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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 1ST ROUND POOL C

March 12, 2017

Miami, Florida

Dominican Republic - 10, Colombia -3 F/11

Q. Jean, you were one of the last additions for the Dominican Republic team for the Classic. Moises got very happy when he announced that when Hanley was leaving, you were coming in. You ended up being the hero. How do you feel?
JEAN SEGURA: First of all, I have to thank God because He gave me the opportunity to be here and I always had faith, and my head held high especially when Moises told me. I understood at that time that we have so many stars in the Dominican Republic, and as a professional at that time I saw the reality. But I always held my head high, and I told Moises, if you need me at any time, I'll be there. And thank God, Moises gave me the opportunity. Called me up, told me that I was on the team, and I felt very good. I was very happy for being part of this great team.

And for me it is a honor to wear this jersey, and for me it's the greatest thing that has happened in my career. One heck of a game. I don't think that there are words to describe how happy I feel, not only for myself, but for my family and the millions of Dominicans.

Q. Tony, your record as a manager of the Dominican Republic team, 11-0. What is the key to keeping that streak? What's the secret?
TONY PEÃ‘A: God gives us a gift to each of us and God has given me a great gift to be a great motivator. God has placed in my hand two teams that are extraordinary.

Sometimes it is not that easy to lead a group of stars, such as the ones that I have in my hands. But as I tell all my guys, let's enjoy this, I'll try to get you to play. Today it was a very, very important game for us because whoever lost the game had to face the United States. And the guys reacted very well. And I feel very fortunate that all these guys around me are giving me a hundred percent of everything.

Q. So you got the first objective, to keep the crown to classify for the second round. Are you starting to think about the pitching pool with Wily Peralta and Johnny Cueto? Have you started to think about it?
TONY PEÃ‘A: Well, Wily had permission to pitch only one game. Wily is coming out from the pitching pool. And Moises is in charge, and it will be Moises who will make the announcements. I know who will the pitcher be, but I'm not the general manager.

But I do have an idea. When we go back, Martinez, in due time, and Volquez on his day to pitch. Moises was trying to convince some of the guys, all will be in the third game, and I think I accomplished it. But Moises is the man. Talk to him.

Q. There was a situation in the game that for us was surprising: The decision to have Welington Castillo bunt in the fourth inning. You already said he is one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball. Also the decision to pitch Jeurys Familia on back-to-back days. I have spoken to him before the game and he told me didn't have permission to do so, but perhaps the situation called for it.
TONY PEÃ‘A: Look, the game dictates the moment and when you do things. Today we were in the situation in which I used quite a few pitchers yesterday. If we had not won this game today, then we wouldn't have pitchers for tomorrow. So I have tried to find a way to extend the score. Why did I use Jeurys Familia? He only threw 11 pitches yesterday. He's the man that was the freshest. Robles threw 16 and Colome also 13.

So at the time if I don't have anyone or if I cannot use anyone, I can use those boys. Neris was not available because he pitched yesterday and he warmed up twice. So I have to try to take care of my guys and I will. I spoke with Familia before the game and he told he me was fine.

Q. My respect to the Colombian team, they played so well. Jean, if someone called you "Jean, Jean the Hit Machine", would you deny that?
JEAN SEGURA: I think it was a gift from God. I don't think I am a machine. This comes from hard work in the off-season. I trained very hard and as you all know, Robinson has been my tutor in the past few years. And it's a blessing to be here, you understand, to receive the support which is so positive for a player.

And Colombia played a good game, not only against us, but also against the three teams that they faced. They deserve the credit because those guys, it was fabulous to watch them play. It is a team that is not as strong as and they gave the best of themselves.

Q. For both of you: Your team enjoys tremendous fan support in Miami and most of the places you play. Could you each describe what your fans and their enthusiasm means to the team?
TONY PEÃ‘A: Well, it has been unbelievable. Those guys have been doing great. We know that they were going to be behind us. And like we say in the Dominican, the best player we have is the number 10 player. And the number 10 player are our fans. And they follow us and they know that we are going to give everything we have every single day.

