Bill Mueller's Interviews
KNBR post-game show "In the Clubhouse"
May 4, 2000
Dennis Higgins: Bill, what an exciting ballgame. You come through big time in the eighth inning with a triple.
Bill: Well, yeah, it was a big moment in the game and you know, that's what you want: to be up at the plate and do whatever you can to help the team, and I guess, it was a big victory. It was a big at bat, and I'm just happy I could contribute to help.
Dennis: Situation like that, based loaded, one out, you're facing Benitez, a hard thrower, the count's 3-2, are you just looking to put it in play?
Bill: Sure, I'm looking to put it up in the air somewhere to drive in a run, make sure it's a strike, because he was all over the place. But I stay confident, and try to stay inside my zone, and do whatever I could. I was fortunate to get it over his head and drive some people in.
Dennis: Bill, you look at last night and today, and these are two real exciting ballgames, a lot of tension. The fans are loving it; how about the players?
Bill: Sure, I mean, that's why we're out here, because it' so exciting and it's so unpredictable. It's a great challenge, and it's just a great laboratory to see what you're made of every day out here, and I'm just happy I was able to contribute and help the team.
Dennis: How about the eighth inning, Marvin Bernard hit by a pitch by Dennis Cook. Words exchanged, both benches empty, thankfully no problems on the field. What was your read on that situation?
Bill: Well, you know, it's just part of the game where things happen, and people get upset, especially when it's a very exciting ballgame. Emotions run a little bit higher than normal and sometimes they overflow. And that's all part of the game, and you're going to have that. You just hope it doesn't effect the outcome of the game and fortunately, we didn't have anybody get kicked out or anything. We continued to play.
Dennis: What was like for you? I mean, you had a long time to wait before that huge at bat.
Bill: Well, I was just trying to make sure I knew what my responsibility was, and that was to prepare myself for that at bat, whether it was against the left-hander of the right-hander. So I was just trying to put myself through each scenario and prepare myself for that at bat.
Dennis: Bill, I'm noticing here that you got a little scraped up on that triple, head-first dive into third. You cut up your elbow; you're bleeding a little bit.
Bill: I'll cut my elbow up every time if I could do that every day to help the team, so I'll take the blood, any time.
Dennis: Hey, great job, coming through in the clutch. A 4 game sweep of the Mets; you don't see that very often. Thanks for being our guest.
Bill: Well, I appreciate it; thanks for having me.