WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - COLOMBIA VS GREAT BRITAIN

March 13, 2023

Drew Spencer

Chase Field

Team Great Britain

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Canada manager Ernie Whitt said yesterday you guys kept battling no matter what. Even when the other team has scored, you guys have punched back. What's kind of the atmosphere in the dugout that even though you're coming off the field and the other team just scored they look like they're ready to hit when they head back to the dugout?

DREW SPENCER: The whole point is to get to Miami. It's a tournament. And if you're playing tournament baseball, these kinds of swings happen. And sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down.

What defines a winning tournament team is that relentless ability to punch back. So we actually talk a lot about being the kind of team that's fearless, that's selfless and relentless. And it's being relentless that's defined us; that's what got us here.

You remember that Spain game. And in that Spain game it was relentless effort, and we know that's what we're going to need to get to Miami.

Q. You mentioned Germany. You talked about how precociously talented Harry is, the home run he had yesterday. What about his offensive skill -- he's 20 years old, and he's essentially anchoring your lineup; how talented is he from your angle?

DREW SPENCER: I mean, he's a top 100 prospect. And I think he shows it, and he shows it on both sides of the ball. So that's, again, how you end up being a relentless team is you have talent all up and down the lineup even if it's not been tested on the greatest stages as yet.

And Harry's one. And we saw yesterday what he's capable of if you miss your spot or you give him a hittable pitch. And I expect to see him doing that for many years to come.

Q. What are you expecting to see from Colombia today?

DREW SPENCER: A battle. I mean, I think that we know that that's a very talented team. We know that they're good on both sides of the ball. So we're expecting a battle.

We're expecting them to play great defense. We're expecting them to be able to hit the ball. And we know that, at least the kind of starters and the top end of their bullpen, they can move the ball around. So we're just prepared for whatever they're going to throw at us.

Q. You guys have got a blend of just players from all different types of backgrounds, but how important are the Bahamian players to the energy that's in that clubhouse?

DREW SPENCER: Important, maybe the fact that they're Bahamian isn't what makes it important. It's the fact that as individuals they're the kind of players that want to be a spark plug. And we have plenty of guys in that locker room that do that that aren't from the Bahamas.

But I think what's great about that particular group of players and the energy that they bring is that most of them know each other. They grew up together. They play together. So there's a familiarity and a camaraderie that happens.

You've got guys that looked up to and wanted to be like Antoan Richardson and Albert Cartwright. So they've got that calming presence of almost, like, the big brothers in the room. And then you've got guys that have played together since they were kids, getting the chance to button up the same uniform since they probably had to pull them over in Little League.

That's pretty cool. And that energy is special. Chavez Young, absolute spark plug -- I think we'll get him in to talk to you guys in a second. He's an absolute spark plug, absolute fire. But I think that comes down to who he is as an individual more than where he's from.