WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - GREAT BRITAIN VS UNITED STATES

March 11, 2023

Nolan Arenado

Paul Goldschmidt

Chase Field

Team United States

Postgame Press Conference

USA - 6, Great Britain - 2

Q. Six years ago you guys both had your struggles in the World Baseball Classic. And I'm wondering, you had a great night tonight. What's the difference? Were you younger guys back then trying to figure it out, and now you're senior members of the team and people are aligned? Or just growth as players, maturity? What do you think it is, for both of you?

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: First off, we're evaluating five games. Any of us could -- or tonight, one game -- we could play good or bad over that stretch, you never really know.

But I definitely feel more comfortable this time around being more of a veteran player, having gone through it before. So hopefully that leads to success going forward, understanding what it's like. This is such a different tournament than we're used to instead of 162-game season. So hopefully that continues for us and for the team.

NOLAN ARENADO: I think for me, kind of the same thing, I think it's just today was just our day. We had good at-bats today. And '17 we didn't have to have good at-bats; the other guys picked us up. It's one of those things.

As long as we continue to pick each other up that's all that matters. Just having that experience, knowing what we're getting ourselves into. I think what me and Goldy do a job of is knowing the routines are kind of out the window because we had the experience of the last one -- because, like, we're supposed to hit BP today but the game before went a little long. We understood how this was going to go. So I think that experience definitely helped us prepare for how this tournament would be.

Q. As veterans of the WBC in that 2017 team, what's been the main message to the guys out there doing this for the first time?

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: I think just trying to share what the experience is like, just because from everything from I remember last time like I could barely hit in the cages one game.

We were about to play an elimination game and the game before us went long. We were hitting BP and we had to get out and the other team was getting in the cage. And today we had plenty of time.

But I think there's just stuff like that. Nolan and I talk about it, you can't try to do your normal routine in a regular season. You don't have the guy who normally throws you BP, and your hitting coach and teammates and all that stuff.

I think just sharing those experiences -- hey, this is what it was like. Even as something as much as there's a lot of nerves when you go out there that first game or in these big games. They're playoff-type games, World Series-type atmosphere.

So, giving a little insight. To me that's been the biggest thing is just to share what we went through. And guys did that for us, too, and to pass that forward.

NOLAN ARENADO: Also not taking anybody lightly. We learned that against Colombia in '17, how tough that first game was for us. But we have to go after everybody we can. It's going to be tough.

A lot of the pitchers we're facing we don't know. We have to find a way to compete and not anybody lightly, because it could be anybody's day, just like it is in the regular season.

But this one specifically, as far as, I think every pitcher we faced today besides Worley we've never had an at-bat against. So that part's always tough.

Q. Sluggish start but you guys found your rhythm midway through the game. Did you see guys settle in, maybe see the nerves subside a little bit that you're talking about?

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: Really, we were just a couple hits away. We had bases loaded in the first inning. And I think we had some guys on in the second. We had guys on almost every inning. We ended up leaving a bunch of guys on base.

But to me that's a good sign. We had a lot of guys on base and good at-bats. Their guys did a good job. It's good to get that win.

It's really so different than what we're used to. We're coming out of Spring Training. As much as you try to prepare, until you get out there on that field for that first game you don't know what to expect and tomorrow, all the teams, all the five teams here and across, it's such a different experience. So everyone will be more settled in when they get to game two.

Q. You guys have both been to the playoffs multiple times. But where does the gold medal for this event rank for you in terms of your career accomplishments, and how is it different than taking the Diamondbacks or the Rockies or the Cardinals to the playoffs?

NOLAN ARENADO: I think the environment is very similar to the playoff environments that I've been in. But I think winning the gold medal, we can't play in the Olympics. It really is up there for me. Winning that was amazing.

Every time I've played in the playoffs we haven't got far, the teams I've been on. And I haven't performed well.

Being able to be part of a team that won -- I actually didn't perform well in '17 either. So just being part of a group of people that pick each other up was an amazing feeling. And obviously we're hopeful that this season for the Cardinals we can change that.