Our country right now, they are in the street right now, because they feel the happiness that we have right now in this moment.

JEAN SEGURA: It's amazing. I can't believe it. I never been in that situation in my life. And to see that crew and support us, that's amazing. It made me feel nervous. I'm not going to lie to you guys, it made me feel nervous when I see that many guys up from the Dominican, that's unbelievable. I think we got the best fans in the world. To be honest with you guys, I'm proud to be a Dominican guy.

Q. Tony, since it is the youngest team that you faced today age-wise, were you surprised by the resistance of this team? And the same question for Jean.
TONY PEÃ‘A: They did one heck of a job. A tremendous job. They are not out of it yet because if Canada wins today, there will be a triple tie. And I think that those young guys played with all their heart and they gave us one heck of a battle. One heck of a battle and you have to tip your hat to them.

That's why, when the game was over, I went to congratulate them, because it was so tough for us. They put up a heck of a fight.

Q. You were talking about instruction, and many teams have been arranged as in a game of chess that reflect the restrictions imposed by MLB. Of course you have to take care of the guys, but did any team give you restrictions and tell you, no, this guy cannot go there? What do you think about that?
TONY PEÃ‘A: That's a good question. But at the same time I would like to have the answer to give to you. I would like to give an answer, I would like to have an answer to give to you in the Classic, at the time it happens where all players are not 100%, that's what I have to restrict and take care of. And me as a coach, as an ex-player, I understand what MLB is doing, because we have the responsibility to take care of each of those players. The last thing a manager wants is for one of those players to get injured. So as time goes by, I'm sure that the Major League Baseball will make a decision in this regard.

Q. Do you plan to keep Beltre as a designated hitter or will you give him a chance at third base? And can you say Jeurys Familia is your closer?
TONY PEÃ‘A: At this time I can say that I'm leaning toward that, that Jeurys will be my closer, but I won't say either that the other guys cannot come in. Because if I see that Familia had thrown too many pitches and then he gets tired, and I'll get somebody else. But at this time I would say that Jeurys Familia will be my closer.

For Beltre, as I said before, I will have every player play, but it will be a bit difficult to take out Machado from third base. I don't take away anything from Beltre, because he's one heck of a third baseman.

Q. You were a stellar catcher. That game by Welington Castillo, did that remind you of your great times?
TONY PEÃ‘A: Oh, the poise of that young man, when the ball got to home, it went over the runner, and Welington struggled and held onto the ball, and I think that was the play in the game. And after that, of course, the big hits. So, as a catcher, I'm very pleased. I admire him as a catcher.

Q. What can you tell us about the job done by Manny Machado? He stole the show, playing unbelievably at third base.
TONY PEÃ‘A: To me, it's not a surprise, the job that Manny Machado did, because he's one of the best baseball players. Nothing that Machado has done surprises me. That young man prepared very well, because last year he was saying, I'm going to go to play in the Classic, and he's here and he's doing everything.

Q. The debut today for the sudden death, you decided have Mel Rojas pinch-hit for Nelson Cruz and execute a bunt. So if Nelson had not come out, what decision would you have made?
TONY PEÃ‘A: Well, thank God that it didn't happen (Laughter).

It's clear, because I cannot lie to myself, that's one thing that I was looking forward to, to see what I was going to do, what I'm going to do. Really. I was waiting for it, because I took out Nelson because he was feeling his leg a bit tired.

Q. So the rule?
TONY PEÃ‘A: So the rule, I think, according to the rule, it is to the advantage of the visiting team, because the visiting team is the first one that's going to execute the play. So it gives a bit of an advantage to the visiting team, because I want to get the lead. So at that time I was doing what I could to hold Familia back, because if we faced that situation and we scored a run, Familia is the best pitcher, with that sinker that he his, with guys on first and second, that's not so easy to bunt against his sinker. So that's my opinion.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 1ST ROUND POOL C

March 12, 2017

Tony Pena

Jean Segura