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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: FINALSMarch 20, 2017Carlos CorreaEdwin DiazLos Angeles, California Puerto Rico - 4, Kingdom of the Netherlands - 3 (11) Q. So far in this preseason to pitch 12 times is an effort. We were surprised the organization is in agreement, you decided with your director? EDWIN DIAZ: No, we decided yesterday. I thought that it was going to be one inning, and they asked me if I was ready for the next inning, and I said I feel fine. I feel fresh. And my arm is ready. Yes, can you tell? Q. Carlos, we saw you talking with Edwin a lot after the tensions with Balentien. Can you say what you spoke about over that at the mound? CARLOS CORREA: Well, I was trying to calm him down. We got excited, you know. I wasn't trying to hit him in such a close game, but we were full of emotions, and they came out of the dugout. I just tried to calm it down. He's doing his job. It's not the first time we're in this situation in this campaign, so he knows what he has to do. Q. Edwin, well, your directive said that you will not be available for the game on Wednesday, which is the final against Japan or the United States. Is there a possibility that you can talk with your organization, the Seattle Mariners? Would you be willing to throw on Wednesday? EDWIN DIAZ: I am ready to throw on Wednesday, to pitch on Wednesday. I'm going to talk to my organization to see because it's the last game. And I think that I have a day of rest because tomorrow we're off. So I'm going to try to talk to the organization and see if they give me the break, because they have worked with me fine, and I hope they say yes. Q. What has it meant for both of you, such a wonderful role that Puerto Rico has played in this tournament? CARLOS CORREA: Well, it means a lot, because Puerto Ricans have gone through a very difficult situation currently and we were able to unite our country. Also because of our blond hair and through baseball. So we have united the country through sports. That means tremendously. And we have been able to unite our country with our blond hair, with the game, we are united. So criminality has increased during the World Baseball Classic, and that's what we want as players to unite our country, our people, and give them the best. Q. You are a very young team, aside from Beltran, Molina or Pagan that are veterans. So how much weight do those veterans have to keep that team in tune during the whole game? You can see that any young player can lose concentration, but you remain united? EDWIN DIAZ: Since the way very first day when we met, we have remained united with Pagan, J.C. Romero, that has helped us a lot. Many years of experience we have, and we have taken it as a learning experience, and things have turned out just right. They have had many situations like this, so we then asked them and we learn, and we are going to teach the ones after us. Q. Four years ago you were watching the game from home, and four years later you are in the final of the World Baseball Classic. Is it like a dream? There were games against Mexico, the United States, and now the Netherlands. Tell us what you have learned? EDWIN DIAZ: Well, I already answered this question. I gave everything. I want to give everything for my country, give them join. I see this game like it was the last game. Being able to represent my country is an honor, it's a pride. When I was younger, I saw the games, but now I'm living them. CARLOS CORREA: It's exciting. EDWIN DIAZ: I don't feel old at all. Well, before I was just a kid. Q. Carlos, you were 17 in 2013, and now here you are fulfilling a dream. Tell me about waiting to be in the World Baseball Classic and now you're in the final? CARLOS CORREA: The last one I wanted to play but I was too young. This one with I was watching because I'm going to represent Puerto Rico, so undoubtedly I am very happy with having the opportunity. So we are able to finish it on Wednesday. Q. Now you are waiting for another result, no need to do anything. Now the last two out of the WBC in 2013, your team beat Japan. This time in the WBC, you beat off Team USA twice. For your team, who do you prefer? Which team? CARLOS CORREA: I don't prefer any team. Whoever is the opponent, we're going to go out there and try to beat them. You know what I mean? So obviously Japan has the task at hand beating USA. USA has a great team as well. So we'll be watching the game, for sure and we'll be tuning in to see who we're going to face. But it doesn't matter who we face. We're going to be ready. Q. 441 feet, 109 miles, it has been the most exciting hit in your young career? CARLOS CORREA: I would say one of the most exciting, undoubtedly, and to do it in this semifinal game, and to be able to tie in the first inning against the Netherlands, it meant tremendously to us and for me personally. Q. For both of you, are you conscious of the impact that you are having with something that started as just a commitment with the blond team and what this has caused with the young people in the island? EDWIN DIAZ: Well, we wanted to do this to unite the team, and then the people in Puerto Rico, they started dying their hair too. So I saw that there were some students that were suspended from school. I don't know what to say about that. But I think they shouldn't be doing that, because it just means that we have united of our nation. All of Puerto Rico. So the Puerto Ricans in the United States have dyed their hair blond, so we didn't think it was going to be this huge, but we were able to accomplish that. CARLOS CORREA: Are you from Puerto Rico or for the Dominican Republic? We're going to ask you to dye your hair too. Q. Yadier Molina is probably a future Hall of Famer, couple World Series rings. Can you tell what this means to him as far as your success? CARLOS CORREA: Well, the other day when we played Dominican, I think when we beat Dominican, he came into the clubhouse and said it was the best game he's ever played and been part of. That game he hit a home run, and he led the game from his position. So I think he's having a great time. I think this is one of the greatest times he's having right now, being able to be one of the older guys teaching the younger guys, but at the same time having fun like a little kid. I mean, he's having a blast. I'm enjoying playing with him. This is the first time I've played with him, and it's been a great experience. EDWIN DIAZ: Yadi's the best. Q. Carlos, that game for us was like a roller coaster of emotions. How did you feel in the field, and how much emotion does it give you for the final? CARLOS CORREA: The first thing we want to do when we're so intense is just to calm down, take control of the emotions and have the abilities take care of the game. In my case, I didn't feel any pressure. I just stood at third base and waited. When I'm batting, I didn't feel any pressure. Simply, when I feel that I'm all excited, I tried to calm down, breathe deep, and concentrate on what we're doing. This is something that we rehearse every day. So we will be able to do it well at the end. EDWIN DIAZ: Well, I don't put pressure when I'm pitching. I just try to enjoy the moment and be happy on the mound. Anything can happen, but I try to do things the best I can and just enjoy the moment. Q. So what is the momentum that you have for the final? We could say we have 100, 200, 1,000 percent? CARLOS CORREA: We are active. Q. Carlos, in the tenth, Lindor got on base, and you did a roll into double play. Did it cross your mind to do a sacrifice? CARLOS CORREA: No, we already talked about it in the dugout that it was my turn to bunt to second. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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