Is the weight of the Yankees Universe on Clarke Schmidt’s shoulders tonight in Kansas City?
“Well, one of us has to win two more,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone quipped Tuesday when asked a version of that question. “Every game you walk into in the playoffs is huge, but Clarke is fully cut out to handle that.
Whatever he goes out and does, I know he will be prepared and will walk out there with confidence and an expectation to deliver – and he’s got the equipment to deliver. I don’t worry about him and all the noise that comes with Game 3 on the road in a best of five.”
Win tonight, and the Yankees have their ace on the mound in a potential clincher Thursday night; lose, and they still have the ace on the mound trying to get them back to the Bronx for a deciding Game 5.
So, in that regard, Boone is right, but to Schmidt, well, it is indeed a must-win.
“Obviously a big swing game, and going into a hostile environment, it should be a lot of fun, but every game is a must win in the playoffs. Any time you can play the least amount of games possible and save the bullpen, its big,” Schmidt said. “We treat every game as a must win, and going into their place, it should be a fun environment. We’ll be ready to go and looking to come out with the win.”
And no, he’s not nervous for what, any way you slice it, might be the biggest start of his career.
“We’re trying to win a ball game, so really focused and in control of emotions. Not trying to get to high, just go out and do my job,” Schmidt said. “This is every kid’s dream to be able to start a playoff game for the New York Yankees, and it’s an opportunity I don’t take lightly. Very honored to be able to have it, and this is something you have in the back of your mind when you’re working hard in the offseason and going the extra mile. Trying to seize the moment, and just want to win a ball game, so I’m not nervous, I’m excited. I trust my preparation and the work I put in, and I trust everybody around me.”
The Royals, as a contact hitting team, seem to play well into Schmidt’s strengths, which he admitted were “throwing strikes and inducing weak contact,” but as we’ve seen in the first two games, you can almost throw any game plans out the window once first pitch is thrown.
“Anything can happen, and we’ve seen that in every series. They have the ability to grind out at-bats, so they can run your pitch count up quick and piece together runs,” Schmidt said. “Sometimes, that weak contact can turn into hits, and they’ve swung the bats well the first two. This isn’t an offense you can underestimate in any way, because they’re gritty and do the small things well. It’s obviously a tall task and a challenge, but nothing I don’t welcome; we’re ready for this moment, and welcoming the challenge. If you’re nervous, you can get eaten alive, so I plan to be aggressive. It’s been punch after punch and we’ve responded, so hopefully we can come back with another punch.”