Talking with Joe Beimel

AK: Do you still have your eyes on the prize in terms of winning the division, or are you mostly just focusing on the wild card and anything else is just gravy?

JB: Yeah.  I think just getting into the playoffs is where we're at.  It doesn't matter if we win the division or win the wild card.  Just getting there is the big thing.  I think anything less would be a disappointment. 

AK: You were part of last year's team that went through a horrific losing stretch before turning almost unbeatable.  Have these August losses in 2007 felt similar in any way?  The 2006 slump happened during an earlier part of the season, but it was still an important time.

JB:  Right.  I mean, we haven't really put together any long, consecutive wins, so in that regard it doesn't feel like that.  But I think everybody in here realizes that we haven't had that winning streak.  At any time, we could hot and go on one.  But you know, it's obviously another year.  I think we're really confident about it.  I think that we're confident that we can string together a bunch of wins and gain some ground.  Hopefully, that will happen.

AK: Can you put your finger on what's been holding you guys back or why things haven't come together?

JB:  Not really.  It's hard to say.  It's a number of things.  Like anytime when you're not performing the way you want.  It seems like when you're hitting, you're not pitching.  When you're pitching, you're not hitting.  That's with any team that's struggling.  We just gotta find a way to get it all together and string some wins together.

AK: Your job mostly requires you to come in for one inning, pick your spot and make a mark during a small time frame.  Does having that short of a window make it easier for you, in the sense that you can really harness your focus?  Or does it add to the pressure, knowing that the margin for error is so much smaller?

JB: No, it is what it is.  As a reliever, when you come in you either do the job or you don't.  When you do the job, everything's fine and that's what you're supposed to do.  And when you don't, chances are you lost the game.  For me personally, it's big every time I go out there, because it's usually going to be in a situation where it's either going to help us keep the game close, within reach win it or keep the lead.  If you don't do the job, you pretty much sucked that day and lost the game for the team.  Every time I go out there it's pretty big.

AK: I talked with Olmedo (Saenz) once about how, along those lines, as a pinch-hitter you're only getting one shot to succeed, and he said that setup actually helps him.  It increases his focus and keeps him from ever getting lax, which works to his advantage.  Same school of thought?

JB:  Yeah.  It's a lot easier to go out there and pitch when the game's on the line.  It's a lot easier out there to keep your focus and concentration than when you're going out there down 10.  Or even up 10, because the game's played a little different when the score's that out of reach.  When it's close, everybody's in the game.  Everybody's focused.  You're obviously focused, too.

AK: Having just played a series in New York against the Mets, there was obviously some attention focused on last season's bar incident that kept you from participating in the playoffs.  Now that some time's passed and some distance is there, how do you feel about it?

JB: Now it's just something that really, really changed my life in a positive way.  I'm able to look back at it and, in a weird way, be kind of thankful that it happened.  To get me back on track and realize how  good I have it here.  Doing what I do and what I love to do.  I'm able to take everything that happened as a positive and really hope that we do get into the playoffs so I can redeem myself a little bit.

AK: Has that provided some extra motivation to make the playoffs, the idea of redeeming yourself?   

JB: A little bit, but it's more that I've been on some really bad teams over the last seven years.  Just being able to be in the playoffs last year.  We made it and I wasn't able to partake in the festivities.  That's real big for me personally.  Just being able to experience that and help the team, if we get there.

AK: When you look back on that, do you feel like "what was I thinking"?  Or can you understand it, because you know where you were at the time?

JB: There's a little bit of "what was I doing right there"?  But for the most part, I was doing it all year, so it wasn't like a one-time deal or anything.

AK: Just the one time it went bad.

JB: Yeah, yeah.  Exactly.  So this time that we were there, I left my room, like, twice.  I think I set a record for most time spent in a hotel room.  Seriously.

AK: You mentioned this being the rare good team you've played with.  Did that incident make you realize how precious a commodity that can be?

JB: Definitely.  Being able to make it to the playoffs and putting yourself in a situation where you can't play, that really, really hit home.  It makes you look at things and reevaluate things.  As for me, it was pretty big.  I got to step back and say, "I have something really good here.  There's no sense of taking a chance on losing it."

AK: Thus making this particular time in 2007 pretty big.

JB: Yeah.  Very big.  And pretty exciting, too.