We will win Division – John Schneider sounds off on Blue Jays beat Rays 5-1 to stay atop AL East

We will win Division – John Schneider sounds off on Blue Jays beat Rays 5-1 to stay atop AL East

John, uh, one win away right now. How are you feeling? Uh, good, man. Um, it’s what we do it for, you know, uh, good ball game today and, um, a lot of excitement obviously, but you got to kind of focus on the task at hand. I know that sounds really, really redundant, cliche. Um, but pumped with the way we played today for sure and, um, got to go out, do it again tomorrow. For Trey to do that with the crowd, the stakes, with everything he was up against today, what did he show you? Yeah, it was impressive. Uh that was really impressive for 22-y old kid who started the year uh with Gil Kim and Deneden, you know. So um showed us that he can pitch in big spots and kind of enjoyed the moment a little bit, you know, made big pitches and um picked up our defense. Um it was it was really fun to watch him, you know, kind of coming in off the field in between innings. It’s pretty steady. Um it was really really good. I’m I’m happy for him and um again, man, we we think he can help us win and and he did that today. John, you mentioned picking up the defense that spot in the third when you know, double play ball was probably out of the inning and suddenly he’s got to go through the heart of the Rays lineup. What did you like about the way he navigated that spot specifically? I think just kind of kept the same pace about him. um you know, didn’t really get out of his delivery, didn’t show anything with his body language and and gets a big strike out to Ronda. You know, I mean, it’s he’s a really really good hitter and um he made he made pitch after pitch. So, that’s the kind of stuff you’re looking for. That’s kind of the intangible stuff you’re looking for. We were talking earlier about the person and the player. Uh but to be able to slow that down, you know, with with a game that has a lot riding on it, you know, obviously was was really good to see. Going back to the VO homer, do you feel like that the the big hits have come since then and the offense has looked a little different? Like can you trace it back to to that homer just maybe being that release and that hit that you kept talking about that you need to get you going? Yeah, probably. you know, him and George, you know, um, a couple nights ago for sure. And I think it just allows everyone to take a deep breath. You know, it’s again, I can sit up here and say whatever, and guys can say whatever, but you got to you got to go do it, you know. Um but yeah, I think guys have had a little bit of a different um way about him, a little bit of a different energy about him, you know, confidence and you know, not that we don’t expect to win coming to the park every day, you know, that’s that’s never wavered, but um like I said, baseball is what you you know, you can look at it however you want to, you know. So going through a rough stretch a week ago, you can look at it like, man, this sucks. But one swing can can flip it like that. So probably Yeah. And then you can kind of see everyone just just being themselves. Did Trey show you anything differently in that spot in the third inning than he did in Kansas City when he had the bases loaded for the first time in his professional career and he was dealing with that? Not really. You know, I think um No, I mean I think it it kind of looked the same just with a little bit different result. you know, he was he was in the zone a lot. You know, he had a really good fast ball throughout the outing and um yeah, man, he’s he’s made big pitches. It’s he’s been consistent, you know, again, you’re not going to have the best result all the time, right? But I I think that um the consistency has shown is is kind of what we’re looking at. I know starting pitchers are in their own worlds before uh they get into a start. Did he know that? I’m sure the guys knew it was six nothing Yankees when your game started. Yeah. Did Did he know that? And does that make any sort of difference? Got to ask him. I I mean, I hope not. You know, we were we were given is Jamie in here, Jamie Campbell. No, we were just like, “Yeah, we all watch the game. We know what the score is. Jamie, whatever.” In the fourth or fifth inning. Um I I don’t think it it made a difference for him, right? I mean, it’s just kind of like we we’re trying to win, you know? So, it’s not like you’re taking the foot off or on the gas accordingly. It’s just, you know, it doesn’t put any more pressure on you. You know, you got to go try to compete your ass off and and just try to win the game. John, is Gossman your starter for tomorrow? Yes. Um, I mean, he’s been arguably your best pitcher since, you know, since