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AL WILD CARD GAME: RAYS v INDIANSOctober 2, 2013Joe MaddonCLEVELAND, OHIO: Game Day Q. One was called a playoff game today, the other was not, but is it in essence the same preparation? JOE MADDON: I feel the same way I did the other day in Texas. I promise you there's no difference regarding the prep work. When you wake up in the morning, the feel, the drive in on the bus is all felt the same, which feels like March 15th, April 15th, June 15th. I want nothing to be different today. I want our players not to feel like they have to over‑prepare, do anything differently. I want them to go out and play a baseball game like we did the other night in Texas. As an example, Sam Fuld feeling the ability or the freedom to run from 2nd to 3rd base to make a baseball play as an example. I preach that from day one in camp. It's something back in the day with Sosa and the Angels we used to talk about all the time to not change anything as you play deeper in the season. I think the trend or the tendency is to feel like you have to become smarter, and it's exactly the opposite, I believe. Really this is the time for simplicity. And really we'll go out there and play a simple, clean game. Q. Terry Francona said managing against you, you have to prepare for anything. Do you pride yourself on that type of reputation, and the ability to do that type of mind bending things? JOE MADDON: You know, I don't even‑‑ that's very nice about Tito, but he's also really good. We've got to prepare for him. I think when he's saying something like that, he's talking about our team and our athleticism, our abilities on the field. I think that's what he's addressing. Over the years that we played against him in Boston, we were really athletic, the Rays have been very athletic. Again, what you saw Sam do the other day, a lot of what you see on the field is baseball players being baseball players, it's not coming from me. It's something that maybe we'll talk about in advance. Spring Training there's a lot of prep work in talking about different things that I want them to be aware of and try. We'll do it before the game and even in the dugout in between innings we'll do it, but at the end of the day it's about baseball players and them playing well and being able to deal with the moment, and I think our guys do a wonderful job with that. We've had some great battles. It's been outstanding. I have so much respect for Terry. But over the last several years between Boston and now here, I think it's great. And hopefully it's going to continue for the next several years, also. But I truly believe if he says something like that, he's complimenting our players. Q. I'm sure the crowd could be a factor today. It's sold out. You saw what Pittsburgh's crowd did yesterday with Cincinnati. Having played in Boston, having played at Yankee Stadium in that environment, same thing Toronto had a big crowd and then Texas, does that prep the Rays for tonight? JOE MADDON: We've talked about that, Dave and I, and we talk on a daily basis for years since we've been here. I've always loved the idea of playing in this Division for the reasons you're just talking about. When you get your players to play in those venues on a consistent basis, and it's always like a playoff atmosphere in New York and Boston. I don't care what the date is. So your guys are able to deal with it, basically deal with it. And you get stronger and you become kind of immune in some ways. I remember against the White Sox, in 2008, was it the black towel thing that they had going on? I remember standing at home plate and I'm kind of smiling at the whole thing because I thought it was pretty cool, and I think our guys think it was pretty cool. We like playing in front of big crowds. I think our guys are really good about breathing in the moment. Again, you're right, the American League East is a wonderful training ground for this time of the year. Q. Do you think very specifically that either Hick or yourself might mention to Alex what happened to Cueto last night, given that could be a copycat situation, likely something he's going to hear? JOE MADDON: You know what, I'm really big on not putting thoughts in a guy's head. Something like that I would refrain from doing because I don't really see an advance, the positive impact that would have on me making something aware of something that may not occur. I want to believe if it were to occur, I'd like to see a lot of smiles. And really if you have to disarm and go out there and just at that point maybe address it, but I want to believe that our guys could handle that, that he could handle it specifically. But I talked about this before, I really try not to get too smart because I'm not. And when it comes to pregame speeches and things like that, I would save that for fastball and basketball and maybe even hockey. Baseball players play this game almost every night of the year. They've been through a lot of different situations. The worst thing you can do is to complicate things right now, I really believe that. The best thing you can do is simplify. For me to put that thought in Alex's head right now would only possibly complicate his preparation, so I would not do that. Q. What have Loney and Escobar meant to this team? JOE MADDON: Well, I've been talking a lot recently about it's our best infield defense we've ever had here, and you'd have to make a strong argument to tell me there was a better one that I saw this year in the American League. You know Longo, Long is going to show up every year and be that Gold Glove every year. Zobrist, having a chance to be in one more position, that's because of Will. When Will came on board then Zo was able to become pretty much a second baseman and they're playing their best. Then you get these two other guys that really solidify all of this infield situation on a daily basis. I mean, literally Escobar has made, since May, maybe three mistakes, about three mistakes since May. And his throws have been magnificent. Loney, on the other side, you saw the double play in Toronto the other day. I mean, there's even been some times when you look about hitting matchups versus the pitcher and James maybe doesn't show up that well against certain lefties. But he could impact a game with his defense, also, and he does it on a daily basis. And even his throwing. He made a throw the other day I think that was in Toronto also, that slow chopper on the right side. After the game I went up to him and I said, listen, I know a lot of first basemen that would have flipped out to first base and taken the out there. He's not afraid to throw. Those two guys there have really helped define our defense. We talk about it all the time. We catch line drives, we're all about defense, we've got the Gold Glove in our locker room, all that stuff. Everybody wants to talk about batting averages. It's nice, but when we can prevent runs like we do, then our pitchers have to benefit from that. Q. Would you say your style as we know from covering you is not to give speeches, not do anything different. Is it more important to keep the routine the same in this kind of setting? JOE MADDON: Absolutely. I learned my lesson several years ago with that. I remember in the Angels in the late '90s where we were kind of like knocking on the door a couple times and we sent out some extra advance scouts and had all kinds of stuff coming in. I am the guy that's putting it all together. It wasn't nearly like it is now with all the other help that you're able to receive. I mean, it was actually the worst thing we could have possibly done. You talk about trying to give guys more intel or information. They don't need that right now. They need a nugget. There's nuggets out there. You need to disburse the nuggets that might help in a tight moment in the seventh inning versus a certain hitter. Even beyond the pitcher knowing it, just so that the catcher knows it. Offensively speaking the same thing, if there's one tendency, but in our game right now, all of this stuff that we do really bends and benefits towards the pitcher and defense primarily. The hitter really doesn't benefit from all this stuff. The hitter is really just reacting. The other guys are the proactive part of the game. This is the reactionary side. Again, if you can train your guys to breathe and keep it simple in the moment and they're really good, they have their best chance of performing well. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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