Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS / Division Series – October 11, 2012
MLB Postseason coverage continues on TBS today, Friday, Oct. 12, beginning with the TBS MLB On-Deck presented by Dodge Dart pre-game show at 4:30 p.m. ET. The network will exclusively televise all the action including the Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, ALDS Game 5, at 5 p.m. and the St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals, NLDS Game 5, at 8:30 p.m. The night will conclude with the Inside MLB presented by Captain Morgan post-game show on TBS.
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MLB On-Deck presented by Dodge Dart
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts)
Eckersley on San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Cain: “Cincinnati has had his [Matt Cain’s] number, but this guy is their ace and he needs to prove it to make this big elimination game.”
Wells on Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mat Latos: “This guy is the real deal. He comes at you. He throws the ball real hard. He’s not afraid to take the ball. He’s like the opposite of Matt Cain.”
Wells on New York Yankees starting pitcher Phil Hughes: “He’s got shut down stuff. His problem is the home run ball up in the zone. When he’s down in the zone, he’s untouchable, he’s a grinder. You want him on the mound. The home run is the factor in Yankee Stadium.”
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NLDS, Game 5: San Francisco Giants (6) at Cincinnati Reds (4) – San Francisco wins and advances to the NLCS
Brian Anderson (play-by-play) with Ron Darling and Joe Simpson (analysts) and Tom Verducci (reporter)
Simpson on Cincinnati’s Game 5 starting pitcher Mat Latos: “When the Reds gave up a handful of top-notch prospects [in a trade] for Mat Latos in the winter this is the kind of game they had in mind. They wanted a top of the rotation type of guy and he has been that.”
Darling on the differences showing emotion between Game 5 starting pitchers – Matt Cain and Mat Latos: “Both of these pitchers pitch with great confidence. Matt Cain [has] a quiet confidence. You never see emotion from him. Not so much with Mat Latos. You know where he is wearing his emotions on every pitch on every game. He’s not shy about letting you know.”
Simpson on Reds’ Mat Latos emotional play: “He wears his heart on his tattooed sleeve.”
Simpson on Giants reliever Sergio Romo’s deceiving sliders: “I know it’s a slider by definition, but it’s a real big long sweeper. His arm angle is from the side but he still gets depth on the baseball. It still breaks down. Most pitchers you watch them throw from the side and it will helicopter to the center of the plate. Not Romo’s slider.”
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NLDS, Game 4: St. Louis Cardinals (1) at Washington Nationals (2) – Series tied 2-2
Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Bob Brenly (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Brenly on the two sides of Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran: “Beltran is really two different performers. He’s a grinder throughout the regular season who will come up with some big hits but will need some time off because of injuries from time to time. But he really shines in the postseason. This is his time of year.”
Brenly on who deserves credit and/or blame for the slumping Nationals offense: “You can point your finger at the Nationals offense and say that they haven’t done their job in this series but if you’re going to do that, you also have to point a finger out to the mound and say that the Cardinals pitchers have done a better job of executing their pitches.”
TBS’ David Aldridge interviewed Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth, who hit a walk-off home run in Game 4
Werth on where he drew inspiration for his game-winning home run: “I was watching [Yankees outfielder and former teammate with the Phillies] Raul Ibanez do it. He gave me a little something today.”
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ALDS, Game 4: Baltimore Orioles (2) at New York Yankees (1) in 13 innings – Series tied 2-2
Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Cal Ripken and John Smoltz (analysts) with Craig Sager (reporter)
Ripken on Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds: “He’s a streaky hitter and when he gets it going, you can jump on his back and ride that offense.”
Ripken on how Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez handled being pinch hit for in the ninth inning of Game 3: “It’s not an easy thing for him to do. He’s got a lot of pride and it stings. But he set that aside and handled it the right way.”
Smoltz on the difference in postseason experience between the Yankees and Orioles: “There are guys struggling on both teams. The Yankees have the history. The career numbers of [Curtis] Granderson, [Nick] Swisher and A-Rod [Alex Rodriguez] have not been the way they’d like them to be in the postseason. They’ve had a ton of opportunities. For the Orioles, this is their first time [in the postseason], they are going to have to deal with it, learn from it and get better from it…the Yankees have been there, done that.”
