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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: ROUND ONE

March 7, 2006

Odalis Perez

POOL D: ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Q. How does it compare out there as opposed to playing in the Dominican Republic?
ODALIS PEREZ: It's somewhat different. But at the same time, when you're playing against a team who beat you in the Caribbean Series it's different. Because the fans are very into the game. And as a Dominican we know we have to play for the country. So it makes us feel good. It's different but at the same time it's enjoyable. We enjoy that. Because when you play for your country, against a team like this in the Caribbean Series, and you beat them, believe me, you have to be happy, you have to be proud.
Q. How you guys, like in the middle of a July series and a hot place and the crowd is like 20,000, you live for games like that?
ODALIS PEREZ: Yeah, of course.
Q. With the crowd into it.
ODALIS PEREZ: Yeah, of course. I don't think there is any weak team playing here. Everybody knows that the Dominican Republic, we have a good lineup. And I know the top guys in the lineup, they're going to hit, they're going to drive in runs. So it's what every one is expecting from the Dominican Republic team. Our lineup, we're going to score runs. If our pitching is good enough, we know for sure we're going to go to the semi-finals and the finals, too.
So, but yeah, the team who wins first or the team who wins is the with one who always does better.
Q. How much does this mean to the country, especially if it's one of the Latin countries, how big will this be in your home country if you guys were to win this?
ODALIS PEREZ: It's very good because they beat us in the Caribbean Series. And the fans from Venezuela, the fans from Dominican Republic, the fans from Puerto Rico, they know that they're superstars that they're playing. So the Dominican Republic team, I mean that's the first time you will see so many superstars on the same team.
So for our countries, man, it's good.
Q. This maybe probably means more to the fans in the Dominican Republic than maybe the United States fans, where they have their own teams that they cheer for, like their own major league teams. Do you think maybe this is more of national pride for them?
ODALIS PEREZ: I mean you're representing your country. You have to be proud to do it. You have to be proud to be invited to a tournament like this one. And when you're under your flag and your hat and your glove and your bags and your uniform, you have to be proud of that. I believe every team, everybody who represents their countries, you know, you do it because you want to win. You have to, you want to show to every one what you guys, what, I mean, what the Dominican Republic team can do in a tournament like this.
So it's for, everything is for the country.
Q. Do you feel you're part of a historical day today in baseball?
ODALIS PEREZ: It is. It's the first time that they make a tournament like this. And like I said before, Venezuela, they beat us in the Caribbean Series and people are expecting from Dominican Republic to do what we did today. To win against Venezuela. So people now, now are happy because like I say, they beat us in that tournament and now this is something different.
Q. There are more Barry Bonds drug allegations that came out today, what is your opinion?
ODALIS PEREZ: I don't know. No, I don't talk about that. No, I don't know.
Q. It affects you, you're a player, you must have an opinion?
ODALIS PEREZ: Whoever takes some steroids or drugs or whatever, if they got caught, they would be in trouble. Anybody. I'm not talking about Bonds, I'm not talking about no one, I don't say names. But if you made a mistake, you know, you're going to pay for it.
Q. It's so damaging to the sport.
ODALIS PEREZ: It is. The guy's a future Hall of Famer, but you don't know what's going on. I don't really know what's going on. If something comes out like that, people have to have reason to do it.
So I don't really know. I don't pay too much attention to that steroids to drugs or whatever, no. Because I, myself, personally, no.
Q. Could be a big slur on his legacy though?
ODALIS PEREZ: Yeah, it may be. But like I say, you know, I don't deal with that, with things like that.
Q. Baseball officials think this tournament is a good idea. We talked to a lot of fans today from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, they're excited. Does it mean a lot to you guys?
ODALIS PEREZ: Oh, no, for us it's big. Because it's like the World Cup. It's like a Super Bowl. It's like one of those big, big tournaments. And I believe that this is the first time they ever do it, and I believe that every one has, I mean the tournament if it has a good result at the end, why not do it every four years? Why not to do it like they do all those big tournaments?
It's a great idea. I believe the fans, they're happy because that way they have the opportunity to see their stars playing together as a team. So to the players, that means a lot.
Q. You pointed out earlier, this is the best Dominican Republic team ever assembled.
ODALIS PEREZ: And you know what? It looks like that. But we don't have Manny Ramirez, we don't have Vladimir, we don't have Pedro.
Q. But even without them that's better than any?
ODALIS PEREZ: It's a good team. It's a good team. One thing I believe that you try not to pitch to, let's say, Albert or Miguel, you know, you're going to get hurt. So these guys from the bench, those guys can hit. It's a great team.
Q. What do you think of the fans here?
ODALIS PEREZ: It's crazy. Venezuela and Dominican Republic, I would say the Dominican fans. It's the first time they ever see their stars together, you know they're going to go crazy.

End of FastScripts...

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