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AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS v YANKEES


October 5, 2011


Doug Fister


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Workout Day

Q. Doug, given where you've come from this season, the struggles early on, the trade and everything else, what does starting this must-have game tomorrow mean to you?
DOUG FISTER: Obviously it's definitely an honor for me to be starting it. But at the same time we don't treat it any differently than we have for the 162 games we've played all season. We still come in ready to fight and ready to play as a team and play loose and play together.

Q. Is it surreal almost, if somebody had told you back in March in Spring Training in Arizona that you would be in this position, what do you think you would have said?
DOUG FISTER: Obviously it's not something I foresaw going on. But I'm definitely honored to be here and to be a part of the clubhouse that we have, and it's something that I'm thriving in the moment and enjoying it.

Q. Doug, how difficult is it to pitch to the Yankees lineup?
DOUG FISTER: Top to bottom, they've got a great lineup. At this point pitching in the ALDS, everybody is good. And so you've got to be on top of your game from 1 through nine and be ready to go. But at the same time we've got a pretty good lineup, too. And I have a lot of faith in our hitters. So it's going to be a good dogfight.

Q. Hey, Doug, Leyland and some of the players were pretty adamant after Game 1 you had pitched better than your line indicated, what do you think?
DOUG FISTER: Obviously I didn't execute a few things. A good lineup makes you pay for it. That's what they did the other night. It's going to be a new fight tomorrow night. Still going to go out there and approach the game the same way that I did before. I'm going after hitters and using my defense and obviously letting the offense do the work.

Q. Doug, what's been different since you came over to Detroit and have experienced such terrific success?
DOUG FISTER: Obviously, different surroundings, different personnel to be around. But it's something that I've thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the team that we've got here. It's good personnel and everything like that. But everything else is the same. Yeah, I'm pitching with a different jersey on, but still approaching the game the same way. Still approaching my outings and being a teammate the same way.

Q. Doug, Jim always talks about possible distractions in the postseason. How have you blocked them out so far? How are you going to block them out tomorrow?
DOUG FISTER: It's been something that you have to block out all season long. There's 162 games and you have to block out all the distractions, no matter what it is. So it's just a matter of taking things step by step and moving forward. Not letting things get too big or too small. It's always one pitch at a time.

Q. Doug, Brett Gardner had that two-run single against you in Game 1. He had another big hit last night. What kind of trouble does he present to you at the bottom of that lineup, especially with his speed?
DOUG FISTER: Like I say, they've a good lineup from top to bottom. You can't take any of them for granted. You have to pitch all of them like they're the No. 4 hitter. That's pretty much anybody in the playoffs right now.
At this point I'm still going to attack with my game plan and let the defense work.

Q. I think you said a couple of days ago that the guys kind of kid you because of your lack of a routine. Can you elaborate on the routine you don't have?
DOUG FISTER: Really, I really don't have a routine. I go to the ballpark at a different time every day. Whether I'm sitting talking to Inge or I'm talking to the locker mate next to me, whoever it is, there is no routine. I don't have to go in and eat my bowl of Cheerios. I don't have to go in and run or whatever I do. It's just kind of a flow as I go and just kind of get a feel for the day. If I feel like I need to sit down and listen to music and relax a little bit, that's what I do. If I need to go in and jump around in the weight room with a couple of guys and goof around, that's another thing.

Q. Doug, I think we talked about this after the game last night, but when you face a team twice in a short span like this, whether it's regular season or this stage, how much do you study off of the previous start and how much is it a clean slate?
DOUG FISTER: Obviously, they've seen me, I've seen them. Everybody is well acquainted at this point. It's not going to change the game plan. It's not going to make anything different. Still going to go out there with my best stuff and I'm going to communicate with Alex before, during and after the game. And just stay with what we do, what we do best. That's something that my pitching coaches from previous and current have stressed to me. Stay with what you do best, and don't try to waver from it. Trust what you do and your teammates around you.
THE MODERATOR: That concludes the interview room for today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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