Oct. 16 Bruce Bochy off day interview
Q. Earlier today there was a story that said that you thought Scutaro would be likely to play. Will the weather impact your decision on that?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, no, I think more on how he feels. He's day-to-day. And we're being hopeful he can go. The MRI did show a left hip strain and contusion. His left knee is a little sore. He'll get treatment today and we'll know where he's at tomorrow. But that's what we're hopeful for.
Q. The weather wouldn't be a part in it?
BRUCE BOCHY: No, if he's good to go, he'll play. If not you'll see Theriot out there.
Q. Is it fielding with that injury or is it hitting with him?
BRUCE BOCHY: He probably can answer that better than me, but I would say playing second base, just moving around, his range. I'm sure it's affected it. But still it's going to affect his hitting, too, if he's not quite right. But I will say he's more optimistic about where he's at right now than when it first happened.
Q. Do you have your starters for Game 4 and 5 yet?
BRUCE BOCHY: No, TBA is where we're at right now. Matt Cain is going tomorrow. We'll announce that after the game tomorrow night.
Q. Given the forecast for tomorrow, I don't know what they've updated you about, but how concerned are you about the possibility that Cain might start and then they might have to stop the game, and how much control do you have to try to make sure there's a three-hour window to get the game in?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, there's always a concern with your starting pitching when you have the possibility of rain. Both clubs have to deal with that.
How much control I have, I will say that they'll talk to us about what the situation is, both managers, both clubs, general managers and we'll try to do the right thing. And hopefully we don't have to deal with it. But I know that's a possibility. And it's the last thing that either club wants to deal with. But we'll just wait till tomorrow and see where we're at with this weather.
Q. Do you want your team a little angry about the Holliday play? Maybe retaliation isn't possible. But is it an issue in your mind that this is something that's on your guys' mind or on your mind?
BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah, what's on our mind is to go out and play our best ball in the ballgame. That's over. You have to move on. You hate to see what happened, happened. What's important is we keep our focus, and going out there and trying to win a ballgame. That's where we're at right now.
Q. You had last year a very aggressive slide that hurt Buster Posey. Last night another aggressive slide. How do you manage that knowing that's part of the game and you want players to be aggressive, but also the frustration potentially losing important players because of that aggressive style of play?
BRUCE BOCHY: You want the guys to play hard. That's what you do. You play the game hard. You play it right. Unfortunately you are going to have injuries. We saw what happened with Buster last year. That was as tough a deal as we and Buster had to go through. It's a long rehab for him and he's bounced back and just had an incredible year.
You just hope that when the guys are playing hard that it's within the rules and it's going to happen. Injuries do happen. I don't think, when you're looking at some plays, they're meant to be dirty or anything, but guys are playing hard. And I want our guys to play hard. That's how you play the game. But unfortunately these things happen. And we're still optimistic that he is going to come out of this okay and hopefully play tomorrow.
Q. How much of a loss is it if Scutaro can't play?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, I think we put out a pretty good player out there that has experience and he got a big hit for us in Ryan Theriot.
And what's kind of been forgotten because of how Marco has done is what a great job Theriot did for us before he assumed the everyday second base duties there. It's nice to have depth on your club and have a guy like Theriot who you can put out there if you have to. And we have all the confidence in the world with him. He did a great job for us and went out there in the last game and did a great job.
Q. Were you worried that Cain or any of your pitchers are going to be under tight scrutiny with what they throw to Holliday and whether they go up and in, is that taken out of the picture now?
BRUCE BOCHY: We're not changing our game plan with what happened. We're going to go out there and try to win this game and hopefully execute our pitches and not get caught into that. We don't want any distraction. We'll do what we can to win a ballgame and pitchers, hitters, hopefully the way we want to.
Q. What's Cain's strongest trait as a pitcher?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, he's a tremendous talent. He's got four pitches and his makeup is off the chart. You look at the year he's had. He started the All-Star Game. He's so consistent.
I'd say all of those things I just mentioned are all very strong traits that he has. But more than anything I think how he deals with or how he has dealt with really some tough games where he's pitched well. He's never pointed a finger. He goes out there and gives everything he's got, every time he pitches.
Q. Can you go into your reasons a little bit for why you're waiting on naming your starters? Secondly, is Posey going to catch the whole series or do you plan to play him at first base in one of these games?
BRUCE BOCHY: I have not named a starter, really, because I don't have to right now, that's my biggest reason. And we'll see what happens tomorrow.
Q. (INAUDIBLE)?
BRUCE BOCHY: No, I don't have anything to give you on that. I'll just wait until the game tomorrow and we'll name that starter.
Q. Posey?
BRUCE BOCHY: Posey, I'll answer that when we decide who's pitching. I did it against Cincinnati, I put him at first base. That's a possibility, depending on who's pitching.
Q. (INAUDIBLE)?
BRUCE BOCHY: That's never been said. That's never been discussed. I don't know where that came from.
Q. I think the first reaction a lot of people had last night was a question of perhaps possible intent. I don't know, A, if that was a question for you, and B, in light of what was said after the game, or any discussions you had with Matheny or anybody else, where you stand on what you saw last night compared to -- now compared to then?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, I don't think I've changed my stance on what I said last night. No, I haven't had any discussions with any opposing members on the club or Mike. I don't think there was intent, to be honest, hurting somebody. But it was late. And I explained my reasons last night. Marco was behind the bag, he really didn't hit dirt until he got behind the base. And the second baseman, he's in a position there where there can be some damage done, as we saw. And he came out of this pretty good considering how hard he got hit.
So I don't think my stance has changed at all. It's a case where I know they're playing hard and we're playing hard. But I do think that's an illegal slide.
Q. How much of that, what you just said, did you relate to the umpire yesterday and what did he say? Did he suggest it was not an illegal slide?
BRUCE BOCHY: To be honest, I didn't see the slide, I was watching the play at first. I knew it would be a close play, and I got blocked out there. I didn't see it. I did ask him about the slide. He said momentum carried him past the bag, and it was a legal slide.
Q. When you saw Marco writhing in pain in the infield, did you fear the worst and if you did, are you shocked, relieved, that you might actually be able to play him tomorrow?
BRUCE BOCHY: Well, sure I feared the worst even though I didn't see it, because I was watching the play at first. But I knew he was in a lot of pain and I think it says a lot about his mental toughness staying in the game. Not just staying in the game, but he came through with a big hit for us. And he wants to get out there.
We're going to have a workout today. He mentioned doing a few things. But we don't want him out there. Our training staff, they want him to take it easy and rest. And we'll see where he's at tomorrow.
Q. I know you got to know him last year, but from what you've seen, what is it about Beltran that allows him to really turn it up in these situations?
BRUCE BOCHY: He's a great hitter. He's a tough guy to pitch to. There's not a lot of holes there. We saw how good he is on a daily basis. He did a great job for us. Unfortunately we lost him on a DL for 15 days, which hurt. But he swung the bat very well for us. He's got that ability.
Certain players, they have that ability to turn it up. It is remarkable, his numbers in postseason, but I think it's a case of how good he is, the talent that he has, from both sides. And you have to be careful, hopefully make your pitches on him.