Houston – Gerrit Cole will get the baseball tonight in Game 1 of the 2019 World Series. The Astros and Nationals begin their best of seven series at Minute Maid Park.
Cole, who won Game 5 of the ALDS and Game 3 of the ALCS, will get the start for Houston before Justin Verlander takes over in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Cole met with the World Series media on Tuesday. Here are a few of his top quotes as he prepares for his start.
HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO START GAME 1 OF THE WORLD SERIES? GROWING UP , WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR WORLD SERIES MEMORIES?
"I am really excited to start Game 1. I'm really just excited to be here. I remember I was sitting on the third base side of Angels Stadium down towards the front row and I had a nice perspective of Bonds versus Percival, he throws him this hundred mile-an-hour fastball up by his neck and Bonds just cranks it out to right field. I was at all of those games at Angel Stadium. We brought out the rally monkey and boom sticks. I also went to the World Series with the Yankees and Arizona. I think that was a special World Series I think for the whole country."
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF THE NATIONALS LINEUP?
I think they are incredibly talented. They've had their backs up against the wall early in the year and it just kind of goes to show you the character of the players that they have. I think in the center of their lineup is starts with Anthony Rendon being the tone setter, a really special talent, probably a generational talent. We'll have to see how it all plays out. But if it goes as expected he'll probably end up in the Hall of Fame. He's so cool and calm and collected. I think a lot of his players feed off that. And he takes care of the baseball on both sides of the ball, both defensively and offensively. His approach is really deliberate."
WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT MAX SCHERZER?
There's a lot of things. I think probably most his determination because I feel like that word kind of covers how he competes, how he prepares. You have to be determined to be durable. My gosh, he's as durable as they come. You have to be determined to be prepared. And he's as prepared as they come. Then his presence on the mound is determined. He's got a job to do, and he wants to go out and do it and just put the blinders on and get after the ball."
AFTER THE GAME 5 LOSS LAST YEAR, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO GET OVER THAT?
It's something I'll never forget, that's for sure. It's something that I use to motivate myself. I think it's always kind of in the back of our minds still, just kind of an awareness or a perspective of what it feels like to be on the other side and how much we hated it. I think we all use it to a certain level. Now, I've done everything I could to prepare for this game and I'm just going to go get after the ball and what happens, happens."