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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 1ST ROUND POOL AMarch 9, 2017Bert BlylevenAndruw JonesSeoul, Korea THE MODERATOR: Maybe we'll just start out if each of you can just talk about the first couple games of the tournament, Bert, how do you think it's gone from your perspective, and what you're looking forward to about the next round? BERT BLYLEVEN: I think all four teams coming here was hoping to advance, and with the great win last night, we were able to do that. Very, very proud of our guys from the pitching staff to the offense that created enough runs for us to win last night. It's exciting. It's an exciting time for the people in Holland, and in Curacao and Aruba and other places around the world that are Dutch fans. We're very, very happy to be representing their countries and going to Japan. Q. Andruw, can you talk about first at a player and now as a coach, what it's like for you to represent your country and how this experience has been different for you than in the past? ANDRUW JONES: First of all, just to get an opportunity to play, be with all these guys, like Bert said, we've got a great group of guys. So proud of them, what they accomplished so far, and we've got a lot more to go. Trying to pass the first round, we did a good job. Pitching staff did a good job. Yesterday was a great ballgame and I'm sure everybody don't want to play like that every time, but I think that's the excitement of the baseball game. As a coach, I just like to be around. That's the game I love to play, and I always play it; and to be part on the field and help these guys develop some skills and give some knowledge that I have to put them in the right spot to succeed. Q. The team you're playing tonight and going into the next round, Team Israel, there's been this narrative that they are this scrappy underdog that everyone underestimated. From what you've seen, you guys both played at such a high level, and there are a lot of professionals on that team. Do you think that maybe that underdog title was maybe a little undeserved; that people underappreciated how good that team played? BERT BLYLEVEN: I think sometimes that's a media thing. You know, these guys, Israel, very, very proud and happy for them. We hope to beat them today to go in as a No. 1 pick going into Japan. It's fun to watch them play. You know, they have minor league experience and a lot of them have major league experience. They have been there before. They have been through the ups and downs of what baseball can give you. So you know, I think it's going to be a good game today. I'm very proud of them and more proud of our guys. Like Andruw said, this is a great group of guys, winning creates chemistry and you can see that Israel has that right now as we do. ANDRUW JONES: I think from the beginning, I thought they had a great team. I know that they had a lot of guys, like Bert said, guys from the minor leagues and some guys from the major leagues that had a chance to play. So when you get experience, you come into a short series, how you put the team together, that's how you win, so I think they did that and they came out right away and win two right away and put themselves in a good spot to advance. It's going to be a good game I think. It's almost going to be just like a major league level baseball game today. Everybody just had that experience of a professional level. Q. Can you just describe the work you've done with Jurickson? He played center field for the first time a couple days ago, and he talked about how you helped him playing defense in that position. Can you talk about that a little bit? ANDRUW JONES: He's a tremendous athlete, first of all. He's got tremendous skills. I think you know, when we were talking in Arizona when we met and we went to dinner before we came over here, I asked him, I said, "Can you play center field?" He said, "Yes, I can." I say, "Well, let me see you when we come out to Korea." We went out there and we worked a little bit, and I told him some stuff that I knew and where to put himself in a good position to succeed, and he show up. He's a great ballplayer. He's excited. He always wants to win. He's a winner since a little kid, since we can see him in the little league World Series. He came out on a high stage and went out there and played good. I'm so proud of him, and so proud of all the guys that are on this team. They all grew up watching me play and they always wanted to be where I was when they got there and now just excited for them to play together as a team and trying to get to the point that we didn't get last year, last WBC. BERT BLYLEVEN: I think what's important, I don't mean to when you've got a guy, a future Hall of Famer that can instruct you, and these young kids want to learn, there's nothing better. And it's fun to watch these guys that are not only on a major league level but think about our infield, what they bring to everybody else on our ballclub. They bring their experience, their child like play of baseball. You can see that they love the game, and I think, you know, the coaching staff has all done a great job. I think Bam Bam, Hensley Meulens, has done a great job of recruiting these guys to want to come and represent their country. Q. You mentioned obviously a future Hall of Famer in Andruw. There's probably not a lot of teams here that are going to have two Hall of Fame people as coaches. Can you envision a day sitting in Cooperstown having a conversation about Team Netherlands and what you guys are pulling off? BERT BLYLEVEN: Yeah, very soon I hope, very soon. His numbers speak for themselves, over 400 home runs, the Gold Gloves, the way they ran that ballclub, really, with the Atlanta Braves over all those years. I'm very proud to be a coach of his, with him. Q. You were a legend when you were playing. Have you watched the games of the Asian and Taiwanese teams? Did you find any special pitchers among Asian teams? ANDRUW JONES: I think I played two years in Japan. I think for the last two WBCs, we got a chance to play Taiwanese and Korea. So I saw a lot of talent. I know the last ten years, that the baseball level in Asia grew up very well. The talent become better. You can see a lot of guys that make it from over here all the way to the major league level, and succeed. So the baseball out in Asia area country, Korea, Taiwanese and Japan, become a high level. So when I played here, I saw it, and when I went over there, I talked with some people that ask me, what's the experience that I had over here, and I told them that baseball is very, very good and it show up. I'm really proud to be out here every time. I love to come to the Asian country. I think the culture is such a special