NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PADRES v BRAVES

October 14, 1998

Sterling Hitchcock

STERLING HITCHCOCK: This is a special time for all of us. And you sit down in Spring Training, you mark out what you want to accomplish during the season, and everybody in that clubhouse, our last goal is to win the last game. And that was well in October. We set our sights high, and we're four wins away from that. Whether I was going to New York or Tokyo, it doesn't matter, we're going to the World Series.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I think my level of performance I directly contribute to God. And I truly believe that, without him, I wouldn't have had the peace and the calm and just my level and my mindset out on the mound in the three postseason games. I just contribute it to him.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: The biggest, by far. Today was a big game. I thank Boch and Stu for giving me the opportunity to go out there, for their confidence in me. And you can't say enough about those guys that we've got in the locker room right now, and the way they played.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: You know, our offense has just been like it's been all year long. It's so timely. Glavine got locked up there pretty good in a 0-0 game. And I knew sooner or later we were going to get something on the board. To put five up there in one inning against them is very hard to do. And I just clap my hand for those guys.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I have no offense. That's my biggest at-bat in my career there, going back to little League, going back to coming over here. It's no mystery I can't hit, but I knew I had to do something there. Two runs we weren't comfortable with. We wanted to try to get something else across there. I knew I had to put the ball in play, maybe something happens. As usual, I didn't hit the ball very hard. And I think if it bounces, it probably checks up like a nice sand wedge to the green. So I'll take it.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I think coming out of Spring Training, I threw the ball all right in the spring. I deserved to be a starter, but for the sake of the team, without having a left-handed pitcher down in the bullpen, Kevin, Boch and Stu all felt it the best way to go for that time period. And going out there was the best thing for me. It allowed me to come back in the games, be aggressive, going after people, getting strike 1, attacking people, instead of letting them attack me. And I think that carried on as soon as I got in the rotation.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: Late April.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: You know, for me there wasn't this time. In my career I haven't thrown very well on three days, but the two starts prior to this I didn't throw a whole lot of pitches. So I knew pretty well that I could go out there and contribute for our team. And I also knew that should we have lost today, I'll put my money on Kevin Brown any day of the week. And fortunately, we didn't have to go to that.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: The thing I did right there was stick my bat out and it was moving a little bit. And once again, the control of those guys, you know they're going to be around the strike zone. It hit my bat and it hit the ground, and that's what I did right.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: You know, I think if you look at it, we were very aggressive with them. And if you look at it, you look at the stuff of our starters and all four guys we ran out there have got good stuff. I don't think enough has been said about our pitching staff, here, and certainly the job that Stu has done with us. And so I give the other guys in our locker room a lot of credit.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I think he's helped me, certainly, mentally. At this level, any pitcher in the Big Leagues has the ability to get people out. The main difference is what's between your ears, what are you thinking about on the mound, what are you thinking about in between innings. And Stu has certainly helped me out in that aspect and also just a facing people one pitch at a time.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I'm very comfortable. I use my splitfinger as an out-pitch. My changeup I'm very comfortable with, and I feel like I locate the ball pretty good, as well. So to me, honestly, you take Gerald Williams and you put him out there; you've got Batista, both those guys can hurt you. I probably would have almost been more comfortable going the other way, Graffanino has done quite a bit of damage against me in his career. I probably would have been comfortable had they gone the other way.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: You know, really looking at it, I thank them for giving me the opportunity to come this far. Had I gone back to New York in '96, I probably would have pitched out of the bullpen. They would have bought Gooden and Kenny Rogers over. I probably would have pitched out of the bullpen, and maybe I'm still in the bullpen somewhere. So basically, I thank them and tip my cap to them for giving me a chance to move on with my career.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: You know, the second trade was totally unexpected. I knew the first one was going down, who wouldn't give up two kids for Tino Martinez and Jeff Nelson. Look what that's done for them. But the second one was tougher. I really enjoyed Seattle. They had a great bunch of guys there. I had talked to Lou Pinella at a golf tournament before that, and we were discussing how the rotation was going to shape up. I'm driving up to my mother-in-law's and my agent calls me on the phone, and said: Hey, you got traded. And I told him to shut up he said to me right away: Hey, look you're getting a great opportunity in San Diego, and I was happy about it. We've got a great group of guys, a great coaching staff and a great front office. I've enjoyed it here.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I think we've got a feel for how it's going to be. I think also you look at -- Greg Vaughn's been there, he's played through the crowd is coming in as a visiting team. We've got a lot of experience on our roster, and you know, that crowd there can be harsh, but so what? We've got to play.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: It's the furthest thing from my mind, honestly. To look at it there's 24 other guys that they could have given it to, as well. My two starts, yeah, I pitched pretty good, but the bullpen came in behind me and picked me up like you wouldn't believe. I think eight scoreless innings or something like that behind me. I have to tip my cap to them and to the defense and offense as well.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: After Gerald got to second, I think I had two strikes there on Chipper with the pitch. So obviously, there I'm looking for a strike out. At least make him hit the ball to the left side so he can't advance Gerald. And Cami made a good play there and held him at second. It turned out to be huge, because you look at the ball Javy hit down the line that Cami stopped, and he scores right there if we don't hold him at second. So that was a big at-bat for me.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: On the field, I really enjoyed my time there. Off the field, away from the game, you know, growing up outside of Tampa, I'm not used to the rat race that much, so I struggled with that part of it. My time there with my teammates and being on the field there was a good situation.

STERLING HITCHCOCK: I made every pitch in New York like it was my last one there. I could be optioned out, basically. So, yeah, there is pressure in that situation. You never know if you're going to be there one day or the next. But also I think it is helped form me into a stronger pitcher, and certainly, I thank them for the opportunity, to even bring me up to the Big Leagues. I came up at the age of 21. I'm very thankful for that.

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