MLB Postseason coverage continues on TBS today, Tuesday, Oct. 9, beginning with the TBS MLB On-Deck presented by Dodge Dart pre-game show at 5 p.m. ET. The network will televise an exclusive doubleheader featuring the San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds, NLDS Game 3, at 5:30 p.m.; the Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics, ALDS Game 3, at 9 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) with Shane Victorino (guest analyst)
Victorino on the Dodgers missing the postseason following a series of high-profile trades: “Unfortunately, we didn’t get to the postseason like in previous years. When the trade happened with Boston that brought in A-Gon [Adrian Gonzalez], [Josh] Beckett, [Carl] Crawford and [Nick] Punto everyone put the Dodgers as the favorites to win it all. Being around the game, it’s not that easy to mesh a team [together]. Unfortunately, we didn’t mesh until the last eight games of the year when we won seven out of eight. We came up a little short but what they are doing in L.A. is definitely showing what they want to be and who they want to become. They are going to be a contender in the near future.”
Victorino on the challenges of facing a pitcher throwing into shadows: “You’re definitely timid because you can’t pick up the ball. Sometimes you pick it up, it’s too late and the ball is on you and you’re hoping that it’s around the plate and doesn’t hit you. The shadows play a big part in this game in the postseason.”
Wells on Yankees veteran starting pitcher Andy Pettitte: “He’s a big game pitcher but he’s not the Andy Pettitte of old…he has to be crafty out there. He’s not going to overpower anybody. His demeanor and character out there shows what he can do in the postseason.”
Victorino on Yankees’ starting pitcher Andy Pettitte: “[He’s] as tough as anyone in the game. He’s a big game pitcher. He throws up-and-down and in-and-out of the [strike] zone. He’s very deceptive with where he throws the ball. He wants the ball, wants to take the mound and wants to go out there and be the best he can be.”
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NLDS, Game 2: Washington Nationals (4) at St. Louis Cardinals (12) – Series tied 1-1
Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Bob Brenly (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)
Brenly on how the make-up of the Cardinals changed throughout the season: “If you look back at the Cardinals up until the All-Star break, they were pretty much like the Cardinals under [former manager] Tony La Russa…a lot of very versatile players that they mixed and matched and they’d move guys around. It didn’t matter who started the game, if you were on the bench, there was a good chance you’d get in the game at some point. Down the stretch, when every game was vitally important he settled on a regular lineup. [Matt] Carpenter and [Skip] Schumaker were the two guys that struggled because they didn’t get regular at bats.”
Brenly on managers having shorter leashes on their starting pitchers in the postseason: “One of the hardest decisions a manager makes in the postseason is when to pull the plug on your starting pitcher. During the regular season, you’ll show confidence and send him back out there hoping he’ll settle in. Down 1-0 [in the series], the Cardinals don’t have that luxury.”
Brenly on the challenges the outfielders face when battling a bright sun: “No style points on a day like this in the outfield. As long as it ends up in the glove, you’re happy.”
Brenly on the offensive explosion by the Cardinals: “The Cardinals offense answered the wake-up call today.”
Brenly on the Nationals’ aggressiveness at the plate: “They keep swinging their bats until someone tells them to stop.”
Brenly on the winner of the Cardinals/Nationals series having to earn it: “You’re going to have to earn this one. Either team, whoever comes out on top, is going to have to play their best baseball, come up with some clutch hits and get some clutch performances out of the bullpens.”
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Game Break presented by Bank of America
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts) with Shane Victorino (guest analyst)
Victorino on Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran: “He can definitely carry [the Cardinals]. Beltran is known as a postseason guy. He’s always that kind of guy that shines in the postseason.”
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ALDS, Game 2: New York Yankees (2) at Baltimore Orioles (3) – Series tied 1-1
Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Cal Ripken and John Smoltz (analysts) with Craig Sager (reporter)
Ripken on the electric atmosphere at Camden Yards: “It’s really good to see. I remember in the early years at Camden Yards. It’s good to see this kind of energy and atmosphere again.”
Ripken on Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte: “It amazes me about how Andy [Pettitte] can be so sharp and not have too many [regular season] innings in a playoff atmosphere like this. You can’t just call on your control.”
Smoltz on Pettitte: “He has the innate ability to feel like he’s always going to make the right pitch in crucial situations. He’s had good games and bad games in the postseason, but he believes he can make those pitches under crucial situations with much more attention to it than in a regular season game.”
Ripken on Orioles shortstop J. J. Hardy getting deked by Alex Rodriguez on a play at third base in the third inning: “I like [Hardy] using his eyes [to follow the ball in play] because if you see it, then you can react to it. The problem was he saw the wrong thing.”
Johnson, Ripken and Smoltz interviewed Orioles manager Buck Showalter in the fifth inning
Showalter on J.J. Hardy and third base coach DeMarlo Hale on the third-inning play: “DeMarlo [Hale] is one of the finest third base coaches in all of baseball and I’ve had some really good ones. J.J. [Hardy] is one of our better base-runners. The only thing you can do is glance over your shoulder a little bit. That’s one of those plays that’s really hard to read. Jeter makes that play more times than not. J.J. is just a good base-runner and DeMarlo is good there so I trust their judgment.”
Ripken on Orioles veteran designated hitter Jim Thome: “It’s amazing that he takes the ball inside. He is very patient and wants to swing the bat.
Smoltz on Orioles reliever Brian Matusz: “He’s got electric stuff.”
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Inside MLB presented by Captain Morgan
Matt Winer (host), Dennis Eckersley and David Wells (analysts) with Shane Victorino (guest analyst)
Eckersley on the Baltimore Orioles bullpen: “The Baltimore bullpen, as you get deeper into the game, is trouble [for the Yankees].”
Eckersley on Orioles reliever Brian Matusz and his success: “[Brian] Matusz is coming up big. Here’s a kid who just couldn’t get it done starting with the Orioles and look what he’s done in the bullpen here in the playoffs.”
Wells on the performance of Orioles starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen: “He manhandled them [the Yankees]. He was not afraid to throw inside. He froze every one of these guys – up in the zone, down in the zone. That’s how you stop home run hitting teams. He pitched like a 10-year veteran.”
Eckersley on the atmosphere at Camden Yards and the importance of tonight’s Orioles win: “The place was absolutely rocking. They [Orioles] needed that game so bad. They’ve got a chance to win this thing now.”
Eckersley on St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Allen Craig: “This guy is one of the most underrated hitters in the National League.”
Victorino on the sixth inning, wall-crashing catch made by Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay: “That [catch] was a game changer.”
Wells on the performance of Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte: “There’s no reason to be discouraged about that outing he had tonight. He’s got probably four more years left in that arm.”
Eckersley on the performance of Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte: “I didn’t expect him to get that deep in the game [seven innings pitched].”
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