WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL A

March 7, 2023

Bert Blyleven

Mike Piazza

Mariano Rivera

Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium

Hall of Famers

Workout Day Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to a special conference here in Taichung International Baseball Stadium. With Pool A play beginning tomorrow here in Taiwan, we are very pleased to have with us three legends of baseball who are all members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

We have with us Bert Blyleven, a Hall of Fame starting pitcher with more than 3,700 strikeouts in 22 major league seasons who is the pitching coach for the Netherlands, his home country where he was born. We have Mike Piazza, Hall of Famer who holds the major league record in home runs as a catcher, manager of Team Italy. And here representing his home country of Panama is Mariano Rivera, Hall of Fame closer with the most saves in major league history.

We are thrilled to have them all thrilled to have you all here in Taiwan for the World Baseball Classic, and at this time I would ask each of you to share your thoughts on being here representing your team in Taiwan, and we can start with Bert, if you'd like.

Bert, how are you feeling about being here in Taiwan with the Dutch team?

BERT BLYLEVEN: This is my fourth time with the World Baseball Classic, 2009, 2013, we were here with the Netherlands team in Taiwan. We advanced to Japan and then made it over to San Francisco. My time here in Taiwan the people have been so friendly, it's a great culture here. We have been treated really first class. All the players, behalf of the Netherlands team, we thank you for holding this tournament here and we are looking to win it all, the Dutch team is. So we're going to kick their butt.

MIKE PIAZZA: I think the tournament will be very interesting and we'll see but we know it's going to be difficult but we are very, very excited to be here. Thank you.

MARIANO RIVERA: It's a privilege to be here, first time in this country, beautiful country. I played with someone called Chien-Ming Wang that always talked about Taiwan. This is the first time that permitted me to be here and representing Panama and representing baseball overall.

It's beautiful when you see countries coming together to represent it the game that we love, which is baseball, and seeing the youngsters here playing with them and having a clinic with them and talking to them about baseball, it's amazing.

I mean, baseball has a way to go far and spread love that nothing else can express. For me I'm delighted to be here and I thank God for that.

Q. (What do you remember about playing with Chien-Ming Wang)?

MARIANO RIVERA: Playing with Chien-Ming Wang for so many years, it was amazing, knowing him the way he came to the big leagues from the minor leagues. I mean, seeing the talent and how devoted he was for the game and representing his country, it always amazing me. I was so happy to have him as my teammate and being able to close games for him.

I remember the time that he got hurt running the bases on second base, and I definitely believe that that's why we shouldn't be running no bases as a pitcher. It's amazing. Again, obviously you know what I mean, being a pan amain January, that's my vote. I hope Panama does and goes all the way.

Beyond that, it's baseball. You're representing baseball, and why not, you know what I mean, use you see all these countries coming to play the game that we love, it's amazing. Thank you.

Q. Coach Piazza, you were here in 1993 as part of a friendship game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the then newly formed Chinese professional baseball league. How has Taiwan's baseball scene evolved if at all, since then?

MIKE PIAZZA: I think the tradition here in Taiwan for baseball is obviously very deep. I mean, I remember as a kid watching little league teams from Taiwan play in the United States in Williamsport, Pennsylvania where I'm from, and I think since that tour, obviously the league has expanded.

Several new ballparks have been built, and more foreign players have come to play here, has made the league more attractive for American players and obviously other players from around the world, and I think Taiwan should be very proud of their support of baseball.

Obviously the national team is very, very skilled. They are very strong in the fundamentals. They may not be as strong or as big as some of the other athletes in other countries but they compete very well. They are very drilled in fundamentals and very tough to defense. So it's great.

I mean, speaking for all of us, we are so thrilled with the growth of baseball around the world, the game that has given us everything that we have, and we are so happy and honored to be here. As I said before, we look forward to a very difficult competition. I'm overwhelmed with the excitement. I think the fans are in for a real treat. I think it's going to be great tournament.

Q. (No translation.)

MARIANO RIVERA: Yes, being able to, again, play with Williamsport, Pennsylvania for so many years and see him, how he was dominating the league with the sinker, I mean, he was a pitcher that was -- I was delighted to see him pitch and see him grow, because obviously I'm older than him and I was there before him. You know, seeing him develop his way to pitch and into the big leagues, I mean, you're facing the best hitters there is in the world, and he was able to do that successfully.

Again, I don't know about the cutter and his slider. I'm going to be political answer (laughing) but I think that that cutter was a little bit of an advantage because it was older (laughs). Thank you.

