MLB : Dodgers vs Red Sox Monday, October 22, 2018 Chris Sale Red Sox Workout Day bullpen and utilized them a lot, and they've done very well this postseason for us in pressure situations, Q. Talk about your health and how much are you pitching two, three days in a row, day off, pitch, day off, looking forward to starting Game 1 at the World pitch, that kind of thing. Series. CHRIS SALE: Yeah, I mean like I said many times So if we can give them as much rest as possible, it's before, that's what we sign up for. This is what we going to benefit the team as a whole. prepare for all year, a chance to win a championship and that's where we're at right now. We're all excited, Q. Your manager used the words "likable" and ready to go. "humble" talking about this team. There's a lot of big-name, big-money, big-résumé guys on this Q. If you can remember back to the very first time team. Why is that the case? you ever pitched at when you were CHRIS SALE: I think it's the guys we have. It's kind of with the White Sox, what is so different when the culture, the tone that AC set, as well. We like to you're at this park when you're pitching? Clayton have fun, and we have our moments where we show Kershaw has never pitched here before. our excitement and attitude, but as a whole we have a CHRIS SALE: It's a lot better wearing the white lot of guys that just play the game the right way. Guys uniforms. It's not an easy place to play as a visitor. I'll that show up, work hard, play hard, then we go home. always enjoyed playing here and obviously it's an There's not a whole lot of other things that we're iconic park. But it's a lot more fun pitching as a home looking to get out of this other than winning. I think . when you have an entire group of players, coaching staff that's just committed and dedicated to winning Q. I meant more the nooks and crannies, the and that's No. 1, 2 and 3 on the depth chart, I think angles, all that stuff. that's a result of that. CHRIS SALE: This ballpark definitely brings its challenges in terms of it's different. It's not your Q. The anger between the Red Sox and Machado standard wall out in center field, just kind of a half oval. last year after the slide into Pedroia, your pitch We have, like you said, nooks and crannies and some behind him, him calling it coward stuff, how much sharp edges and some different things going on out does that linger? there. I could definitely see how this could raise some CHRIS SALE: Not at all. We have bigger things to challenges for a team that doesn't play here a lot. worry about now on both sides, on their side and on our side. We're dedicated to winning this World Series Q. We're seeing a lot of teams this postseason that and bringing a championship to our city. We're not have had to kind of piece things together and use worried about any individual player. We've got one the bullpens a lot. Really when it comes down to thing in mind and that's winning. this World Series, still looks more traditional, the going deep into games. The fact that the Q. Did his actions against Milwaukee reinforce any starting pitchers, including yourself can really of your views about him? impact the outcome of games and see some CHRIS SALE: That's not my team. Like I said, we've length, what does that mean to you, this deep into got one thing on our mind and that's winning the World October to bring that to the team? Series. CHRIS SALE: That's our plan from the start. As a starting pitcher your job is, to, A, answer the phone Q. On the subject of pitching at Fenway Park. How when it calls, and go out there as long as you can. I much are you looking forward to the atmosphere think that's been our mindset since day one. And it tomorrow night? doesn't change when we get to the postseason. I think CHRIS SALE: I think it's going to be rocking. This the longer you can keep a starter in the game, the place is going to be obviously going crazy. We have more fresh your bullpen is going to be down the very passionate fans. It's going to be fun. I think we've stretch. And we, like many other teams, have used our all been waiting for this. And our fans, too. Our fans

Rev #1 by #178 at 2018-10-22 19:14:00 GMT page 1 of 3 have been there the whole year, just like we've been year? grinding the whole year, and they've been showing up CHRIS SALE: He's obviously running over scouting for us and I think they're just as excited as we are. I reports with everybody and little ins and outs. don't doubt this place is not going to be getting up and going tomorrow night. But more than anything he's just brought consistency. He's the same guy in the first inning as he is in the Q. Had there been a Game 6 in the ALCS, could ninth inning of a 10-1 ballgame or 3-3 ballgame. I think you have pitched? How much better do you feel that's the overall thing as players that we take from now having had some days off and a chance to him, or me personally, I don't want to speak for recover? everyone else, it's just his composure, being the ninth CHRIS SALE: Yeah, I was lined up for Game 6. inning, bases loaded, one out of a one-run ballgame, Obviously DP and Devers and everybody else had a and he's sitting there eating seeds, doing the same different way of going about it. thing as a 10-1 ballgame in the fourth inning. And I think that goes very well with us as players, when if Yeah, anytime that we can get some days off. Like I he's not panicking, why should we? If he's calm, cool said our bullpen, too, everyone -- it's good to get some and collected, so should we. And I think that's kind of rest this time of year. Position players have been been the overall consensus throughout the years. grinding day in and day out. And get a little bit of extra rest, get our feet underneath us and settle in and hit He's been a good leader and we've been able to feed the ground running for this series is a good thing for off of his vibes, and he's had nothing but good vibes everybody. the whole year.

