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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: ROUND ONE

March 7, 2006

POOL B: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Chipper Jones and Buck Martinez.
Q. Buck, was there any thought given to letting Peavy go another inning? And were you concerned about your bullpen and using up as many people today as you did given that you have another game tomorrow?
BUCK MARTINEZ: Absolutely. The game went right on plan. We had no intention of pitching Jake Peavy more than three innings no matter how many pitches he threw. We were very concerned about getting him up one more time. Pitchers have a tendency to build up their stamina by the number of times they get up and down during spring training.
He went down to the bullpen and threw some more pitches afterward, but that was certainly to build up his stamina and stretch him out a little bit for down the road next time out. But, no, there was never any idea that we would use him more than three innings. The pitchers pitching in the game today were scheduled to pitch just as they did and we are in great shape for tomorrow.
Q. If you could discuss Mike Timlin's performance. I guess the plan was he would go one inning?
BUCK MARTINEZ: Yes. Absolutely Mike Timlin is a guy that I've known a long time, and I've got a lot of confidence in Mike's ability to get some quick outs and quick resolutions. But also, he has the ability to get us out of an inning. If we have somebody that has trouble getting out of an inning, he has done it before coming in the middle of an inning with guys on base.
So we think that Mike can be the guy that closes out one inning and gives us another inning to get to the next guy.
Q. Chipper, obviously the crowd was very pro-Mexico at one time. What did it feel like to kind of quiet them down, and what was your reaction to the crowd?
CHIPPER JONES: I thought it was awesome. I thought it was electric. You know, the Mexican fans brought a lot of electricity into the game.
And you know, I never played winter ball, never got to play in a Caribbean series. I have gotten an opportunity to go down, you know, a couple of times to Puerto Rico and experience the passion that, you know, they have for baseball, and Mexico was not a disappointment. It was an awesome atmosphere out there.
THE MODERATOR: Jake Peavy has joined the group again.
Q. This is for Jake and for Chipper. You guys have been involved in key regular season games and post-season games, Chipper in the World Series. How did this game compare in terms of competitiveness in terms of wanting to win to a regular season or post-season game or even an All Start game?
JAKE PEAVY: I wanted to win with everything I had within me. There's a -- I can't tell you the amount of pride you have when you put that uniform on with all of America watching.
And the coolest thing about it is we don't have -- you know, Tommy Lasorda said it this morning. When the Dodgers win a game, the Dodgers fans are happy. America is our fans. We have a pretty big fan base. We don't want to walk out there and let those guys down.
So I can speak only for myself. I can tell you that I had no intentions and no other thoughts other than winning this baseball game today just as we would in playoff games and in big games. Every time you want to win. This game is no different for me.
CHIPPER JONES: I probably had more butterflies today than any playoff game. You know, I mean, it's -- I wasn't even starting. You know, I was nervous for the guys that were out there. I just wanted them to get a lead and get a little cushion before I got in there and messed things up.
But, yeah, just to reiterate what he said. Just a tremendous amount of pride to walk into our clubhouse and
see 30 guys with some pretty darn big egos, put them aside for this two or three weeks to accomplish a common goal is pretty awesome.
Q. Jake, you were a first-time All Star last year. Now you're playing for Team USA. You're getting to spend some quality time with some of the best ball players in the game. Are you learning anything from them?
JAKE PEAVY: Sure. You always learn. You learn from everybody, but when you come to the ballpark with, you know, 29 of probably the best players in the game, you watch these guys. You watch Roger Clemens, every move he makes, and you analyze it. You can talk to him and gain some knowledge, but you can watch the ways these guys go about their business and see why they're so successful.
I think you can get knowledge both ways by just watching them and obviously sitting down with them speaking with these guys. You have an opportunity that most guys don't get to have. And I promise you, I'm taking it all in.
Q. You've had two months to think about this and you've been extremely amped up through the whole process. What was it like to finally get out there, and can you describe just your three innings of work, your 23 pitches?
JAKE PEAVY: Well, I'd like right now to publicly thank Buck Martinez for the opportunity I had today. This is -- I've never had a better feeling in my life. It was the coolest thing I have ever done when Team USA took the field today.
I can't even tell you what went through my head. It didn't hit me until then. The National Anthem was just awesome, just putting on the uniform and being down in the pen.
But when the boys in the red, white, and blue took the field today for the first time and the crowds went crazy and you had some Brooks & Dunn Only in America rocking out, I'm telling you, that was the coolest feeling I've ever had as a baseball player with my life with All Star games, playoffs.
And, you know, first inning I didn't make a whole lot of good pitches. Got some outs, probably because I was too amped up, but I did settle down and make some pitches and get some quick outs. It was good to set the tone, get some zeros on the board and let these two boys hit some homers and that was the game.
Q. (inaudible) the team for starting pitcher to go out there and just load --
CHIPPER JONES: Set the tone is, you know, for the game that, you know, we were going to dominate on the mound and starting. To be honest with you, I'm surprised they threw the ball between the two dugouts. He was jacked up.
But, you know, like he said, he got some quick outs. And, you know, everybody wants to get that first pitch out of the way, that first ground ball. And then it's just playing the game as you learn growing up. And, you know, the game's not played any differently. You still get three strikes and four balls, and you try to hit it as hard as you can. So it was huge for him to set the tone, and then the boys in the bullpen were throwing some BBs.
THE MODERATOR: Let's do two more here.
Q. Chipper, you played a couple innings on Sunday, hit the first homerun. You come in today, second batter in the bottom of the 7th after you come in, you hit a homerun. What's going on and how well are you seeing the ball?
CHIPPER JONES: I don't know.
Q. Good bench playing?
CHIPPER JONES: I'm trying to play my way into the lineup. That's what I'm trying to do. (Laughter.)
I told Buck the other day after the exhibition game, I don't know if I don't get another hit, this whole tournament is going to be about being able to round the bases with the USA across my chest is a career highlight even if it is an exhibition game.
But to come back and do it again today, you know, and give our bullpen a little breathing room. Everybody's still a little tight. It's one nothing. The game can swing on one swing of the bat and to give us a little bit of a cushion, and I got -- I'm going to get it from Oscar Villarreal when we get back to camp because he's my team mate. I knew I was going to face him at some point, but another huge thrill and another career highlight.
Q. I just want to know. (Inaudible.) You guys haven't played together that long or working that long competitive level?
JAKE PEAVY: Other than Chipper, I like everybody on the team. I think it's -- I mean, it's obviously like Chipper said. You walk in the door, and me not being one of those huge name guys, these guys, the Chipper Joneses, the Alex Rodriguezes and Derek Jeters. And you walk in, drop your ego at the door and everybody is buddies when you walk in that clubhouse.
And, you know, we've all went out to dinner and spent time away from here. That's something you don't get to do in an All Star game. Like you said, camaraderie seems pretty doggone good to me and it's only going to get better as we play games and compete together.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you all.

End of FastScripts...

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