WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - KOREA VS CHINA

March 13, 2023

Dean Treanor

Tokyo Dome

Team China

Postgame Press Conference

Korea 22, China 2

DEAN TREANOR: When I think about how far we've come, how I feel about our players. It's just, you know, again, this is a tough one and there's a lot of pain that goes with this. There was a lot of hugging going on in the room and I mean, I love those guys.

I love team China. I love China. I love Japan. I want to say this before this thing ends: I appreciate all the support from the media, Chinese media, Japan media. You've treated me so well, and like I've said, the people here and the turnout from China tonight, it's just incredible to me, it really is.

So this has been a great experience for myself, and I hope that people look at us the same way as they did, you know, over the first three games of this thing; that there's a lot of good things that came out of this tournament with our team.

But I want to say thank you to the media and to the fans, of course. The support has been tremendous, just tremendous.

Q. So the record for Team China is 0-4. Looking back on the 2023 WBC, please give us a summary or if you have a specific moment or memory of the 2023 WBC tournament, please share.

DEAN TREANOR: I know it's an 0-4 record. That does not tell the story. That's not the story of Team China. It's not the story of these players. For a summary of this, the moment is just being a part this. Just being part of the 2023 WBC. This is the most excitement for the WBC. This is by far the most excitement that really, globally, is for the WBC, and you see it with the attendance here, the players that are involved. I mean, it's just a great experience, like I said, but everyone needs to know that 0-4 does not say who we are.

Q. You just finished four games, and you're eliminated from the tournament. But in the future, maybe it's a bit earlier to ask you, but what would you like to improve in the future for Team China's baseball?

DEAN TREANOR: Well, I think the thing is just to continue to improve. This team has improved dramatically like I said from day one in China to now and it's just a matter of keeping -- we need to keep improving, and the players realize that. They know by looking across the way at the other teams that except for tonight, we've competed very, very well.

And like I said, tonight was the last thing that I expected to happen and the last thing that the team expected to happen. Like I said, there's a lot of good things that came out of this. This is something to build upon. We're trying to get that baseball culture in China; I think this is a step in the right direction. Again, tonight does not change that.

Q. Obviously not the result you wanted but Alan Carter started the game, wasn't what you wanted, but how important is he to the future of the team, and also in the locker room? When you took him out, he jogged off the top of the field and he was on top of the steps in the fifth inning. How important is he in the locker room and how important will he be over the next three years?

DEAN TREANOR: It's a great question, and he's disappointed, obviously. He all felt and we all felt that this was the right decision to start him. We wanted to stay in this game early. Unfortunately that's not what happened.

Again, it didn't change how we feel about him. He's got a very bright future ahead of him, not only with Team China but with the Angels organization in America. He wanted this tonight. He wanted the ball, and I know he's disappointed, but as you said, and I saw it, he was on the top step of the dugout. Very positive. I know he feels like he let the team down but that's not the case. Like I said, he's got a bright future and he's going to be a part of this for a long time.