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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 1ST ROUND POOL AMarch 9, 2017Hensley MeulensSeoul, Korea Israel - 4, Netherlands - 3 Q. It was the first defeat, so how does it feel? HENSLEY MEULENS: Well, it doesn't feel good. They played a good game. They pitched good. They used different pitchers every inning, so it gives us a different look every inning. We couldn't get comfortable off any of them. That was a good strategy. You know, we had a chance there in the eighth with the bases loaded. We hit two balls hard right at second base. One, they turn into an error, and then Didi smoked the ball right out of second base for a 4 6 3 double play that essentially won the game for them, because that could have been through and two runs and we would have been tied. Nonetheless we played a good round. We won the first two games. We're heading to Tokyo and we're going to have ton to play well to get to the finals. Q. What do you need to work on to get to the finals in the next round? What did you see in this game, in particular, that you guys need to work on the next round? HENSLEY MEULENS: Well, particularly our pitchers would have been throwing strikes all series long today, were erratic. We have to get back in the strike zone and not walk guys. We walked a few guys today. That's hard on the defense, and we have to get back into pounding the strike zone, keeping the ball down, getting ground balls like we had the first couple of games, and get some timely hits. Today we had opportunities, but we didn't cash in, and you know, like we did the first couple of games. So getting timely hits and throwing strikes with our pitchers is how we get past the next round. Q. You get to see Israel again in the next round. How advantageous is that for you, I guess it could go both ways, how much do you learn from playing them today and seeing them, that might help you in the next round? HENSLEY MEULENS: Well, it was good to play them today because you can't make too many mistakes against this many. They capitalized when we made mistakes. Baserunners and walks and hit by pitches, they got the hits and they have to drive them in. So minimizing our mistakes pitching wise, for sure, and we saw pretty much all their bullpen today. So we kind of got a look at all their guys in the bullpen, so that helps us out when we face them in Tokyo. Q. I have a question, why you can attract so many major leagues to fight for your national team, the Netherlands. Many countries have difficulties in attracting major leaguers to come back. HENSLEY MEULENS: Well, our guys, they grew up together, most of them, on the island. Didi and Simmons played like ten years of little league baseball together, Simmons at short, Didi at second. They wanted to play together. Didi didn't get to come last time because he was hurt. Bogaerts and Oduber, they grew up in Aruba together. The brothers Schoop, DeCaster, Profar, is the same age as Schoop. They won the little league World Series together in 2004. So these guys all love to play with one another, and I have no problem trying to convince them to play. So they all wanted to play, when I started calling guys in August of last year, they all said yes. So that was pretty easy, really. Q. For now, do you have any plan for the next round? HENSLEY MEULENS: Not yet. We'll have to see who we're going to face first, and then make a plan that way. I know I guess Japan is going to the next round and maybe I don't know who the other team is. We have a scout over there and he's watching the games. As soon as we get over there tomorrow, we'll start putting a plan in place for the next three games. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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