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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: ROUND ONEMarch 7, 2006Manny ActaAdrian BeltreDavid OrtizPOOL D: ORLANDO, FLORIDA Q. If each of the gentlemen could briefly respond to the question, was there any extra incentive or intensity based on the Caribbean World Series? MANNY ACTA: Not at all for us. Because most of the players here were not involved in the Caribbean series. That was something that basically the fans were the ones that were really involved in that, and took it personal. We were pretty clear that this is not a Caribbean series-type of thing because it's just totally different amount of players. But we did feel that type of pressure from our crowd about kind of some type of revenge stuff from the Caribbean series, but there was nothing behind that. We were going to try to beat whoever we faced, whether they speak English, Spanish or Italian. DAVID ORTIZ: Well, we got a group of guys that are very professional in what they're doing. And it's not -- nobody's thinking about what happened in the Caribbean series. People see it that way, but this is a short series and everybody wants to try their best, win the most games, as many games as you can. And definitely everybody got to be prepared for this game and we were and that's why we performed the way we did. Q. We all saw that you felt very well during this game, but we would like to ask you, how did you prepare to face this kind of dream team that you were facing today? DAVID ORTIZ: Everybody knows that both the Dominican Republic and Venezuela are good teams. We were all aware of their pitching staff, and we had to be patient at home plate and wait for the right pitch to hit. Q. This is a question for both David and Adrian but especially for David, because David after all he's already been to a World Series, so what is the different feeling here being at a World, at a different kind of World Series? The same question for Adrian and especially for both because they both hit a couple of home runs. ADRIAN BELTRE: This of course it was a little better than the Caribbean series, and of course we had to face the best team today. We were aware of their pitching staff and fortunately we were able to win and this probably bodes well for the next games. DAVID ORTIZ: To me it is an honor to represent my country in this world championship. It is the first time that this kind of championship is being held. Also, there are many Dominicans all over the world that they like watching their players when they go out and play for different teams. But this is one of those rare occasions that they can see them all together playing for the same national team. Q. David and Manny, two questions, to David first: You said that you were prepared for this, World Baseball Classic and especially considering the Venezuela pitching staff. And obviously you came through today because you both hit a couple of home runs. Now, for Manny also, there is a possibility that both teams will meet again possibly two more times during this championship. So is this the beginning of the new rivalry? MANNY ACTA: Yes, to some extent of course there is some rivalry and also because the Venezuela pitching staff now these days is stronger than Puerto Rico. However with the larger population of the Dominicans living in New York and in Puerto Rico, our main rivalry will continue to be with Puerto Rico. Q. Could you just talk in English, please, if you don't mind, about the atmosphere and what it meant to you to have the fans going crazy and supporting you throughout the game. DAVID ORTIZ: By the way, I don't speak English. That's my girl right there. Yeah, the atmosphere out there is something that pretty much every Latin person has it going on in their blood. Everybody has a lot of passion for the baseball game. That's something that we live day by day. And everybody, every single player, the coaches, everybody that is involved in the game put a lot into it. Q. And the fans supporting you out there. Did you expect them to be like they were today? DAVID ORTIZ: Definitely. We expected that the fans would support every single team, a hundred percent, day by day, because this is an occasion that you don't get to see a lot. And I'm pretty sure everybody is going to enjoy, even if we have more World Series coming in. But you never know if you're going to have the same players out there representing your country. Q. There was so much talk about the Venezuelan pitchers, what was the key in getting to them today? DAVID ORTIZ: Well, everybody knows that Venezuela has a lot of great pitchers. And pretty much all of them are superstars up in the major leagues. So the expectation from everybody was that Venezuela was going to hold on to the good hitters. But pretty much everybody in this ballclub is always in the top 10 quality hitters in the big leagues. And everybody pretty much has a good idea about what you want to do in the game. Q. David, I have one question, with all the excitement in the stands, and all of the pomp and circumstance, the flag waving and the adrenaline flowing, would you have a message to any of the players and the critics of this tournament who didn't want to come? DAVID ORTIZ: Let me tell you that many of those players that did not make it, some of them because they were injured, others because their teams would not let them, and some others for personal reasons, but let me tell you that all those who make it here are very proud of representing their homeland. And so those that could not make it, they would also proud of them doing so. Q. If you could choose just for the next round, what other Dominican players would you choose to join you and play with the Dominican Republic the second round? ADRIAN BELTRE: I don't want to refer specifically to any of the players that are not here, but I just want to mention that Vladimir because we're all aware of what's happened to his family, and I would like to take this opportunity to send him a greeting and tell him that we're all 100 percent behind him. JOE GOLDSTEIN: Thank you all for attending.
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