The pressure is on Matt Clement in Game 4 of the division series Saturday, but pressure is a relative word in this playoff showdown.
The Cubs aren’t supposed to be here and the Braves have been here so often their own fans can’t get excited unless they make it to a World Series.
“We’re confident of what we can do,” Clement said. “But also we’re very respectful of what the Braves have and what they’ve accomplished. Twelve division titles speaks for itself. Maybe the pressure is on them because of what they’ve accomplished over the years, playing against a team that hasn’t been there for such a long time.
“But those guys have a pretty good core group of veterans that have been through it before. I think the teams like the Twins and us are young and up-and-coming and pretty fired up to be here. Maybe that does add a little pressure [on the Braves].”
Clement said his sore groin is improving and won’t hold him back for the start. The injury hindered his pitching toward the end of the season, leaving him only 2-1 in September with a 4.45 earned-run average. But in the most important game of his career, Clement threw 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball in the Cubs’ division clincher against Pittsburgh last Saturday at Wrigley Field.
Clement was a rookie in San Diego when the Padres shocked the Braves four games to two in the 1998 National League Championship Series, but he wasn’t added to the postseason roster. He said he has been watching veterans like Eric Karros, Kenny Lofton and Moises Alou to see how they’re preparing themselves for postseason games.
“It is more than a normal game,” Clement said. “But they aren’t acting like it is. There’s playing the same way. That’s the best advice for me, to watch and see how they’re doing. These guys are proven veterans who have been through the wars before, and if we didn’t have them we wouldn’t be here.”
Leading the way is manager Dusty Baker, who kept the faith in Clement during his early-season struggles and watched him prosper in the long run.
“I don’t think I’m willing to say how good a manager he is with X’s and O’s,” Clement said. “I don’t think I [am qualified] to be a judge of that because I haven’t been around long enough to see how managers manage that way. But as far as a communicator, I’ve never been around a manager even close to what Dusty does. It’s all positive. It’s `believe.’ You hear him say `believe’ many times, even when it’s a situation where you might stop believing a little bit.
“You [reporters] have been talking to him all year. How many bad things has he said about any of his players? I think players respect him for that and follow him. The positive energy he pulls out, you take on the field with you. You use it to cheer when you’re in the dugout. I’ve had so much fun playing for him this year.”
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Ortiz vs. Clement
2003 ORTIZ CLEMENT
Record 21-8 14-12
ERA 3.88 4.11
Games started 35 32
Complete games 1 2
Innings pitched 218 201 2/3
Hits 185 169
Earned runs 94 92
Home runs 17 22
Walks 105 79
Strikeouts 156 171
Home 14-4, 3.66 10-5, 3.10
Away 7-4, 4.18 4-7, 5.46
2003- * vs. Cubs vs. Atlanta
Record 0-1 1-0
ERA 6.35 2.25
Games started 1 1
Innings pitched 5 2/3 8
Hits 8 5
Earned runs 4 2
Home runs 0 1
Walks 3 0
Strikeouts 7 7
Stats include playoffs.
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Toughest outs
– Tom Goodwin is 4-for-7 (.571) with two triples vs. Ortiz.
– Sammy Sosa is 5-for-18 (.278) with two home runs and five RBIs.
– Mark Grudzielanek is 11-for-28 (.393) with a homer and six RBIs.
– Atlanta’s Vinny Castilla is 6-for-17 (.353), but with no RBIs vs. Clement.
– Rafael Furcal is 4-for-12 (.333) with a homer and two RBIs.
Easier outs
– Moises Alou is 1-for-7 (.143) with a four walks and a strikeout vs. Ortiz.
– Damian Miller is 3-for-15 with two RBIs and four strikeouts.
– Andruw Jones is 5-for-21 (.238) with five home runs and eight RBIs vs. Clement.
– Gary Sheffield is 3-for-18 (.167) with two RBIs and four strikeouts.
Note: All statistics are career.
