Oct. 27 Max Scherzer pregame interview
Q. Do you relish the opportunity you'll have tomorrow with the stakes that will be huge, or do you just try to trick yourself into it's another game?
MAX SCHERZER: Oh, I absolutely relish it. I mean, this is the start of a lifetime to be able to pitch in the World Series. You know, every game you pitch in the World Series is a must win game, so what better opportunity than the one I have.
Q. From an approach standpoint, any difference whether you guys are down 3 0 tomorrow or 2 1 back into the series?
MAX SCHERZER: Absolutely not because I've got to give the team a chance to win tomorrow, so regardless of what the series is at, it's a must win game. We're trying to win the World Series. So if we're going to do that, I am going to need to pitch well.
Given that, I'll come up with a plan of attack for tomorrow on how I want to go at their offense and try to execute as best I can.
Q. The weather is obviously something you can't control, but when it's this cold, how do you change what you wear or what you do or anything like that?
MAX SCHERZER: Yeah, I haven't worn sleeves the whole year fortunately but that's going to change. I'm going back to all the tricks I did in college, numerous 40 degree games there. It'll be just a challenge just like what everybody has to do to battle this cold weather.
Q. Tricks like that?
MAX SCHERZER: Wearing shorts underneath your pants, finding the right long sleeves, warming up extra long, anything you can do to keep your body warm.
Q. Staying on the weather theme, are you of the opinion it favors the hitters or the pitchers or is it tougher on the pitchers or the hitters?
MAX SCHERZER: It's tough on everybody, so it basically makes it's an even playing field. No one likes cold weather, but it is what it is, and we have a chance to play in the World Series, so who cares.
Q. Would you talk about where you learned the changeup and how you perfected it through the years?
MAX SCHERZER: Yeah, kind of self taught myself the changeup. It was something in college where I threw it constantly when I played catch; just tried to get a feel for what I needed to do to create deception and create movement, and be able to take the velocity off that pitch. I didn't know what I was doing with it in college really, because it's a different type of game there, and it's really when I got into pro ball that I really started to see the benefits of what it takes to have a good changeup.
For me in 2008 is when I really started utilizing it best, when I started throwing to some right handed hitters, when I saw the effectiveness really increase for me. Ever since I saw that benefit of throwing to right handed hitters and obviously using it against left handed hitters, it's been really one of the best off speed pitches I've got.
Q. Are you going to take a moment to look around tomorrow and see what you're a part of, or would that distract you?
MAX SCHERZER: I've already done that. Being out there for the introductions for Game 1 and watching the flyover, that's just such a cool experience to be a part of, I mean, part of the World Series. I've already gotten to pinch myself and say I'm in the World Series. Tomorrow when I go out there it'll be business as usual for me competing and trying to beat the Giants.
Q. For someone who doesn't necessarily follow Tigers on a daily basis, how would you describe the difference between your first half and second half of the season?
MAX SCHERZER: I struggled in the first half and really had a good second half. For me I found something that clicked for me, kind of there in May and June, and ever since then it's really locked me in on where my fastball location is at. I'm able to locate my fastball a lot better, and have been able to drive it to the glove side part of the plate, first base side for you guys. Once I'm able to do that, it sets up all my other pitches. It sets up my slider, it sets up my changeup, and so because of that, I feel like that's why I've been effective as of late.