WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - MEXICO VS CANADA

March 15, 2023

Rowdy Tellez

Chase Field

Team Mexico

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Big game today, of course. And what's the mindset going into the game?

ROWDY TELLEZ: It's a must-win. We need to go in, we need to win. We need to play good. But we have a ready team. We have Jose on the mound. So I think we're real confident going into the game.

May have squeaked one out yesterday. I don't think anybody was too thrilled with it. We won. It's a win. But I think we need to hold ourselves to a little higher standard.

But it is a big game. It's either win or go home, really. And try to go in there, not play with that kind of pressure but have that mentality.

Q. I know you probably have been asked. But can you go through the options you had in terms of the teams you could have played for in this tournament and kind of why you went with the one you did? And what the other ones were appealing, how the other ones appealed to you?

ROWDY TELLEZ: I could have played for obviously Mexico, Israel and USA. And Mexico asked me in 2017, kind of felt it out to see where I was. And my team said no. And then right before, I think, the COVID season was supposed to be the next Classic, and we had communicated a little bit more.

And I kind of told them that's where I wanted to play. And then when this one came around, they reached back out again. Israel reached out. USA told me I wasn't good enough.

So I really wanted to play for Mexico. It's kind of like the heritage I grew up with. Grew up with my dad's family. It's really special to be a part of Team Mexico. That's where I wanted to play.

Obviously being here and seeing the environment that we have is really special. It means a lot to me. Really honored to wear the M on my chest and play for the country that my family is from.

Q. How have the crowds been to you? I know from our vantage point it seems like it's been a party in the stands. Have you experienced things like that before in the past, just the enthusiasm?

ROWDY TELLEZ: I wouldn't say enthusiasm, like how it is here. Obviously the Mexican culture is a big -- I wouldn't call it a party culture -- but it's a fiesta every time.

They're a very proud culture. And we love to just be around each other; we're one giant family.

I think anytime we can get around to represent our country, our fans are really going to back us. So it's going to be really exciting to keep this going.

And it is, it's a crazy environment. I said that when we beat USA that I've never been in any environment like that. And I've played in playoff games, had big at-bats in playoff games. And there was nothing that compared to playing USA.

When Joey hit those home runs, it was crazy. I don't think anything I've ever been a part of it compares to what we were doing.

Q. I know it's only been about a week you've been around him, but what's it been like playing for Benji and how would you describe sort of his style?

ROWDY TELLEZ: Benji's really awesome. He lets us do what we want to do. Keeps it loose. He played in the big leagues for a while. He's been in the big leagues as a coach for a long time.

I think he really understands and gets us. But he's also very supportive of what we do and he keeps it very light in the clubhouse. But when he wants to say something, everybody listens. There's a big respect for him.

I did some research on him before I came over here to play and learned who my manager was. He's very well known in Mexico, pride of Mexico, Tijuana. One of those things where you're very, very happy to play for him, but he's really, really easy to play for.

Q. You mentioned Jose earlier. What have you seen from him just playing with him in the big leagues? What makes him wired for a moment like this?

ROWDY TELLEZ: When you pitch in a World Series, I don't think there's anything more wired than that. So I think his experience in big games, his ability to pitch, his confidence, his demeanor on the mound -- it really kind of resonates to all of us.

He's one of those guys, you sit there, when you play behind him and you see that on the mound, it's calming for us. It's also very relaxing, and it just brings a little extra energy, you know he's going to do something special so we need to keep with him.

Q. What you heard from Luis Urias prior to the Classic, has it come to fruition or has it been different been?

ROWDY TELLEZ: It's been exactly what he's said. He's been spot on with saying how prideful the Mexican culture is, how exciting it is and how much of an honor it is to represent your country.

So I think what he said is spot on, but I think it's even better with the guys that we have in the clubhouse. It's pretty special when you see everybody and everybody takes care of everybody, all the guys are just really easy to get along with. So it's been really, really fun. Really easy to be a part of this team.

Q. What can we expect from Canada, and it has been confirmed that Freddie Freeman will not play. How will this take effect? How big is the loss of Freddie Freeman from their lineup? How does that affect their team?

ROWDY TELLEZ: We expect them to play as hard as they can. And they're going to play. This is a very meaningful game to both of us. It is both of us, win or go home.

But the loss of Freddie Freeman will definitely play a factor into this. He's one of the best players in the Major Leagues. He's an MVP. He's an All-Star. I think that takes a hit away from them. I think it takes a little wind out of their sails. But we can't let that do anything. There's another eight guys in that lineup. They're going to fill his spot with somebody. We just need to play our game and we'll be fine.