Notes: Matheny the poster boy, Cards impressed with hecklers

SAN FRANCISCOMike Matheny has previously estimated he sustained 25-30 concussions due to home plate collisions during his playing days. The barrage of beatings his brain took forced the former Giant to cut his career short. Hes landed on his feet, however, by taking his St. Louis Cardinals to the NLCS in his rookie season as a skipper.Matheny is now in a prominent position to share his issues with concussions and what he feels should be the approach to protecting players.I didnt plan on being one of the poster boys for concussions, Matheny said before Mondays Game 2 at AT&T Park. That wasnt part of my exit strategy from the game. But it did happen. And Ive been able to spend some time talking with some people and some doctors, people that are making a difference with this now. And hopefully some parents and some people that are organizing, especially sports on the youth level, are paying closer attention and being smart with these kids.Matheny played in 1,305 games in his career and only 181 came in a Giants uniform, but his brief stint in San Francisco included plenty of time with the medical staff.I thought the San Francisco Giants handled my concussion and my situation as well as anybody could possibly handle it, Matheny said. Former Giants head athletic trainer Stan Conte at the time and general manager Brian Sabean were very, very proactive and very forward thinking, realizing that there was something serious going on there instead of just patting me on the back and telling me I just have a concussion and youll be okay. They were very proactive in trying to find somebody that could look into this a little deeper. And Im very grateful for that.In the aftermath of Buster Poseys season-ending injury in 2011, Matheny went public with comments that he believed the Marlins Scott Cousins was hunting when he barreled into the Giants catcher to score a go-ahead run. That collision left Poseys ankle a mess, not his head, but it still led to more attention being paid to catcher safety.It is a heightened awareness, I believe not just in our sport but all across the board, Matheny said. And I think people are starting to get to the point to realize this is a brain injury. The word concussion I think almost lightens whats really going on there. Not necessarily a severe brain injury, but can lead to it if not looked at seriously.Priot to the 2011 season, Major League Baseball added a seven-day disabled list for players dealing with concussion symptoms. Thats a far cry from implementing a rule to protect catchers, but its a start. And its a safe bet that Matheny will be involved in any discussions about further safeguards, whether he wants to be a poster boy or not.The Giants mustered just two hits and one walk in 5.1 scoreless innings against the Cardinals bullpen in Game 1. Plenty of St. Louis relievers were rearing back and reaching the mid-to-upper 90s on the radar gun. But Cardinals closer Jason Motte said before Mondays game that speed isnt why he and his bullpen-mates are so effective.What it boils down to is making your pitches, Motte said. Its not how hard you throw, its what you throw and where you throw itIf youre throwing it down the middle, these guys are good, these guys are going to turn that thing around real quick. Its about executing your pitches, making your pitches and thats the name of the game.Perhaps Motte had some added motivation thanks to the fans down the right-field line. Motte and fellow right-hander Edward Mujica, who struck out the side in his scoreless inning Sunday, said that Giants fans were doing their best to make their presence known to the members of Mathenys bullpen.Right now during the postseason you know its different because they get louder, Mujica said. They talked to me in Spanish. Its crazy to go out there and just warming up because youre trying to concentrate. You focus to warm up. And those people are yelling at you. Its crazy.Motte agreed that warming up in AT&T Parks unique on-field bullpen is quite different from his home-ballpark experience.They dont yell at me in St. Louis when I get loose, Motte said. These people are crazy. They come out and theyre into the game, every out, every pitch, everything. But its a nice ballpark. Its one of those things for me, other than the fans standpoint, I dont look at anything any differently. I dont care where Im pitching, whats going on. Im going out, trying to do my job.Both Motte and Mujica were asked to share some specifics about what they heard from Giants fans.I cant say this on TV, said Mujica, who did add that one fan told him to go back to the minors.Its good stuff, Motte said. Its all part of it. Theyre out there trying to get in your head. But I think its kind of funny. They yell at you telling you how bad you are. Its a good time.Matheny, perhaps unintentionally, weighed in on the MoneyballSabermetrics vs. old-school scouts debate while complimenting his young third baseman David Freese.Freese launched one of the Cardinals two two-run home runs off Game 1 starter Madison Bumgarner and is now batting .500 (13-for-26) with three doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI in seven career National League Championship Series games. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2011 NLCS and World Series and his manager is a firm believer in clutch.I know the statistics people dont believe much in clutch players, Matheny said. I dont agree. I just see that theres certain players in bigger situations thrive sometimes. And you cant really describe why.