But, like I said, for me it's way up there because, like I said, wearing USA and having fans chanting that, it just hits a little bit different.

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: I think for me, I've said it, it's one of the best baseball experiences in my life, the one in '17, because how positive that was, how much fun I had was why I -- I was only halfway joking, I begged to be on this team. I would have done anything, I had so much fun. It's way up there.

It's no different if you get a chance to win the World Series, you're working through that for a whole year. We get to come together for two to three weeks. But it's different when you're representing your country and your playing with different players. So both those things or success as a team, they're a little different but they're both ranked way up there.

Q. Talking about feeding off the crowd and the USA chant. The fact that your lineup is so talented, can you also feel the energy of the crowd to elevate you to perhaps another level?

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: I think for me it's just trying not to get too excited in the moment. Everyone wants to get that big hit and win the game and win this thing. So I think it's about more, at least I think from an offensive side, kind of controlling your emotions and not getting too amped up where you're chasing pitches out of the zone and stuff like that.

I think you try to use that energy for focus and not necessarily like take your intensity up. Intensity is already there. Just kind of use, not just the crowd but the players around us to just make sure your focus is tough.

NOLAN ARENADO: I think also there's like 12 George Washingtons and two Ben Franklins out there. It feels pretty good. Those get me hyped up, too. (Laughter).

Q. Mark DeRosa was talking about pregame prep. Your players talk about you have to stick to your routine. Others say if you stick to it and it's changed, that could throw you off. So what is the answer to it to have success either way, when you have your routine and when you don't?

NOLAN ARENADO: I think for me it's not overthinking it. When you don't get your routine, you're like I don't know if this is going to go well, I didn't get my ABC, in order. Where this tournament, going into it, I know how it was going to go.

Today we were taking ground balls in the outfield today. It kind of like hit me, I haven't taken ground balls in the outfield since I was in Little League. When I was doing it I was, I'm going to focus, make sure I do it the right way like I would do ground balls. And it prepared me. I was ready to go.

And no BP today. That's fine. I don't hit BP sometimes anyway. Got my cage work in. Like I said, it's not overthinking it and just kind of like competing and not thinking that I need to get that in for me to have success.

Q. You go back to 2017, after the tournament, you guys both had monster 2017 regular seasons. Any correlation?

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: I hope so. I do think this prepares you. We talked -- you're kind of closer to midseason form. All of a sudden Opening Day rolls around, you're like I've already been doing this. The intensity is not anywhere close to these games until you get to the playoffs.

And so I think it has the potential to help. It's not a guarantee. But looking back, I think it can get you to kind of in a better spot.

NOLAN ARENADO: Like I said, I really do believe in this tournament. I do believe it gets you ready for Opening Day. Opening Day is not that hyped because we're playing against all these teams out here. But I really loved it. Like I said, if I give any advice to young players, you've got to play in it if you can.

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: Also, you learn a lot from your teammates. We're playing with some of the best players in the world. We're sitting in the cage, talking and hitting. Getting in those conversations. I learned a lot last time. I was in the cage -- our coaching staff is incredible, too. There's a lot of stuff I picked up and stuff I learned now too that I'll take into the regular season that will make me a better player. Hopefully it ends up with a good year. But if not, it definitely will help my career.

Q. You mentioned not taking opponents too lightly. And obviously you didn't today. What did you see from Team Great Britain that's going to make them tough going forward?

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT: You saw, they came right out. Their offense was good. They had a lot of hits. Had some speed out there. And they played solid all the way around.

And we were able to just get those couple big hits, couple extra base hits. We had a lot of guys on base but they were able to get out of it. So they did a good job. And we were fortunate to get the win.

NOLAN ARENADO: Like I said earlier, you don't take anybody lightly. If I was a team facing them, I wouldn't take them lightly either. Those are the little things. That's when bad things happen. So they compete. They have good at-bats.

Like I said, we went into this game like we were facing Clayton Kershaw. We went in this game facing the best. That's my advice.