	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX v ANGELS

October 10, 2009

Dustin Pedroia

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Workout Day

THE MODERATOR: First question for Dustin Pedroia.

Q. Dustin, you guys obviously were in this situation before in '07, down 3-1. How does that experience help?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: I think it does to a certain extent. The first two games didn't really go very well this series for us. But, you know, we're still here. We're at home. So we play a lot better at home.
When you come out -- we need to come out and swing the bats better and just play better. If we do that, try to win each inning. We have to go back to the basics and try to find a way to win a game.

Q. You've got really good numbers against Kazmir personally. But he's done really well against you guys, especially in some big games here. What is it about what he does and how he does it that has been the issue?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: He's got great stuff. His ball jumps out of his hand. He has a good slider, good change-up. That's probably why he's had some success. The biggest thing is get a good pitch to hit, you better hit it. Because you get late in the count on him, he has a lot of out pitches.

Q. Is there anything about Clay that you think makes him kind of ready to do well in an elimination game like tomorrow?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: Clay has great stuff. We've all seen him mature throughout the year. So hopefully he can go out there and be under control and locate his fastball and then throw his curveball and change-up, because those two pitches are dominant. So if he's out there locating his fastball, he's going to be just fine.

Q. How important is it for you guys to get to have a fast start offensively and kind of take some of the pressure off him, that being said?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: It's important for anybody. That's the biggest thing we didn't do in the first two games. We didn't really do anything offensively. So I think if we come out and score a couple of runs for him early, maybe he'll relax and settle in. So that's obviously what we're trying to do.

Q. What was it about the Angels' pitchers that threw you guys off the game? Did they throw a lot of strikes, they kept you off balance?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: A little of both. John Lackey threw a lot of first-pitch strikes. Nothing in the middle of the plate. That's what he does. That's why he's good. Same thing with Weaver. He threw his curveball, his sliders, he kind of got that funky motion and it comes across his body, and he didn't throw anything over the middle of the plate really to drive. So sometimes you tip your hat. Hopefully they start missing out over the plate a little bit more.

Q. How much are you guys kind of looking forward to or hoping for that home field advantage tomorrow?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: Yeah, really looking forward to it. It's tough playing on the road, especially in Anaheim. They have great fans. The place gets loud. But Fenway is really tough to play at for a visiting team. So hopefully the fans are extremely behind us and loud and makes it tough on those guys.

Q. Obviously you would rather not be down 2-0 or 3-1, but can you point to anything why you guys have been successful in these situations in the recent past?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: I mean, I don't know. I remember in '07 we were down 3-1 against Cleveland. It was the worst feeling ever. You had that kind of same feeling now obviously. You have that terrible feeling in your stomach that you don't want the season to end. We know we have a great team. We just haven't played well the first two games. So we just have to go out there and kind of baby steps. You have to try to win every inning, win every pitch, and hopefully that leads to games.

Q. Was there anything said last night by anyone after the game or on the plane ride home?
DUSTIN PEDROIA: Not really. I mean, everyone is obviously upset. We got a lot of guys -- everyone on our team cares so much. I think that's -- that could have hurt us the first couple of games. Guys trying too hard, wanting to do so well and wanting to win. Because we know we have a great team and sometimes that backfires on you, especially in the playoffs. Your heartbeat gets jumping a little bit. But we need to settle down and play our game.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297