World Series Game 6: McCullers postgame interview

Q. The obvious question: Starting Game 7 of the World Series, just your thoughts on that?
LANCE MCCULLERS JR.: No, I mean I knew it was a possibility coming into the series. A.J. scheduled me for three coming in, for a reason. I think they have a lot of confidence in me.
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This series was destined to go seven pretty much the whole time. I think we have two great teams here. I just have to stick with my game plan and execute a little bit better than last time in certain spots. And just be a competitor out there.
Q. So all your teammates were telling us in the clubhouse how much faith they have in this decision by you. What does that mean to you?
LANCE MCCULLERS JR.: I think the guys know in the clubhouse that I go out there and I'm not going to hold anything back. I think they understand that I'm willing to give everything I have for the guys behind me, and the guys in the dugout. That's something that I've always tried to pride myself on, regardless of how I'm pitching or how I'm feeling. But always having those guys know that I'm going to go out there and give them everything I have.
So I think that's where their confidence in me just going out there and being able to compete comes from.
Q. What did you learn about your first World Series experience the other night that you think can help you tomorrow?
LANCE MCCULLERS JR.: Well, I learned I wasn't very sharp. I knew that early, though. So I knew it was going to be a grind for me pretty much the whole outing, which it was. This is a very good-hitting team. They're patient but yet they'll make you pay for mistakes. So I have to go out there and, like I said, just execute my game plan. And I need to execute a little better in certain spots.
But I felt fine about my first outing. And I think they know what I bring and I know what they bring. So I think it's just going to be about who can execute and that's it.

Q. What was it like for you tonight? Obviously you guys don't want to be playing tomorrow. But you knew you might be pitching. Were the wheels turning late in the game?
LANCE MCCULLERS JR.: I was in the bullpen toward the end, that's why I had to throw on the field postgame, just because I hadn't thrown yet, because I was hot and ready to go, if the situation came up where they needed me.
So I was prepared today to pitch. And like I said, we're the two best teams in baseball. And I think that has been solidified by how amazing this series has been. And I expect all of our guys to come to the park ready to win tomorrow, just like I would expect all of them to come into the park ready to win tomorrow. Which is what I think is what makes this series so great, is you've got two teams with a bunch of dogs in the clubhouse. No one is afraid to back down. And I expect a great Game 7.

Q. We're from Japan, broadcasting live, and I need to translate this. What's a dog?
LANCE MCCULLERS JR.: It's someone that is not going to back down, very competitive, willing to kind of leave it all out there without much fear.

Q. The general idea is the more looks at a pitcher hitters get, the advantage starts to swing their way. Do you think the way you approach, the way you attack, you could flip that?
LANCE MCCULLERS JR.: Yeah, I think the advantage goes to the person who executes. The hitters, they have their game plans coming into the game. I have my game plan coming into the game. So I think who can ever stick to the plan the best, control their emotions, and adjust on the fly is going to be the one that has the advantage. They've faced some pretty good pitchers since they've seen me. And I feel very confident in myself.
The results are never guaranteed, but I feel very, very good going into tomorrow just knowing that I think I'll show up to compete and that's all I can do.