Pre-game quotes: Orioles-Royals ALCS Game 3
Here come some choice excerpts from Tuesday's pre-game media session in Kansas City.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Before the Orioles and Royals clashed in Game 3 of the ALCS, both managers, the Game 4 starters -- Jason Vargas and Miguel Gonzalez -- and Nori Aoki fielded questions from the media. Here are some choice excerpts ...
Ned Yost on whether the Royals are built to win in Kauffman Stadium:
"No, that was part of it. When [GM] Dayton [Moore] put his plan together years and years ago, he knew we played in an extremely big ballpark, and that speed and athleticism would play a huge part in it. And then he set out to find the most athletic players he could find to put in this ballpark together.
"You look at Salvador Perez, as big of a man he is, he's extremely athletic behind the plate. Hos is extremely athletic. Moose is extremely athletic. He's got a different type body than, say, Lorenzo Cain. He's still extremely athletic.
"It's a nice combination. It's hard to really show our power off in this park. You can hit homers in it, but speed and athleticism was the blueprint, especially in, like I said, in this big stadium."
Yost on whether mounting fatigue has has anything to do with James Shields' somewhat shaky starts in the postseason:
"No."
Buck Showalter On whether the extra rest might affect Gonzalez in Game 4:
"Well, as opposed to what? How do we combat that? You can only play so many sim games. Same thing with Jeremy [Guthrie], and they'll be fine. They don't get to this level using things like that as an excuse.
"I think we're all operating on the same. It didn't rainout for one team and not the other team. The wind is not blowing for one team and not the other one. Everyone has the same off days. Matter of fact, we had the same off days coming into it. We're on a level playing field.
"There are challenges that are presented all year long that you have to respond to that. I mean, the real challenge of the postseason, is it's such a completely different routine than you have during the season. That's why it's such a different type of baseball. The travel is different. The off days are different. You're traveling with families, which is great, but still it's different.
"So off days, extra off days, I try to stay all season long, try to keep our guys' routine the same. That's why start times fluctuate so much.
"But during the season the other team may get to the hotel half a day before you do. But it all equals out over the course of the season. It's part of the challenge. And it will be different than something they've done during the season. But I think everybody is facing those same challenges."
Showalter on whether success of the young Royals players in the postseason has surprised him:
"Surprise? No. The only reason someone doesn't, same thing with our team, they haven't been given the opportunity.
"There are some guys that are in the Hall of Fame, I'm sure, that everybody knows what they would have been. Just because someone doesn't get an opportunity doesn't mean they're not capable of it.So nothing surprises me what these guys do.
"There's not a night goes by I don't see something on the field, wow, that's pretty cool. These guys are really good. Even when it hurts you, you still have the respect for Lorenzo Cain making a great play in a clutch situation or great hit. It hurts, but you do have that very quiet respect for what it takes to do that.
"So I think sometimes: what does that mean? In a lot of cases it means that you are on a real good team. It doesn't necessarily mean you were part of it if you've got a lot of experience. What does experience really mean?"
Showalter on his time as an analyst for ESPN:
"I made up a lot of stuff there."
Gonzalez on the key to his success in the second half and down the stretch this season:
"Confidence. I moved towards the middle of the pitcher's plate and I felt a lot more comfortable there. I worked out, my first couple of games out of the season weren't great, but I felt a lot better the second half."
