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Mismatch El Duque vs. Reed in World Series Game 3
Updated: Monday October 23, 2000 11:31 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- After an unbeaten start, the New York Yankees throw an unbeaten starter at the New York Mets. Orlando Hernandez, who's never lost a postseason start, goes to the mound in Tuesday night's Game 3 of the World Series against Rick Reed, the loser in the only game the Mets dropped in the NL Championship Series against St. Louis. The Yankees lead the Subway Series 2-0. With a win against Oakland in the division series and two more against Seattle in the American League championship series, El Duque is 8-0 in the postseason and remains a source of amazement to manager Joe Torre. "He's been remarkable," Torre said on Monday after the Yankees worked out at Shea Stadium. "The last outing wasn't one of his best, but he persevered and hung tough until we were able to win the ballgame. against Seattle" That was the AL pennant clincher, when the Mariners opened an early 4-0 lead but the Yankees rallied for the victory. It continued a pattern for a pitcher who never loses in October.
"I go back to that first game he pitched against Cleveland in '98 (in the ALCS)," Torre said. "We were down 2-1. He hadn't pitched in 16 days." Hernandez beat the Indians 4-0 that day, throwing seven shutout innings in his first postseason start. It set the tone for the Cuban-born right-hander with the corkscrew windup. "As far as the focus and the determination, it's been pretty remarkable," Torre continued. "You can't teach this. Certain people are born with that desire and need to be in the middle of everything when it's important. It's remarkable. There's something inside there that drives him and I'm glad he's on my side." Hernandez has no explanation for his postseason success. "I try to approach every game the same," he said through an interpreter. "The object of the game is to win, and I want to go out and win, prepare myself to win. If it's in Cuba, in a World Series or in a national competition, the object is always to win and that's what I try to do." Hernandez was 12-13 during the regular season, when he struggled with elbow problems and back spasms. "I was injured most of the regular season," he said. "If I had not prepared myself during the regular season for the postseason, then I wouldn't be able to do my job in the postseason." Mets manager Bobby Valentine said his team was ready for the challenge El Duque poses. "We watched some film early this morning," he said. "We've faced him before. There was some talk about that around the batting cage on how his ball moves. He's never been beaten in the postseason. We understand all those things. We're going to come out firing." Valentine was asked about the variety of release points in Hernandez's delivery but said he thought El Duque did not have that many, just a variety of pitches. "That's his opinion," Hernandez said. "I respect it. I never agree with anyone else. I respect their opinion and their right to it." Reed was 11-5 in the regular season as the Mets' No. 3 starter. But he was hit hard in a no-decision against San Francisco in the division playoff and knocked out early in his start against St. Louis in the NLCS. He said El Duque's postseason success was not a concern. "I've got to prepare for the Yankees' lineup," he said. "I have to worry about their lineup. I can't worry about his record in the postseason and what he's done. I've got to keep my team in the game." Reed said he struggled with his mechanics and his nerves in the Game 3 start against the Cardinals, when he was knocked out on the fourth inning. "I was nervous. No doubt about it," he said. "I was trying to be too fine, too perfect instead of making my pitches, saying 'Here it is, let's see what happens.' "I've got to pitch my game, go out and be relaxed. I've got to be more aggressive down in the strike zone. I've got to back off, take a deep breath and relax. I've got to have some fun with it. It may never happen again."
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