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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 1ST ROUND POOL C

March 10, 2017

Luis Urueta

Miami, Florida

Q. It'S a big moment for Colombia. What does this mean for Colombian baseball?
LUIS URUETA: It's really important for the history of Colombian baseball. After Edgar's achievements and also Orlando (Cabrera) playing in the Big Leagues, I think this will be a part of baseball history in Colombia. To be here with this group, it will be really important for Colombian baseball, for the development of the young players that are playing over there and continue growing with this game.

Q. This group is going to be difficult with the Dominican Republic and Canada and the United States. What is Colombia's focus to face some of the most difficult teams in this tournament?
LUIS URUETA: It is quite a challenge. I think that we had a complicated group, there are two powerhouses of world baseball, the United States and Dominican Republic, who are the defending champions, and for us it's a greater motivation to expose ourselves in the eyes of the world and it's a beautiful opportunity, as I said, to show who we are as baseball players, as a country where we do play professional baseball, and we hope that the players can do a good job and we can play at the same level as they do and why not surprise them and win?

Q. How did you decide to go with Quintana against the United States and then go with Teheran against Canada? What went into your decision?
LUIS URUETA: Well, it was a tough decision. I think they're both quality starters in the Big Leagues. They both have unbelievable talent. I think that at this moment they're our top two players, and just deciding which pitcher was going to face each team, it was more on a scouting report on the opponent. I've mentioned it before, Julio is a National League pitcher, and most of the American position players and American hitters are National League hitters and they know him pretty well.

On the other side, Jose is an American League guy and most of the American hitters haven't faced him at all, so every time you have a first time on confrontation between a pitcher and a hitter, I think the advantage is for the pitcher.

So, that's basically what makes us make the decision. It's a hard decision, knowing that both guys are qualified to pitch to the U.S., but again, I think that was why we made this decision, and hopefully it works out well for us.

Q. There was talk yesterday in Ft. Myers that you could make possibly make some lineup changes. Are you able to confirm the lineup?
LUIS URUETA: We analyzed how players worked out in different positions, to experiment with Alfaro at first was one of those thoughts. But let's say that I did not see him too comfortable, but Jesus Valdez in right field can do the job, and we hope that he'll do well. Reynaldo Rodriguez at first base plays above-average defense and he can help us there. So, finally we will go with Jhonatan behind the plate, Reynaldo at first base, with Sanchez at second, Donovan at short, Mauricio in left field, Tito in center field and Valdez in right field with Alfaro as DH.

Q. Do you think that it can have any impact that can be felt in the short term the development of the Colombian baseball league?
LUIS URUETA: Yes, of course. I think that I've always said that one of the strong points about this team is that these guys have been playing together for many years and part of that process it is also that the professional league, they have played in the winter league, and this will be a motivation for the guys that remain there that have been playing in this league, and to continue developing Colombian baseball.

By the way, some of the guys that I had to replace players like Dilson Herrera, who got injured, they come from that Colombian winter league. Guys who don't play in affiliated ball but they continue to play there. And that's important because the league in Colombia keeps the players active. There's also a summer league in Colombia. There is a semi-pro league as well.

So we also have to give credit to the Renteria brothers that keep this league alive, and do a lot for the development of Colombian baseball.

Q. You were complaining yesterday about how you used, how you were almost forced by what you were told, to use your pitchers in the exhibition games, something that the Dominican Republic and the United States did not do. Do you think that there was a lack of communication, there was a problem with the communication between your own team? And did you find out what happened?
LUIS URUETA: No, this morning I spoke with them. I spoke with the authorities, the proper MLB authorities. Maybe it was not something that we were too happy with, but that's how baseball is. Sometimes you have to make necessary adjustments in these type of tournaments. We would have liked to have used the pitchers the way the U.S. and the DR did. But that will not have any repercussions in what's coming next.

Fortunately, we left the games and we used no other affiliated players such as Horacio Acosta and Javier Ortiz, who will be available to pitch today. And maybe at that time it was good to use our pitchers a little to give them some work. Maybe the DR and the U.S. don't need their pitchers, because their pitchers are in training camp. But at this event, unfortunately, it was something that happened to us, and surely in the future championships we'll make correction, so that there is an equal playing field.

Q. These two games against the Rays and the Twins, did it make you change something when you made out the lineup, maybe with injuries, Charlie Mirabal with the bat or how did the work of Alfaro behind the home plate, did it change what you were planning?
LUIS URUETA: As I said before, I think this game is extremely important. In this type of tournament, when you have affiliated players and you are not allowed to train in advance, the games give you good information about what you have and what you are missing. And indeed we have the information I wanted, we saw Mauricio Ramos in the outfield doing a good job. Maybe it's not his natural position, but he did a good job.

As I said about Valdez, he could give us the defense, perhaps not above average but sufficient enough to play a game at this level. Alfaro, we know what he has and his tools. Jhonatan, unfortunately, doesn't play another position. And I cannot lose any of those bats in the lineup, so I have to sacrifice Alfaro as a designated hitter to keep him in the lineup and to keep Jhonatan as well.

We cannot take out what Alfaro brings and his tools. For me and baseball, he is one of the best prospects in organized baseball. But Jhonatan's bat in a team that is a bit weak offensively, I cannot afford to keep him on the bench simply because of Alfaro's defense. So, putting things in balance, Alfaro as DH, Jhonatan behind the plate makes sense, and later in the game if something happens, we can think of losing the DH and play National League rules with the pitcher batting. But those are scenarios that you think about and analyze, and at the end of the day I think it makes sense for us.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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