|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: ROUND ONEMarch 7, 2006Dontrelle WillisPOOL B: PHOENIX, ARIZONA Q. Dontrelle, do you feel any different in the preparation for this start than the rest of them in your life? DONTRELLE WILLIS: Excuse me? Q. Do you feel any different preparing for this start, anticipating this start than you would for any other normal start? DONTRELLE WILLIS: Not at all. I feel the same. I still had the same jitterbugs the night before as I do in the regular season. But everything seems to be the same as I feel in July. Hopefully, I can throw like I do in July tomorrow, but as far as the field and preparation, as far as the running and conditioning that we had to do with the practices and little things like that, it was definitely to a T. Q. Dontrelle, you were the first American player on board for this whole concept. Did you ever waiver about participating since the All Star Game last year when the first press conference was held? DONTRELLE WILLIS: That's a great question. No, not at all. Like I said, in the All Star Game, I was just hoping to make the team to be totally honest. When I heard of idea of this, I thought it was a great opportunity, not only for our country, but for all countries participating to showcase our talents. I think it would be a beautiful thing to get back to their respective clubs healthy, to do something like that every four years because it will make more Miguel Cabreras and Miguel Tejadas, more influences with their respective countries. And even in South Africa and Italy, we have heroes like Mike Piazza, and we're going to make more of those with the facilities being better, giving them a chance to play in something like that. Q. Dontrelle, what kind of a scouting report have you got on the Canadian lineup? DONTRELLE WILLIS: We briefly went over the hitters and who's going to hopefully be in our lineup, but I got a chance to play against Jason Bay and Peter Orr and what have you. But I'm not a big scouting report guy. I'm kind of a field guy, just go through as the game is progressing. But that's the beauty of having American league guys on your team. You get an idea of what they've seen against them and go off that. But again, you know, it's tough because it's spring training and guys are trying to make adjustment and get in the groove and all. Q. I guess Jason Varitek is catching you tomorrow. Have you had a chance to work a lot with him so far and go over things? DONTRELLE WILLIS: Most definitely. He got a chance to catch me in the bullpen to see how my balls move. I mean, I'm no Pedro Martinez. So, you know, it shouldn't be too hard to catch me, but it's just, you know, it's just about this situational. I mean, what do you want to do in certain situations? So it's more of just having a conversation in the field and we got a chance to talk a lot. Q. He's got a good reputation with pitchers. Have you seen what the fascination is with him? DONTRELLE WILLIS: He's all business, man. That's the beauty of it. I mean, he definitely wants to have all bases covered, and that's a beautiful thing especially for a young guy like myself. He's definitely intense. Like I said, he's all work and I'm usually the playful type. So, I mean, he's going to definitely elevate my game. But again, you know, he's gotten the chance to be in the league long enough and experience other hitters and what have you. It's a great idea especially to see a guy's depth and what have you and see what their strengths are early. Q. With your personality and everything, is it going to be a little tough not to do too much and maybe not do more than you should do this time of the year in the brief time you're out there? DONTRELLE WILLIS: That's a great question. Well, I'm not that good at turning it off and on, if that's what you're asking. My feeling about the game is every chance I get to get out there and play, I'm going to pour my heart and soul out, whether it's in a U.S. uniform or Marlins uniform. If I get the chance to make a play and dive into the dugout, I'm going to do that. You want to play within reason. That's the type of baseball I play. So, again, you know, everybody's been calling me, my managers, and telling me to be safe and they're praying for me. But, you know, when you're Dontrelle Willis, he's going to go out there and do whatever he can to help his respective ball club. Q. Buck Martinez said the atmosphere in the clubhouse was opening day 10 times over. How does it seem to you? DONTRELLE WILLIS: I'm like a kid in a candy store right now with Buck. It's one of those things where you get suited up with guys that you can say easily are the best of all time in their craft. You get to see Roger Clemens, Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, guys that you grew up watching and respecting and emulating. And now you get a chance to suit up with them. This is a dream come true, but at the same time, they're human beings and they want everyone to come talk to them and quote, unquote, be a sponge and listen to them and take from you as well. So it's been a great atmosphere thus far. It's been a great thing for me. THE MODERATOR: Any additional questions? Thank you.
End of FastScripts... |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|