WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: QUARTERFINALS 2 - USA VS VENEZUELA

March 18, 2023

Omar López

LoanDepot Park

Team Venezuela

Pregame Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started. We'll start in the second row.

Q. How are you doing, Omar? Do you think that the best hitter of the lineup should be in the second spot in the lineup?

OMAR LOPEZ: No, not necessarily, much less in the Classic. Any of the players here, especially those with the skills to be in the second spot in the lineup, could be there. You have Arraez, Santander, Altuve could do that as well. We have several. We just have to look for the best spot for them so that they can apply the strategy thinking about how the rival can play against them.

Q. Speaking about the lineup, the lineup versus Israel had some players in the upper part, in the top part, and that couldn't be the case in the future, not necessarily. We have seen Acuña in the fifth spot, for example. Have you seen anything in that game versus Israel and that's why you are keeping that lineup or maybe Jose versus Lynn. Is there a cause for you to keep the same lineup? Because you said that you were looking for something different.

OMAR LOPEZ: Everything changes according to the starter announced by the United States. It could be Wainwright or Freeland. We were playing to guess. When we found out yesterday the starting pitcher, we changed some things. In my theory, someone -- you have to sacrifice someone, looking for having a very good and balanced lineup.

When you use the relief pitchers, they will have to think about that, and the one that could be anxious, in my opinion, or wants to do more I'm going to remove some pressure from them. And I did that with Acuña. He's in the same spot. And Santander can be at any lineup spot 9th, 2nd, 7th, whatever. He can even pitch.

Q. How much data do you have for this lineup?

OMAR LOPEZ: I'm feeling 50/50.

Q. You decided Martín Pérez as the starting pitcher. Which qualities of Martín do you like?

OMAR LOPEZ: It was not like that. It was not a conviction. We hoped to manipulate some things, but we couldn't. They have a pitching rotation in their organizations and we used him in the first round and we have to continue doing that. We didn't do anything special to manipulate things, no.

As a matter of fact, when we started analyzing yesterday the lineups, the recurring lineups of the Team USA, we realized that we didn't have to invent or re-invent a lot. Martín applies for any lineup in the Classic, especially in our pool.

I have seen some stats on Twitter, some reporters that analyze Martín's career playing in the U.S. I don't take a look at that history. I just take a look at the previous year and maybe two years. For example, in 2022, that guy pitched a lot. He has the experience, he has the time to work, and to me, is one of the best Venezuelan pitchers in the Majors.

Q. (No microphone.)

OMAR LOPEZ: He just locates pitches, he makes pitches, he knows the weaknesses of the hitters, and he exploits those weaknesses. It could be a U.S. lineup, but there is always a threshold that it can reach and with good execution by Martín, we can make it.

Q. Two questions: You said that after practice these days, you would be able to define or announce the remaining starting pitchers if you go to the semifinals and finals. Can you announce that today? And the second question, considering that the starter has a larger number of pitches are we going to continue with the same working plan or that depends on the bullpen?

OMAR LOPEZ: I said that yesterday, and I apologize for that. I could say that, I could announce that. But we have to win today first. Winning today I could come after the game to the press conference and to announce who would be the starting pitcher tomorrow. But we have to be focused on today's game. There is no tomorrow. So far everyone is available to pitch except for the starting pitchers that played in the last games.

If I have this availability in the bullpen, I will use it. It's a life-or-death game. Like I said, at the beginning of the tournament, I told the guys that there was a margin to mistake and there was only the first round. Starting today there is no tomorrow. It is today or today or we go home. So everyone is available today. Let's see what happens today to speak about tomorrow.

Q. (No microphone.)

OMAR LOPEZ: Yeah, sure. With Santander in the first exhibition games, I just watched him. I didn't ask any questions. When I talked to him, he said I was trying to make some adjustments. I was not looking to produce. I was just making some adjustments, especially mentally. I wanted my body to recognize what I was trying to do to be ready for the tournament. And it worked for him.

Q. About this game, Omar, do you think that this is the most challenging game in your career as a manager? You have a talented team, but you also have very young players. What would be the message for these younger players that are in the first Classic so that they calm down and continue playing the good baseball they have played so far?

OMAR LOPEZ: I wanted to tell you that this was the most important challenge for me, but no, the most important challenge to me is when I took over the management of this team and to structure what we have done so far, and today is not the end. We are leaving a good legacy for the country, for the team.

That generation of relief pitchers we're talking about, they're learning about what a Classic is. They are learning what it's like to work as a team, with union, to represent our country. I think the things that happened in the past are in the past. This is a new generation, a new legacy, and we are going to continue representing Venezuela.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.