before the game today.

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