PostCards: Mike Matheny’s World Series Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Why has Trevor Rosenthal made a pretty seamless transition from set‑up man to closer the last few weeks?
Oct 18, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal celebrates after game six of the National League Championship Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium. Image Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
MIKE MATHENY: I think more than anything he trusts his stuff. And he’s got quite a few guys around here who have been able to do both, as a set‑up man, as a closer, as a previous starter, to give them an idea of what he needs to do, and what he needs to do is throw the 9th exactly like he’s throwing the 8th. There really shouldn’t be more put on it. Trevor is a smart kid, he’s been able to put that and translate that and then go out and not try to do anything more. Just like when we come here, there’s a message we’re talking to the guys about: Play the game the exact the same way. You don’t try to turn it up another notch for the World Series. We’ve been playing as hard as we could since the first game they’ve let us play, and we’re going to play that way all the way until they take it away.

But we know that it’s consistent with what we’ve been talking about all season long. Just do what you know how to do, nothing more.

Q. Speaking of 2004 I was wondering how your accommodations are this time around?

MIKE MATHENY: I think we were staying in Connecticut last time. Boston is a beautiful city, especially this time of year. And I think we’re all very happy to stay nice and close this time. It was about an $80 cab ride in ’04.
It’s a great city we’re looking forward to coming to. It’s kind of fun watching a lot of these young players that have never seen Fenway Park. So much nostalgia and history here. Watching them to go about it the first time. They all went out early, just like a bunch of kids, as soon as they got off the bus or the cab, they went straight out in the stands and looked around. It’s a great experience.

The atmosphere here, we know it’s going to be wild and loud, and that’s exactly what we want. That’s exactly what you would hope for in a World Series setting. I know everybody is looking forward to it.

Q. Two questions for you: First, to what lengths will you go to make sure that David Ortiz doesn’t beat you? Second of all, you do a good job shaving, I was going to ask you what you think about the beards and whether your guys might be intimidated by the beards?

MIKE MATHENY: If they’re intimidated by the beards, we’re in trouble.

As far as their players, we have the most respect for anybody that gets to this level, let alone ones who have had long careers and great success, and then great success this time of year and on the big stage in a big situation. So we’re prepared for every one of their guys to have a good game plan, and hopefully we can execute the pitches when we need to. And we don’t slight any of them. And we know that anybody can come up big this time of year. Some of them do it on a little more consistent basis, and you’ve got to play pretty close attention.