SAN FRANCISCO —Braves quotes from B.J. Upton, Gavin Floyd, Freddie Freeman and manager Fredi Gonzalez after Monday's 4-2 loss to the Giants.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Gavin Floyd
“I thought it was a very good performance. A couple of hits when ahead in the count. Other than that….”
On Braves’ offense
“We didn’t get anything going. B.J. got a couple of extra-base hits and Freeman’s home run. We didn’t get very good at-bats against Lincecum. He had all his pitches going, really. His secondary pitches. He kept us off-balance, really. What did he punch out, 10, nine.” (Eleven)
He’s not the hard-throwing guy he was years ago, what’s he do that’s so effective vs. Braves?
“You know what, this guy’s got (some pitches in his) arsenal. Today he had the fastball going, he had a cutter, he had a slider, and then he had the split. We just couldn’t figure out when he was going to throw those pitches. But for me, he’s got some pretty good weapons, and he had them all working tonight.”
Replay overturn at third (B.J. out) was a game-changer. Did you get a chance to look at it?
“I did. And you’re absolutely right it’s a game-changer. The replay that I got on the board, I couldn’t really tell. But coming in here, I see it looks like he got him. From what I see in here, it looks like they made the right call (overturning it). That’s what the replay is there for. It hurts a little bit, but in the end that’s what it’s there, right there.”
You like B.J. trying to steal third in that situation?
“Yeah, absolutely. One out and it’s that close, that we’ve got to go to replay? I think it’s a great play. All of a sudden, it’s a 1-1 game and if we get him in there and get a sac fly, we’re ahead 2-1.”
Does Freeman make that play about 99 times out of 100?
“Freeman makes that play, we (gave up) a couple of 0-2 hits in that same innings…. When we don’t swing the bats, when you only get one run, all those plays get magnified. So we can sit here all day long and talk about this or that. We just didn’t score enough.”
More on Lincecum, who has a 6-plus ERA against other teams this year
“We know what he’s done against anybody else, but you can’t worry about that. You’ve got to fight the battle that faces you today, and today, whether he had all his pitches working or he got ahead in the count or whatever, he pitched good today.”
**GAVIN FLOYD
On his strong performance for most of the night
“The other pitcher was throwing up zeroes and I knew that I had to execute pitches and continue to keep us in the game. I had that whole mindset going and tried to continue that. Things obviously didn’t go our way in the seventh inning, but I felt good.”
You seemed in control until the seventh, when Giants got consecutive RBI hits when you were ahead in count 0-2
“Both of them, with Colvin my mindset was to go down, and I threw it down and got a ground ball. He kept it fair (for two-run triple). And the base hit to Hicks, threw some great pitches before and then left it right over the middle of the plate. Those are the two pitches you kind of focus on a little bit. But I felt real good, felt like I was executing the whole game. Obviously looking back, you want to make those (two) pitches. But I’m human.”
On your first two starts back, happy with where you are physically?
“Yeah, I feel like I’ve been building off each time I go out there. I’m super thankful that I feel the way I do and that stuff-wise I feel all there. Mindset, everything has come together with the starts I had in the minors and then the last two starts (in the majors). Just continue and get after them the next opportunity I have.”
**B.J. UPTON
You got the only two hits off Lincecum; you seen the ball well, feeling better in general?
“I’ve been feeling all right all year. The last couple of games I’ve been really putting the ball in play more consistently. When you can put the ball in play more consistently, some things can happen for you.”
On Lincecum having his way with Braves again
“He pitched well. He had his stuff tonight. That’s about it.”
On play at third, did you think you were safe at the time?
“Yeah.”
And after seeing the replay?
“I still thought I was safe. I don’t know exactly what evidence they had to overturn it. I guess they saw something different in the booth. Hard for me to tell. I still thought I was there.”
“I think when he finally did apply the tag, I was already on the base. Maybe they saw something different; obviously they did. But I don’t know.”
On Lincecum struggling against other teams but not against Braves
“I don’t know. I really couldn’t tell you. I guess he just had his stuff tonight.”
**FREDDIE FREEMAN
On Lincecum being so effective
“He throws a lot of off-speed pitches. He sat that heater (fastball) in every once in a while just to keep it in the back of our minds. His stuff was all down today and he threw that heater up at his eyes just when he needed to.”
“He seems to do really well against us. He stretched the zone on us tonight. We chased some pitches and he just kept us off-balance all night.”