culture and nothing wrong to be here and be part of baseball. Q. Mr. Park Byeong-ho is part of the Korean team, as a commentator, I believe you watched him play. This is not related to the WBC but as a commentator, can you make a comment about player Park Byung ho? BERT BLYLEVEN: I believe Byeong Ho Park, he's having a very good spring training. I just saw him take an at bat against Andrew Miller. USA are playing the Twins right now. He ended up walking against Miller. But he's having a very good spring. Of course high hopes for him last year, but he had the injury that it required surgery, I believe. Kind of set him back. But a lot of talent. Like Andruw said, the Asian population of baseball is getting stronger and stronger, and we're hoping I think in the Twins organization, that wherever he starts this year, he will be the hitter that I think Terry Ryan and the Twins organization, at the time he was the general manager, saw the potential in him, and to hopefully help the Twins win some ballgames. Q. Can you talk about the challenges of the pitch limits within this tournament, and how you work as a coach trying to figure out how to navigate that? BERT BLYLEVEN: Well, first of all, a starter can go up to 65 pitches. We had Jair Jurrjens last night, end up throwing 67, only because he did face that last batter, with about 63, so he could finish that batter. What you try to do, and I have four pitchers in the bullpen I would like to get in the game today, just to get them some mound time. I think that's the biggest thing. We did have a couple weeks in spring training in Arizona for these young men, but they take I'm impressed by all 13 pitchers that I have, the way that they have dedicated themselves to be ready for whatever situation. Of course, you put them in roles at the beginning of the game, and sometimes the scoreboard dictates who you use and who you don't use. But very proud of all 13 of them. Q. Can you talk a little bit about Rob Cordemans and what you've seen with his growth over the years and his role? BERT BLYLEVEN: I played back in 2009, my first WBC and if you look at the stat sheet today about Rob Cordemans, he's 42 years old and he has every Dutch record I think other than maybe strikeouts. He's a control type pitcher. When I first saw him, I automatically thought of radiculopathy key, great pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, excellent control. Not going to overpower you. He has to hit his spots, and hopefully he'll do that this afternoon. You know, when you're up there, and I pitched into my 40s, also, you don't know when that last game might be. So for Rob here today, hopefully he'll have a good one, go deep into the ballgame, get three or four innings in in that 65 pitch count, keep us in the game and that way, basically he's done his job. Q. What do you emphasize for young players, and to Mr. Andruw Jones, you are a coach, but when you see the players, I believe you want to play, also, so can you share with us about your feel? BERT BLYLEVEN: Well, I think what I would like, as far as young players, what's nice about the WBC is with us advancing, there are more funds going into Dutch baseball, not only in Holland but also Curacao and Aruba and other places that will teach the game of baseball to youngsters. I like what's happened in Asia. When I watch these pitchers pitch, I'm from the old school, I don't believe in the pitch count; never will. But what I like to see that these Asian pitches do a good job of, and I've also seen with my Dutch pitchers, basically pitching can be simple. You have to stay tall, stay back and work out front and throw that ball do you know towards the strike zone. That's basically what it is. It's such a mental game. Baseball is kind of, I always thought, Andruw, it's kind of a negative game sometimes because if you get three hits and ten at bats, you're considered a great player. Well, I'm sorry, in the real world, that's not very good, but as a pitcher you're only as good as your last outing and you go out and have fun, whether you're 12 years old or eight years old or you're 42 years old, you don't take the fun away from what you're competing for, and that's hopefully being at your best. ANDRUW JONES: I think for me, I still feel like I can play. But you know, at the end, the body don't let me do that. But when I get on the field, I always want to go out there and have fun with the guys. My thing for these young kids and the guys that I'm coaching right now is just to motivate them and then put them in the right spot, put them in the position so they can succeed and help us win. You know, I do all I can. I think those guys look at me as a player, not as a coach, but as a brother and a mentor. So I still go out there and show them around, just go out there, and sometimes I go out there and hit batting practice with them and I go out there and I shag the ball. I'm just trying to be out there and help them succeed and be better than they can be. Q. In this WBC, many star players are participating, but pitchers from the major leagues are not participating in this tournament. So that was pointed out by many people. Can you explain how it is difficult to participate in this tournament before the regular season? BERT BLYLEVEN: I believe the question was, was it because major league players don't participate? Q. Just how difficult it is to get prepared for this tournament when you're trying to also prepare for the season and the tough decision pitchers have. BERT BLYLEVEN: I know in 2009, Jurrjens was trying to make the Atlanta Braves pitching staff. That was his goal going into spring training. I remember talking to Jair at that time, and he wanted to compete with us, but there was that feeling of, he wants to be a major league starter, and I remember I told him, I said, well, go be a major league starter, and he did. So it's an honor to pitch for your country, but if you can get to the big leagues as a youngster now, when we get to L.A., hopefully Kenley Jansen will join us. He's signed a big contract with the Dodgers. He's a closer. Hopefully once we get to L.A., he'll join us as our closer. So you know, you do what's best for the individual. Rick VandenHurk, you know, he pitched a great ballgame for us the other day. He's now pitching in Japan. He has major league experience. Jurrjens, he's trying to get a job. These are showcases for him, as it is for other pitchers on our ballclub. So yeah, you take each outing at a time and you take each individual as a person and see how we can help them through the WBC and if they are better off staying with their major league club, then that's the way it is. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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