PHILADELPHIA — Braves quotes from Ryan Weber, Michael Bourn and Fredi Gonzalez after Tuesday’s 5-0 loss to the Phillies.
**RYAN WEBER
On not appearing nervous
“After sitting in the hotel room for two days and just going over every scenario and finally getting out there, I just stuck with what got me here, and that’s my sinker. And A.J. caught a great game.”
How much did it help having a veteran like A.J. to help get you through it?
“Well, just knowing that if I didn’t feel comfortable, he was going to feel comfortable, and if I didn’t want to throw a pitch, whatever he put down is going to work.”
First time through their order, you cruised; did you think second time through they had better idea what you were coming with?
“Yeah, definitely, they knew I was going to pound away with the sinker and I felt like they were all sitting on it. And I couldn’t get my off-speed over early in the game, so they were spitting on that and they were just looking fastball.”
On how the week has gone
“Pretty surreal up until right now, because I didn’t know what to expect. Finally getting out to the field and seeing the bullpen, it finally hit me. Like, I’m pitching in the big leagues.”
On facing Ryan Howard
“I knew what his strengths and weaknesses are, and I know what my strengths are, and I just stuck with my strenghths.”
Fredi and A.J. were raving about your sinker, is this what you’ve been doing all year long or did you have a little extra movement on it tonight?
“That’s pretty much what I’ve been doing all season, just relying on my sinker. For the most part it was down tonight. Obviously that’s better than if it’s up. I felt really comfortable with it.”
Did you get excited tonight finding out or confirming that your stuff was good enough to succeed at this level?
“Yeah, but it’s my first outing and I don’t want to get too excited. But it was definitely a great experience going out there and doing what I did.”
After seeing so many of your minor league teammates get called up this season, were you pitching with a little bit of a chip on your shoulder, or feeling like this was chance to prove you belong and should've been here earlier?
“Yeah, I did have a little chip on my shoulder, because I knew that I could compete here and play well. Finally when they called me and said you’re coming up, I knew I had to go out there and do what I’ve been doing all season.”
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Ryan Weber’s impressive debut in a Braves loss
“Terrific. He mixed and matched, threw some good sinkers. A.J. was raving on his sinker every time coming back to the dugout. He threw the ball over the plate. For his first start in the major leagues, I don’t think he was even worried about anything. I was really impressed. I think he did a great job for us, gave us an opportunity to win the game
“We had a bunch of people on base the whole game, and we just couldn’t get that bloop single when we needed it.”
More on Weber being as advertised, good command and good sinker
“Exactly. Good athlete. Made a couple of plays at first base. I was really pleased with him.”
Maybe second time through lineup they figured out what to expect from him?
“I think there was a lot of that. But what did he give us, six innings? He did a nice job.”
Got a double play each time after giving up a run
“Yeah, he wasn’t shying away from contact. I think he only walked one guy. I was pleased.”
On having some runners on base against Nola, Phillies rookie pitcher
“And he made some pitches. He’s got, what, three solid major league pitches and throws them at any time? He did a nice job. We had chances, we just couldn’t get the base hit when we needed to.”
Peterson breaks bat with bases loaded to end inning
“We had three guys up (with runners in scoring position) that inning, the middle of the order with Freeman, A.J. and Swisher. We didn’t get anything.”
**MICHAEL BOURN
On Nola making some big pitches when he needed to with runners on base
“Yeah, he did. He had good stuff tonight, had a good curveball working, good changeup. He pitched off the fastball. You’ve got to tip your hat to him. Just keep battling. We were in it to the end, (Odubel Herrera) hit a pretty good slider, he got the barrel to it. It happens.”
On Weber’s debut for Braves
“He had good movement on his fastball. They (he and Nola) feature like the same stuff to me. I thought about that after the second inning. They both work off their two-seam fastball, both had a pretty good curve, both had a pretty good change. Both about 89-92 (mph). Their pitcher won tonight, but we had a chance to get some runs in. We just didn’t come through at that time.”’
On Weber not looking nervous in clubhouse before game or on field
“Yeah, even before the game he was just chilling at his locker, if somebody came up to say hello he would speak. Even on the mound, he didn’t seem nerved up or anything. There’s not a lot of fans here, neither, you know? Have to wait until you get into a full park, and see what goes on then.” (Smiling)