Ripken on how Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is handling his recent slump: “Curtis is struggling at the plate but I think he believes that if you’re struggling, you should be more aggressive at the plate.”
Smoltz on how not every player is cut out to be the hero: “Just because you put a uniform on, doesn’t mean you want to the ‘the guy.’ It takes a certain mentality and personality to be in that position of failure, meaning there’s a chance to be the goat but a chance to be the hero. Not everybody handles it the way you would want. It separates some of the guys from the rest.”
Ripken on the mindset hitters should take in late inning situations: “You have to remind yourself that it’s not about the one swing, it’s not about the home run. Let’s put some at-bats together. If you’re the offense right now, you can’t think about ending the game with one swing…that’s not the approach a hitter should take in these situations. It’s almost the opposite; you want to pull yourself back.”
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ALDS, Game 5: Detroit Tigers (6) at Oakland A’s (0) – Detroit wins series 3-2 and advances to the ALCS
Don Orsillo (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst) with Jaime Maggio (reporter)
Martinez on Tigers’ Game 5 starting pitcher Justin Verlander: “Justin Verlander is a big game pitcher. He loves this atmosphere.”
Martinez on Athletics’ Game 5 starting pitcher Jarrod Parker: “Jarrod Parker should be on his game tonight. He’s a very young, aggressive pitcher who will go at these Tigers tonight.”
Martinez on Athletics’ Game 4 hero Coco Crisp: “He’s truly had the entire rollercoaster of emotions in the first four games of the series.”
Martinez on the Athletics’ home field crowd: “It’s a raucous crowd. They really support their favorite players and the club responds well.”
Martinez on Tigers starter Justin Verlander’s imposing 6’5” frame and how it affects his pitching: “Being a dominant starting pitcher on the level of Verlander is as challenging physically as anything there is in the game.”
Martinez on the A’s ineffectiveness in Game 5: “Overall, Oakland has been a little on edge tonight. They [were] not able to come through against Justin Verlander.”
Martinez on the chances for Detroit progressing in the postseason because of their starting pitching: “This is why the Tigers are feared in the postseason: [Justin] Verlander, [Doug] Fister, [Max] Scherzer can all shut down anybody.”
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Inside MLB presented by Captain Morgan
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts)
Eckersley on the success of the MLB Postseason to date with four, five-game LDS series: “You can’t get any better for Major League Baseball and this playoff system. It’s gone as good as they thought it ever would.”
Wells on how strong Detroit starter Justin Verlander was throughout the game: “He can bring it even more as the game goes on. So, basically, you don’t stand a chance.”
Eckersley on how opponents might feel watching Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander dominate them during a game: “It’s like a locomotive. It’s got to be awful to watch that happen.”
Wells on the Tigers prospects for the rest of the postseason: “They are as dangerous as their pitching takes them. Their offense is suspect at times. They’ve got three pretty good pitchers [Verlander, Fister and Scherzer] who are going to go out there and get you [deep into a game]. When you have three guys that can take you deep into the game, you have a really, really good chance [to win it all].”
Eckersley on the Tigers potential weakness during the rest of the postseason: “Their bullpen is suspect, but this club has been playing tough for the last month. They’re going to have a shot to win it because of their [starting] pitching.”
Eckersley on the A’s this season: “So many good things happened with this club. Nobody will ever really forget this club. If they went deeper it would’ve been even more unforgettable. There was something magical about this team. They should’ve went farther.”
Eckersley on Baltimore Orioles reliever Darren O’Day: “This is the MVP for me coming in the 8th [inning]. That guy is nasty on right-handed hitters.”
Eckersley on his pick for Game 5 of the Yankees/Orioles series: “Obviously, you’ve got to pick CC [Sabathia] because he’s a ‘money’ pitcher for them. But, everyone [Orioles pitchers] has done their job so well. It’s hard to say what’s going to happen to Baltimore. Are they destined to win this whole thing?”
Eckersley on Cincinnati’s blown lead in the series: “Cincinnati, they wasted this season. They came home, up 2-0, and everybody was loving life. The next thing you know, they’re going home. But, this club is going to be there [in the future].”
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