Myers is prepared for pressure cooker

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Brett Myers and James Shields showed up at the ballpark last night understanding that one of them would be under a ton of pressure tonight.

The two Game 2 World Series starting pitchers spoke in media sessions before Game 1. At that point, Myers said, "Tonight will tell a lot."

He was talking about Tampa Bay's fans. At least he said he was talking about Tampa Bay's fans.

"I'm going to try to take it as just another game," Myers said of his first World Series start. "But sometimes you get out there, your emotions are going to get in the way. It's just how you control them."

Myers hasn't pitched since his Game 2 National League Championship Series tour de force against the Dodgers - the three hits and three RBIs, the first-inning pitch behind Manny Ramirez, getting the win despite giving up five runs in five innings.

In his last start, Shields gave up all four Boston runs in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, leaving in the sixth inning.

"I don't think I was on with my fastball command as I wanted to be," Shields said. "I was just missing the plate. But sometimes that happens. And I thought I did a pretty good job of getting as deep as I could in the game and giving our team a chance to win."

In Game 1, Shields was unlucky to pick up the loss, giving up just two runs in the first game since Sept. 8 where the Rays failed to score.

"In my first game, I was right where I needed to be," said Shields, who pointed out that at 26, he's the oldest in Tampa Bay's rotation.

"My location was really good. My fastball command was really good. My change-up was really good that game, and my curveball was pretty good. . . . I was pretty much on my A game, and that's what we need to have."

On the national stage, Myers was asked again about his midseason trip to triple A, how accepting the move, even embracing it, resurrected his season.

"I knew I needed to go down and take responsibility for how I was pitching," Myers said, recalling how as a closer last season he tried to strike everybody out, how that mentality failed miserably as a starter. "In order to be successful, I needed to figure things out, and I did. I was able to come back with some confidence and be able to pitch in bigger games, and kind of got the feel back for starting pitching again."

"He's one of the reasons I'm sitting here talking to you today," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Myers. "He's been just a completely different pitcher. His command has been better, and his attitude has definitely picked up and been better. He's more in control of himself."

Myers talked about how much a title would mean to Philly, that the Phillies owe not just themselves, but the city. He talked about being around for the 76ers' 2001 run to the NBA Finals and the Eagles' getting to the Super Bowl, how exciting it is to see that same level of support for the Phillies.

Myers also artfully explained how that support shows up in different ways: "They're very boisterous with how they feel about how we play. We all know if we're playing bad and stuff, they want us to know that they realize it, too."

After Game 2 of the NCLS, Greg Dobbs mentioned that the hits from Myers that game didn't come completely out of left field: Phillies coach Jimy Williams had worked with Myers on his stance.

"It's depressing," Myers deadpanned about not being able to hit tonight with the designated hitter used in the American League ballpark.

Manuel said someone mentioned to him he could always use Myers as a DH.

"I don't guess I've got that much nerve yet," Manuel said.