Q. Do you think you could have pitched, given how Q. A lot of people thought you were joking when you felt at the time? you mentioned the belly button story, were you CHRIS SALE: I was going to pitch. Yeah, I was ready being serious about that? to go. CHRIS SALE: I'll leave that for you guys to debate (laughter). Q. It looks like you've been able to put weight on since we saw you in Houston. Q. How many innings do you think you could go in CHRIS SALE: I was ready to go then, I'm ready to go Game 1? now. And looking forward to it. CHRIS SALE: As many as we need. There's no holding back now, I think. My job's been the same Q. I realize you were a 15-year-old kid back in '04, since the first day I got here. You hand me the ball but the manager of the Dodgers is a pretty big hero when you want me to throw it, and take it out of my in Boston. Stole a base, it led to the first World hand when you want me to stop. That's what I'm going Series championship in 86 years for the Red Sox. with. I'm curious if you remember anything about that play, if you were watching, and if you think he's Q. They always say that one of the big advantages going to get a cheer tomorrow night when he's you have about as a pitcher is your good introduced? deception. Clayton has good deception from the CHRIS SALE: I obviously think he should. I've met him left side. Is that something you've always had with and talked with him a few times and what a great -- your delivery or something you've tried to he's a great guy. He's obviously a great manager, accentuate? getting to back-to-back World Series. CHRIS SALE: Obviously we want to do some things to throw off the hitter. Whether you try it or not, I think it's That's a very iconic play for this team and this city. more something that comes naturally. But we work on Bringing the first World Series after a long time like that mechanics. The most important thing is repeating your is a big deal, and I think our fans will do the right thing. mechanics, and I think that's the one thing I've focused on more than anything throughout the years, is just Q. Do you remember if you were watching? being able to repeat it and do it consistently. CHRIS SALE: I was probably out running around doing something else at the time. Q. Starting pitchers are reliant on their routines so much. Your past two months have been really been Q. Congratulations on making it to the World broken up for a number of different reasons. The Series. Is there anything has told you last time out you said command was really an about the Dodgers? Obviously he faced them last issue for you. I'm curious without that kind of year. And what has Alex Cora meant to you this routine, how much of it has been a scramble for

Rev #1 by #178 at 2018-10-22 19:14:00 GMT page 2 of 3 you to get to where you need to be? And how confident do you think you can be that guy on the mound again? CHRIS SALE: We haven't been scrambling, I'll tell you that. But having these extra few days has been nice to be able to get back on that routine, get a little more normalcy back into it. Getting my strength back, and like you said, getting back to my routine. Threw a bullpen yesterday. Leaned on Dana a little bit and got back to doing some things that made me successful in the past. And try to carry that forward into tomorrow.

Q. In the past two months, have you been a hundred percent or anywhere near there? CHRIS SALE: If I'm standing on the mound, I'm a hundred percent.

Q. said if you win four more games, he's going to get a nipple and belly button ring. How does it feel to be a fashion trendsetter in the clubhouse? CHRIS SALE: Hey, that's what I do. Fashionista, I guess.

Q. This is one of the marquee lefty-against-lefty matchups. What do you admire about and what makes him such a tough opponent? CHRIS SALE: I think if you just look at his résumé and what he's done. I've said it a lot, but consistency, that's the key to this game. And he's been as consistent as any starting pitcher in the game for the last decade. Obviously his trophy case is packed. And his résumé is on a lot of sheets of paper, but he's been able to stay consistent and stay at that dominant level for a long time. You see a lot of ups and downs with people, but he's been at the top for quite some time now and it's pretty impressive.

Q. Obviously a lot of different people have caught you in your career. Can you talk about what kind of sets Sandy apart. CHRIS SALE: I think just throwing to him, it's easy. He's very level headed. He studies hard. He works hard. Obviously throwing out runners, he's good at that. And even just coming out for mound visits, there's never any panic. There's no sense of urgency. He's just coming out there either calming me down or going over a game plan. We're lucky to have who we have back there in Vasky and Sandy and even Swihy. They all work hard and expect to be better every time out. And for me personally, I rely on my catcher for basically everything, for scouting report, for pitch calling. And it's easier when you have guys like that back there that you can trust in and just kind of go out and follow their game plan and we'll be good to go.

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