Notes from MLB Postseason on TBS / Division Series – October 6, 2012
MLB Postseason coverage continues on TBS today, Sunday, Oct. 7, beginning with the TBS MLB On-Deck presented by Dodge Dart pre-game show at 2:30 p.m. ET. The network will televise a tripleheader featuring the Washington Nationals at St. Louis Cardinals, NLDS Game 1, at 3 p.m.; the New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles, ALDS Game 1, at 6:15 p.m.; and the Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants, NLDS Game 2, at 9:30 p.m. The night will conclude with the Inside MLB presented by Captain Morgan post-game show.
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MLB On-Deck presented by Dodge Dart
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts)
Eckersley on the Oakland Athletics: “This is an exciting team and they are going to make people find out what their name is as we go forward (in the playoffs). I think they are in a good spot.”
Wells on Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander: “He has a nasty curve, so you can’t sit on anything with him. He’s got good movement. If he pitches his game and he’s on, no one is going to beat him.”
Eckersley on Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto: “He’s not the same guy, but he’s still an on-base guy. They haven’t scored a lot of runs in the last month; they have been on cruise control. I think you will see much better Votto in this playoff series.”
Wells on San Francisco starter Matt Cain: “He hasn’t had a good year against [the Reds]. Matt Cain is a guy that is going to pound the strike zone, a [Justin] Verlander type. He’s going to give it 100 percent, no matter what…that’s just his demeanor.”
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ALDS, Game 1: Oakland Athletics (1) at Detroit Tigers (3) – Tigers lead series 1-0
Don Orsillo (play-by-play), Buck Martinez (analyst) with Jamie Maggio (reporter)
Martinez on the stamina of Detroit’s Verlander throughout a game: “He has the ability to throw 97, 98, 99 [mph] late in the ball game. He prepares himself very well in the off-season. He envisions himself as a 200 inning, 200 strikeout guy every single year. It takes quite a toll on your body, but he is able to maintain that velocity and pitch deep into the ball games.”
Martinez on Detroit’s lineup: “Austin Jackson has really been a spark at the top of the order. He’s refined his approach at the plate and has allowed him to wait longer to pick up the baseball.”
Martinez on the Athletics improvement turning double plays: “This is one thing that has really improved since Stephen Drew was acquired – the A’s ability to turn double plays.”
Martinez on Detroit’s Prince Fielder: “This is his first year in the American League. He’s a guy that is a very smart hitter and likes to know who he is facing. It will take him a while to get acclimated to the pitchers in the America League.”
Martinez on the athletic ability of the Athletics and Tigers outfielders: “Before the series is over, we are going to see some spectacular plays in the outfield. Both of these teams have outfielders that can really go get it. They both have outstanding centerfields and the corner outfielders are very athletic.”
Martinez on Verlander’s pitching style: “There has never been a question about [Justin] Verlander’s style. It has been excellent from the first moment he stepped on the mound. He can really pitch. He knows how to add and subtract with his fast ball, he knows how to add and subtract with his breaking ball. He’s gotten to the point where he can read hitters.”
Martinez on Oakland’s Josh Reddick: “Reddick wore down at the end of the season. He’s just a little guy…the rigors of playing every single day caught up to him in September.”
Martinez on Detroit’s Justin Verlander, who had thrown 120 pitches with two outs in the top of the seventh inning: “Verlander is like a throwback pitcher from the era of [Sandy] Koufax, [Bob] Gibson and [Tom] Seaver. When he can see the finish line, he reaches back for a little extra. He knows how to finish.”
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Game Break presented by Bank of America
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts)
Eckersley on pitcher Jose Valverde closing out Game 1 of the ALDS in the Tigers’ 3-1 win: “Tonight he did his job, a couple of punch outs and a pop up. This is a game that Detroit really had to have.”
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NLDS, Game 1: Cincinnati Reds (5) at San Francisco Giants (2) – Reds lead the series 1-0
Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Ron Darling, Joe Simpson (analysts) with Tom Verducci (reporter)
Darling on Cincinnati’s Drew Stubbs: “One of the best athletes in the National League. He can fly.”
Anderson on the Reds’ running game: “It’s not just the stolen bases that the Reds were very successful at this season. They take extra bases; they are very aggressive at trying to score.”
Darling on San Francisco’s Brandon Belt: “They always talk about power hitters and it takes three or four years for them to find their form. I think Belt, if given time, is going to be one of those guys that is going to be 20-plus home runs.”
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Inside MLB presented by Captain Morgan
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts)
Wells on Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto potentially returning to the mound for Game 3: “If you are pitching like that, you want to stay on the field. You are going to sacrifice yourself longer down the road, but you want to be in that situation now; every athlete would.”
Eckersley on Reds second baseman Brandon Philips: “Cincinnati did a lot of things right and defensively he was the star of the game.”
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