June. How much confidence does it have for you to to have him available in such a big game? Yeah, I think I think it’s great. you know, it’s um you know, we’ve been playing in a lot of big games and you know, just looking at today, Trey, um Justin Brule, Tommy Nance, you know, guys that didn’t start the year on our roster got big outs, you know. So, I think to have Kev who has been so steady, so stable, um and really, really damn good in the second half and most of the season, um I got all the confidence in the world in Kev getting the start tomorrow. John, you said you have to stay in the moment tomorrow, but but as a sports guy and a guy who’s managed 161 games to this point. How how big is that stage tomorrow? Like, how cool is it to be involved in a game like that? It is. It’s It is. You have to kind of enjoy that, you know, for probably about 10 seconds and then you got to get into the game, you know? It’s um again, man, I’ve said it. It’s why it’s why we all everyone in the building, it’s why we we do what we do. It’s why we um sign up for this. It’s why we sacrifice what we do. um being away from families and and things like that and um this is this is the exact situation you want to be in, you know. So, I think enjoy it really quickly and then um and then get back to what you what the task at hand is. But, man, one it is funny, man. 162 is a lot and then you look up and of course it comes down to 162, right? To try to get to where you want to get to and I think these guys will be they’ll be ready for it tomorrow. John, if someone had told you in midFebruary that your team would bounce back in a big way this year and be in a position to clinch on the final day of the regular season, what would you have said? Me personally, I would have said hell yeah. You know, I mean, I I think there’s a um there has been a a confidence with this group within this group and and myself and the coaching staff um since day one. And uh it’s been it’s been a really it’s been a really good year, right? And I know it it it comes down to one game tomorrow to to win the division. Um it’s it’s it’s been a really good year, but I I think that if we focus on just playing our game tomorrow, we’ll be fine. And I think we’ve been really good at that over the course of 161. Um so I don’t expect it to change for 162. But to ask to answer your question, I think yeah, um your goal every year is to win the division, you know what I mean? And um we’ve put ourselves in a in a position to do that. So it’s um it starts with the guys in the clubhouse. It starts with guys believing in one another and going out and performing, you know, and and they’ve done it at a really high level. Kirk, you seem to really soak in that one uh late in the game. What did you make of that hit and kind of uh what he’s been going through the last couple weeks leading up to that? Uh yeah, I mean Kirk is a really good hitter, you know, and it’s been a grind for him, you know. I think even his first at bat, the line out to right field, that’s good sign, right? Good path, good good um good swing and um I’m glad he enjoyed it. You know, he deserves to enjoy it. Again, as Kleinger is one of the best relief pitchers in the league and um hopefully that gets that gets him going a little bit, gets a little little bit of confidence, but when you look at his overall game today, you know, those those are two really good swings. So, um yeah, we need him, man. We need him. We need everybody. But that was that was nice to see. You think you’ll be uh wearing the white panel hats again tomorrow? I would say there is a um 100% chance we’ll be wearing the white panel hats tomorrow. for a guy that doesn’t pick the uniform, I would say. Yeah. Can you just say a little bit about the the throw that uh Lucas made? Oh, man. I mean, that kind of that changed the complexion of the game. Um Simpson is he’s uh you never want him on the bases, you know. Um but I think that throw kind of it kind of just defines who Nate is as a player, you know. It’s he knows he’s not going to get him, but not taking anything for granted. And I think Simpson’s so damn fast. It’s tough to slow himself down sliding, you know. And um it was a great throw. It was a great job by Addie not, you know, taking for granted that he was going to be safe. And uh Nate’s just playing baseball, you know, and and I want him to keep playing baseball. But that changed the complexity of the game. I think it was three nothing. You’re looking at there with him at third with one out. you’re playing the infield back, conceding a run, and things can get different. So, that was a that was a huge play in the game.

We will win Division – John Schneider sounds off on Blue Jays beat Rays 5-1 to stay atop AL East

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