Q. I have a question to Mr. Rivera, please. Have you taught your cutter to any players in Panama?

MARIANO RIVERA: Yes, yes, I did. Matter of fact, I got in trouble in 2008 because I was teaching Roy Halladay the cutter, and he was doing so good against us that the guys fined me because they were saying, oh, because of you, he's beating us.

I did. So many players, many pitchers came to me, National League and American League, to try to teach them the cutter. But the crazy thing about it is that I was taught by the Lord because Mel didn't teach me the cutter, okay. I was -- matter of fact, I was trying to make that pitch stop moving because I have no control of it. And when I have control of it, it was a different game, but definitely --

MIKE PIAZZA: Should be an illegal. It should be an illegal pitch. Ban the cutter (laughter).

MARIANO RIVERA: You know, Tom Kelly says that, it should be illegal. Because I was pitching against the Twins.

I don't know about that, though, but it was illegal.

Q. Some players thought you will pitch in this tournament.

MARIANO RIVERA: Oh, really? (Laughter) No, everything hurts right now. I was working out with the kids and I was enjoying myself and compete with them but no, man, I give up that game ten years ago, all right. I gave everything that I have for the game, so I emptied the tank. No competition for me this year. Maybe next year or the following one, the golf one, yeah.

Q. Can you talk about participating in the World Baseball Classic?

MIKE PIAZZA: As far as the pitchers were concerned, we decided we needed flexibility, and we in the past didn't feel -- I feel we didn't take enough pitching, so we just decided that we needed to bring more arms to throw.

Also, the teams are very concerned, obviously the guys that are signed to major league teams that they are going to obviously observe and make sure that nobody gets overworked, and so we thought it would be a better strategy to just take more pitchers.

As far as catching, we are fortunate. We have a pretty interesting team and guys that are flexible can play different positions. We have catchers that can play first base, and things like that.

So I wasn't that talented. I was the one -- I don't know if that would translate well but I was too slow to do anything else. But no, these tournaments are interesting. You have to have a strategy. Sometimes they work out. Obviously we hope ours does.

Q. This question would be for any of you guys. With baseball nowadays that has changed a lot from your time, how important do you think a tournament like this, the WBC, is for baseball?

BERT BLYLEVEN: I think it's very important. There's 20 countries being represented in the WBC this year. Previously, I believe, there was only 16. So we've added four more countries. I think baseball's worldwide now. There are so many great countries that are being represented, not only in this pool but the other three pools. I think the competition is very good.

I know the Dutch team, myself, I have a lot of pitchers that are from Holland, Curacao, some of them in the minor leagues. We have a great defense with Bogaerts and Simmons and Profar, Gregorius, and I'm missing some of them, but we probably might have the best infield that my pitchers are going to pitch behind.

So my big thing is throw strikes, get the ball over the plate, and utilize your defense. So I think that's the Dutch's philosophy is be aggressive. We're stubborn and we're going to continue to be stubborn.

MIKE PIAZZA: I think a tournament like this is still very important. I think baseball is maybe a little different than other sports. There's no perfect time to play it. I mean, obviously spring training guys aren't in midseason form. So personally from our side, we decided to take a younger approach, and I think that's important because some veterans may just not be in the shape they need to be to play a tournament like this. All these factors have to come together.

But far as the importance of this event, in my opinion, it's still very important, and perfect the response and the interest I see online, there's a lot of people that really enjoy this tournament, and I think it can do nothing but help the game.

And again, we pray that everyone comes out of here in good shape, injury-free and that we are able to have a great championship, because it is. And so there's never a perfect model. There's never a perfect time and hopefully it just keeps getting better every time we do it.

Q. Is there a number one thing that has to go right for your teams, your countries, to make it out of Pool A into the next round?

BERT BLYLEVEN: I will start that. We have to score more runs than the other team. (Laughter).

MIKE PIAZZA: I think tournament ball is different. You have to manage differently because you don't have the luxury of a season to let people work things out.

It's pretty much all hands on deck, and you need everyone to be flexible and everyone to be patient and everyone to work together. It's challenging but I think we hopefully feel like we put the team together that can respond.

But yeah, there's also a lot of luck involved as well. So it's also good to be lucky.

MARIANO RIVERA: It is. You have to be careful, also, because I mean, again, you don't want to get -- you're going to push the players to a level that they think you're hurt, so you know what I mean, I think this is important, just to the game itself. Just play the game, enjoy the game and make sure that you don't overload pitchers or any infielders perhaps.

BERT BLYLEVEN: It's true.

MIKE PIAZZA: Good point.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you all for being with us today.