D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo dismisses talks of pressure ahead of NLCS decider - "They are in the clubhouse eating Philly cheesesteaks"
Many of the Arizona Diamondbacks players are set to play the biggest game of their careers. However, manager Torey Lovullo says that the team is preparing as they would for any other game. Although this may simply be posturing as the team enters their most important match of the season, given the back-and-forth shift of momentum in the NLCS, it may be the truth.
According to manager Torey Lovullo, the Arizona Diamondbacks players are behaving as they would for any other game, stating that "They’re in the clubhouse eating Philly cheesesteaks."
"Torey Lovullo said the DBacks players have the same mood before Game 7 as any other day: They’re in the clubhouse, looking at their phones, talking in small groups, and eating Philly cheesesteaks. @MLBNetwork" - @jonmorosi
It's been the Arizona Diamondbacks' calm demeanor that has allowed the ball club to claw their way back into the series. That attribute, which is shared by many on the roster, makes it believable that the roster could simply be hanging out and eating the beloved Philadelphia sandwich.
Now, thanks to a victory in Game 6, the Arizona Diamondbacks will need to face the passionate and sometimes aggressive crowds of the Philadelphia Phillies. Even though the Diamondbacks feature many players who are playing in their first-ever postseason, the squad has handled themselves well, especially in the hostile environment of Citizens Bank Park.
"Torey Lovullo on scoring first and taking the crowd out of the game...."There was a point in the middle innings where I could hear conversations in back of me in the stands. So that to me said that we were doing everything we needed to do... " - @CamCox12
Torey Lovullo has been under fire throughout the NLCS for pulling pitchers too soon, but the moves have paid off
Lovullo, much like the players on his team, has been cool under pressure, even when that means making the difficult, unpopular decisions. Judging by the reactions of many fans online, he has made plenty of unpopular decisions, chief among them pulling both Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt even though they were hurling strong performances.
However, both decisions paid off for Lovullo, as the Diamondbacks were able to pick up victories in each game. Thanks to the aforementioned tremendous performance from starting pitcher Merrill Kelly, the Arizona Diamondbacks have forced a do-or-die situation on Tuesday night.