Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, 29, is confident ahead of the postseason.
“It’s going to be an exciting time for Minnesota fans,” Correa said in an interview ahead of the team’s first official workout of the Wild Card Series at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday.
As the saying goes, “He who has eaten the meat knows the flavor,” and Correa has. He made six postseason appearances with the Houston Astros, playing 79 games and winning a championship ring in 2017.
“I’ve said it many times before, but this team reminds me of the 2015 Houston Astros,” he said, comparing his current team to his former organization.
In 2015, the Astros defeated the New York Yankees in the Wild Card Game to advance to the Division Series, where they were eliminated by the Kansas City Royals. The experience helped the Astros go on to reach the Championship Series in six consecutive seasons, reaching the World Series in four of those seasons and winning two titles.
“We had a mix of veterans and young players who had experienced success,” says Correa. I think winning the wild card game gave us the confidence to say, ‘We can beat any team. I think this team has that same feeling now. I think we can play with any team,” he said, expressing his confidence in his current squad.
As a veteran of the postseason, he says he’s passing on his experience to the team’s rookies: “The most important thing is confidence. I think these guys are ready for the moment,” he said, adding that he has faith in the rookies.
“I think any team in the postseason has a chance to win,” he said of the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto is a team with good hitters, good pitchers. They’re a good team that can do a lot of the right things. We’re going to have to score early and often against them,” he warned.
As for Kevin Gausman, who will likely face him in Game 1, he called him “a good pitcher, probably in the top five of the Cy Young voting this year,” but added that he “thinks I’ve pitched pretty well against him,” noting that he’s pitched 10 innings and seven runs in two previous meetings.
Now in the first year of a six-year, $200 million deal, he has been a bit of a disappointment this season, batting .230 with a .312 on-base percentage, .399 slugging percentage, 18 home runs and 65 RBIs in 135 games. He was placed on the disabled list with plantar fasciitis in his left foot on September 19 against Cincinnati.온라인바카라
He said he’s been working on almost everything – fielding, hitting, etc. “I’m not going to make excuses. It’s been a tough season, but I’m in much better shape now. I’m ready to go. It’s time to forget about the past and start fresh. I think this is the most important time. I’m ready,” he said, looking ahead to the postseason.
“I’m not thinking about it too much,” he said of returning to the field without hitting. Once the lights come on, it’s going to be a completely different feeling. The atmosphere in the postseason is completely different. It’s going to bring out the best in you,” he said.