Besides being emotional, he's just that good where as an opposing player competing, you want to step up your game. And to add on the rivalry and all the other things that are involved, it becomes almost too intense. |
But I've got to make some better pitches. |
Dave pitched great. I was able to hold them down and we scored some runs and made some plays, so it worked out. |
Defensively, we played hard and with a lot of intensity. |
Early on they seemed to be on every ball I threw. Luckily I was in there until the seventh. |
Everything's correctable. I've just got to figure out what I'm trying to correct. |
For the first time changing teams, it made it easier knowing the catcher. Also knowing the league. I took all those things into account. It's not what I expected. I thought it would be more difficult getting used to everything. |
Fortunately, I'm still wearing the uniform after all this time. For me to be able to pitch that last game is definitely something special. It's definitely an honor. ... Like an opening day start, you miss the whole hoopla going on, but you're a big part of it as well. |
From what Matheny tells me, he has unbelievable talent. He listens and he wants to learn. I'm just throwing my two cents in at whatever situation comes up so I can help him out. I'm trying to speed up his learning curve a little bit so he doesn't have to experience it on the field. I'm helping him with some arm exercises that might keep him healthy. I've been through the gamut of surgeries and all that so you try to help a young kid get into a good routine so he can stay healthy. |
He did a lot of damage to me, and ended up scoring the winning run at the time. You can't let that happen. You can't let the pitcher beat you. |
He does whatever he's asked to. There's no complaining. He just wants to win the game ... I think it's rubbed off on a lot of guys. |
He knows our lineup. He's got a nice advantage. |
He's a phenomenal player. If I can get them to hit every ball to short I would. He makes all the plays. He kind of runs the team as far as the defense goes. |
He's going to go out there and compete. I've seen it in playoff situations. I've seen it during the course of the year. My job is to go out there and compete right with him. |
He's got some other things going on. He separates the two, and he doesn't let those types of distractions affect our team. That takes a tremendous effort on his part, and he really worries about how he's affecting guys in the clubhouse with some of the stuff in the outside world. |