WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - CANADA VS UNITED STATES

March 13, 2023

Lance Lynn

Mike Trout

Tim Anderson

Chase Field

Team United States

Postgame Press Conference

USA - 12, Canada - 1 (7)

Q. I want to ask all three of you what was the mentality of today. After that painful loss yesterday now you win. What message do you leave to the starter for Canada, since you were young, and there were hardships that you went through? What message do you have for the starter for Canada today?

TIM ANDERSON: I think first off it was to go out and dominate. That's what we did all the way through the lineup out of the gate. For the young guy, man, keep pushing. Things happen.

And he faced a tough lineup. Just gotta be (indiscernible) about it. Faced a tough lineup but he competed. And we competed as well. And we just had the upper hand on him.

MIKE TROUT: I think obviously tough loss last night. We came in with a little swagger. I think it woke us up a little bit. The message for us was go out there and bang, be ourselves.

I think the first couple of games we were just trying to feel ourselves. But today we came in just with a mindset of we're going to dominate. And you put that pressure on a group, that's what's going to happen. We came out, put up nine runs early for the starter and that was huge.

Q. To expand on that a little bit, Tim as well, did you feel there was a little more focus, more energy in the lineup?

MIKE TROUT: Yes, it woke us up a little bit because it didn't turn out the way we wanted it to be last night. From an offensive standpoint, just go out there and be ourselves and, just like I said, like Tim said, just go out there and dominate.

Q. When you guys were younger in your careers, were you ever in Mitch Bratt's shoes, being the young guy, kind of out of your depth a little bit, in a situation? Can you guys recall any situation like that for you?

MIKE TROUT: I think everybody in this game is going to go through a rough stretch. It's how you come out of it. You've got to have that mentality to come out of it.

I think I look back and when I first came up I struggled, but I learned from it. And, like Tim said, it's a tough task for a young kid. I think he's, what, 19 years old? He's going to go out there against our lineup.

Like I said, just try to get through it. Learn from it. And next time he gets in a situation like that, try to be better.

Q. Tim, what made you willing, I guess, to play a new position in a situation like this, and what were some of the challenges? I know it's just switching the other side of the bag, but what are some of the challenges of learning second base on the fly?

TIM ANDERSON: D-Ro just asked me, and I was open for it. It's really not the first time I've played on the other side of the bag. When the shift was -- I stayed on that side (laughter). It's a matter of just getting comfortable and I got comfortable as the game went on. And I was able to complete the task.

Q. Lance, you've talked about having the experience of playing on a national team when you were in college. What was it like some 15 years later?

LANCE LYNN: Just as fun, to be honest. Especially after losing last night. You knew you had to come out with some energy. And I knew if I had to do it early on and let the kids get back in the dugout with the ability to take the lead, we had a good chance. And they put some runs up real quick, and we were able to go after that.

Q. Lance, Mark talked about wanting to get some length out of you to start the game tonight. What was your mentality when you went out there for the first inning?

LANCE LYNN: See if I could get through nine with 65 pitches. That was it (laughter).

Q. Mike, did you know Shohei hit a home run too?

MIKE TROUT: Shoey hit a homer tonight too? Oh, you're talking about --

Q. Earlier.

MIKE TROUT: Nothing surprises me with him.

Q. You guys basically do you feel like you have this pool in your own hands? You just beat Colombia and you pretty much move on. And also as you're learning this is kind of a self-contained unit. Every team you play is different, every matchup is different. So you can't really carry anything over from one game to another, as you saw the last two games. How do you feel? Do you feel like you're in control of this now?

MIKE TROUT: We're definitely in control. Obviously when Great Britain won earlier today, it kind of helped us out a little bit. But we knew after the loss last night we had to win out, win out and see what happens.

And now we've got to come out -- we've got an off day tomorrow -- we've got to come out the same energy and come out with a win.

Q. I don't want to embarrass Tim, but Mark DeRosa was saying a lot of really nice things about you. I want to ask the other two guys up there, Lance you play with Tim. Mike you've seen him, but you're teammates now. For Mike, what have you seen this past week playing with Tim? And, Lance, what makes him the player he is?

MIKE TROUT: He's a star. There's no way else to put it. I think when we went to Chicago, watching him play, I don't think we got him out, to be honest. And I'll put his swing the other way with anybody.

I think that his approach -- he knows the situation, and he's a ball player. And he's doing anything to help the team win. Like I said, moving to second base, I think early in the camp it was just staying at shortstop. But he knew he wanted his bat in the lineup and do whatever he can for the team.

LANCE LYNN: I think you've seen it over the course of his career. Every year he's gotten better. And everybody tells him that he can't do something or something like that, he's going to prove you wrong and do everything that he can to win, no matter where he is, whatever the situation is, whatever situation you put him in. And that's who he is. He's going to win at all costs.

Q. Lance, you referenced it, but was this not unlike a regular season game where the bullpen's used the night before and you just know going in you've got to give at least four or five, even with the pitch count?

LANCE LYNN: Yes, normal game during the season you've got like 130. We didn't have that opportunity tonight. But those are the games you're here for. You know that your team needs you. You know you've got to show up. You know you've got to go deep. And it worked out tonight.

Q. Tim, obviously Lance just said everybody knows who you are. But did you feel coming here that you still had something to prove, maybe even just to your teammates, that you were at their level?

TIM ANDERSON: Yes, I'm always out to prove something. Just to be among some of the greats. I just get a chance for the world to see what kind of athlete I am and also the guys get to know what kind of person I am, human being. I'm just very thankful and blessed for this opportunity.

Q. Tim, you've had a big playoff series, All-Star games, what was a night like tonight for you?

TIM ANDERSON: Just fun. Just fun. Being in the lineup with so many dudes, you ain't really got to do too much. The whole goal is really to just pass the stick, and I think you've seen it out of the gate tonight. And we just kept pouring it on them.