ANDRELTON SIMMONS
On his night:
“It was fun. I felt good. I got a couple pitches over the plate. Thanks to my teammates though, they gave me a good scouting report before I faced anybody so they made it easier.”
On adjustments last two weeks:
“I’m feeling better, getting my timing back. That off day, that rainout we had really helped. I spent some time in the cage, talked to the coaches, Justin helped quite a bit too and I feel right where I want to be right now. I’m right where I want to be.”
On what working on:
“My load and just getting more power from it, staying back a little longer, read and attack the ball.”
On when Justin talks about power you listen:
“I’ve been watching him the cage for a bit. He sees me swinging too, so he noticed a couple things maybe and we talk. We hit for quite a bit that day and it really helped.”
On if really tagged runner out between his legs:
“I guess. I threw my glove. I felt something hit. I couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t see what happened back there. I just threw my glove and hoped for the best. I just improvised that time. the umpire was kind of in the way so Freeman had to throw a little across so he didn’t hit him. And just caught it and had to get there somehow, so.”
On if he was out:
“I think he was out. I threw my right in front of the bag so if he slid to the bag he should have got to my glove for sure.”
On if have ever made a tag like that:
“Nah, that’s a first for sure.”
On what kind of hitter he sees himself:
“I wouldn’t say a power guy but if I get my pitches I’ll drive them out. I’m more, singles, I try to hit doubles every at-bat. Get on base. It depends on the situation. If I get my pitch I try to do the most with it.”
PAUL MAHOLM
On not being spooked by Great American Ballpark:
“Obviously I’ve pitched here a few times. It’s a tough park to pitch in, it’s a tough lineup. You’ve got to make your pitches and they’re going to grind out at-bats. But you’ve got to try and limit the damage as much as you can. I think it was the fourth inning where I got guys on. I was just trying to get some guys to roll over. I just wanted Bruce to roll over so I could give up a run and then go from there and not constantly try to strike guys out and you end up with four and five runs rather than just getting out of it with limited damage.”
On how good it was to have McCann back:
“When you add a perennial All-Star and Silver Slugger, it’s always good to add it to the lineup, to add it to the clubhouse, to a guy receiving that knows the hitters, that’s been around and understands how you pitch. I’ve thrown to Gattis every time and we’ve had success, but like I said it’s always good to get a guy with eight, nine years experience back there that knows you.”
On having a guy like Simmons at shortstop:
“Obviously he made a few plays for me, hit a few home runs so a great game. The guys gave me some runs. I gave a few back but then they extended the lead later in the game. So it’s always good to go out there and pitch with a lead and just try to throw up some zeros.”
On how good he’s been since end of June, if made adjustment:
“Obviously I’ve had my bumps in the road. It’s learning, it’s maturing. It’s understanding you don’t have to throw so many fastballs. An out is an out. That’s the biggest thing. I’m not afraid to go out there and if the team’s weakness is offspeed I’m going to throw offspeed. For me I’m comfortable with doing that. It’s just the learning curve of going through it for a while and getting your teeth kicked in a few times and learning there’s a different way to do it and for the past couple years I’ve been just trying to make the adjustment and understanding how to make the adjustment in an at-bat and not so much having to do it between innings or between games. And that’s probably the biggest thing.”
BRIAN MCCANN
On getting back out there:
“It felt great to get back out there with the team. The first day couldn’t have gone any better.”
On a couple throws on bunts, how the shoulder felt:
“It feels great. I’ve made all the throws that I’ve needed to make and I’ve tested it as much as I could possibly test it and it responds well the next day. So today couldn’t have gone any better.”
On Maholm:
“He was spotting everything. He did whatever he wanted to do tonight. He had both sides of the plate working, slowed it down with the curveball, pounded them in with the cutter. When he’s got both sides of the plate working like he’s had all year, even last year when he came over, he’s going to win a lot of ballgames.”
On walk in first plate appearance:
“It may take me a little bit. My timing was a little off. I saw the ball great. But as far as hitting it, I was just a little bit behind or in front so the timing is going to be there. If I’m seeing the baseball like I am right now, I’m in a good place.”
On Simmons:
“I think when it’s all said and done after this year, we’re going to be talking about him as one of the top shortstops in baseball. In my opinion, we’ve had some unbelievable shortstops here since I’ve been here with Furcal, Renteria, and Alex Gonzalez and he’s right there with all of them. His range is unmatched and he makes all the routine plays and he can also swing it. So we’re lucky to have his talent around here.”
FREDI GONZALEZ
On managing games at Great American Ballpark:
“I was just talking to Jimmy about it, I said the regular fan tomorrow is going to get up and read the paper and go ‘Oh the Braves won by three, Kimbrel got a save, Simmons got a couple home runs, a couple RBIs,’ but it’s like ‘oh my gosh.’ In the eighth got into some serious trouble, in the ninth when you’re facing Votto in this ballpark with two people on and a three-run lead, it’s hard. But you know what we did well, we kept adding on. We added on, got some opportunities and added on and you’ve got to do that because that’s a good ball club and they have a history in this ballpark to come back.”
On Simmons’ night:
“I tell you what, he did some stuff offensively but also defensively. They said they had a still picture of, he tagged a guy between his legs at second base, Shoo, on the stolen base. He’s pretty acrobatic. I remember somebody asked me in spring training what is the best defensive play he’s made, and I said ‘The next one’ because it’s one after the other with him.”
On last two weeks heating up:
“He’s swinging the bat good but for me he makes his RBIs and his batting average on the field. And he doesn’t have to hit .300. He could hit .250, .260 and be really a force to be reckoned with.”
On Schafer and importance of bench:
“Well you could make some moves. You can make moves for defensive purposes. You put Schafer - it just so happened that he was able to hit in the ninth inning, stay in the game. That was the plan for Gattis in left field and you do the same thing for Pena and Chris Johnson at third. It’s a good thing because it keeps your bench in the game and keep them playing. They’re good players.”
On what he saw from McCann throwing or anything else:
“Fine. If I didn’t know that it was his first game back, he was fine. Old McCann. I know he had a couple nice hacks on some of the pitches. It was nice to see. He’ll catch tomorrow and obviously with the 12:30 game on Wednesday we’ll give him a day off and then progress that way.”
On Gattis in left:
“He did fine. You could say he let one in, and he drove one in. So he’s tied. But he did fine, really. The ball that was sinking away from him, maybe instead of giving up two runs there he only gives up one, if he dives for it. Other than that, he did fine.”
On Maholm keeping team in game in this ballpark:
“The good thing about that with him is you know he wasn’t going to spook because he’s pitched here when he was with the Pirates, he’s pitched here with the Cubs, so he knows what he’s got to do.”
