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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL C: TORONTO

March 6, 2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones for Team U.S.A.

Q. Guys, we just talked to Justin Morneau. He said they might have snuck up on you the last time around. I'm guessing that's not going to be something that you are going to want to happen or allow to happen this time?
CHIPPER JONES: I don't know about Derek, but I have two Team Canada guys on my club, so they let me hear about it all year. So it's a little extra motivation for me.
But, no, it's a different year. It's like anything else, they jumped out to a huge lead, and we just couldn't dig ourselves out of it back in '06. Hopefully we don't get ourselves in that situation tomorrow.
DEREK JETER: It's a situation now where each round is so short, you can't take any team lightly. When you are playing baseball, I mean, you run into one hot pitcher, then you're in trouble. So you don't have the luxury in a short tournament to take any team lightly. So, no, every team here is capable of winning.

Q. Chipper, I read somewhere where you made the comment, in 2006, maybe, maybe there was a few too many egos involved on the team there were so many good ballplayers on that ball club. Has a guy who's been there before and saw what happened in 2006, how do you help manage the egos with so many talented players here again?
CHIPPER JONES: I only said that because, I mean, we're all nine-inning guys, we all start games, finish games, and it's hard for a guy to start a game, only play four, five innings, get two at-bats, then sit and have the other guy come in cold and then take him a couple of bats to get going. It was just an awkward situation.
There were a lot of talented ballplayers and whatnot, everybody wanted to be starting, and everybody wanted to be playing nine, but it didn't happen that way. And that was probably a big reason for our downfall.
I think this year the roster is, what, 28 and we're only carrying, like, 26 players. So Davey is trying to get guys into a groove from the get-go. And even in the games that we're playing down in Florida, we were playing nine innings, you know, and he's trying to get us at-bats, we saw some good results.

Q. When you were young and there was no World Baseball Classic, did you ever look at hockey or basketball or soccer world tournaments and say that would be cool to play with fellow Americans on a national team?
DEREK JETER: I did, because I never had an opportunity to play for any Olympic team or Junior Olympic team. So '06, was the first time I ever had the opportunity to wear a U.S.A. uniform. And, you know, I used to look at some of those tournaments and wonder why. I mean, obviously there was the Olympics, but, you know, I signed out of high school. I didn't get that opportunity. I was always wondering if I would ever have a chance to play for the U.S. Then they started this tournament, and it gives us this opportunity.
So you get a sense of pride. It's a great feeling. I didn't know what to expect the first time going into it. But, you know, there's a reason why I'm here this time. I really enjoyed myself and, you know, hopefully this time around we can do a lot better.
CHIPPER JONES: I echo some of the same comments. I mean, I never got to play, you know, with U.S.A. across my chest. And I told Buck Martinez in '06, I just want to hit a home run with U.S.A. across my chest. I got to do that. That was a career highlight. I was able to share the locker room with such great players a couple weeks. It was, you know, one of the best baseball experiences of my career. And being able to learn from these guys, watch them, see how they prepare. And, you know, you can still learn things even at the grisly old age that we are (Laughter).
DEREK JETER: No, you.

Q. Was there any other sport that a you watched when you were young, something, the world soccer or hockey or something like that?
CHIPPER JONES: I think that one that sticks out in my mind would probably be hockey. I remember the Miracle on Ice. That was a bunch of really good hockey players getting together and coming together, and it might not have been the best hockey players in the country, but, man, did they gel and come together and win one for the U.S.

Q. Derek, this began as a truly joint venture of the Player's Association and MLB. Do you feel a responsibility in that regard, and do you understand why some healthy players choose not to play?
DEREK JETER: Yeah, I understand. I understand that, you know, there were some players that, for particular reasons -- I mean, some guys were coming off injuries. I know a lot more players this time -- I mean, if I am going to be honest with you, the first time around, you'd hear a guy saying, Well, you get an opportunity to get out of spring training for a couple weeks and go play. I think after everyone had the opportunity to see what the tournament was like, a lot of players were talking about it the last couple of years, really looking forward to it, and there's certain guys that dropped out because of reasons.
But I think they were truly disappointed. I think more guys wanted to play than are actually here. So everyone has their reasons, but I think the interest level on the part of the players is pretty high.

Q. How happy are you for a guy like LaTroy Hawkins, your old teammate with the Yankees, had such a tough year in New York last year before Houston, getting released and all that, and here getting the chance to play for this team? Have you talked with him about what it means to him and how happy are you for a guy like him?
DEREK JETER: I'm happy to see Hawk. You know Hawk, he is a great guy. Obviously, things didn't work out quite how he wanted to when he was in New York, but to get the opportunity to be on this team, you know, I know he's real excited about it. He's looking forward to it. I'm happy to see him.
You always have those kind of stories. I remember the first time around Al Leiter got an opportunity to play, and he was pretty excited about it. So it means a lot to players to have the opportunity, because you don't know when you are going to have this opportunity again.

Q. Mike Johnson starts for Canada tomorrow, a guy who hasn't pitched in the big leagues in, I think, seven years. Do you guys have tape on someone like that? Do you have an idea of what you might get from him early in the game?
CHIPPER JONES: I faced him a few times along the way. Recollection is not that great. If he's not in front of cameras, we don't have much video on him. But I'm sure, you know, we have advanced scouts, just like we do during the course of the regular season. I'm sure he's had to have been pitching somewhere. We'll get a scouting report on him one way or another.

Q. Guys, here in Canada, whenever we lose an international hockey tournament, it's crisis and we kill ourselves because it's our game. It means that much to us. This tournament's obviously new. It's not the same, maybe, as the Olympics or the international hockey tournaments that Canada kills itself over losing. But baseball is your game. How much does it mean to you guys to win this thing? What does it really mean?
DEREK JETER: It means a lot. It was disappointing for us last time around. There's four of us that are here this time that played on the team in '06, and it was a huge disappointment. I mean, you hear about it throughout the year, so you definitely want to come here and play a lot better than we did the first time around.
I know baseball is a big sport, it's bigger in our country than it is here in Canada. So it means a lot to people. And it means a lot to the players in our locker room.

Q. What's it been like to work for a guy like Davey Johnson, that experience? What's it been like for both of you?
CHIPPER JONES: Davey's been great. Ever since he called me in December and asked me to come play, he's always -- you know, he stayed on the phone with me. He's call me a few times during the course of the off-season to make sure I was still in, making sure I was healthy, and what I'd be doing. He's been a great communicator up to this point, and I really haven't heard anything negative from any of the guys as far as, you know, I'm not getting enough at bats, I'm not getting enough playing time. He's walked that fine line.
And still we're here to win it, you know. And he tried to instill that from the very first phone call this off-season, that what we did in 2006, was substandard and embarrassing to a certain extent, and that it was going to be up to guys like me, and Jee, to relay that feeling that we had in '06, so we don't do it again.
DEREK JETER: Davey's been great. I had the opportunity -- he managed against me a lot when I came up, and to have the opportunity to play for him now, he's a player's manager. He's fun to be around. He's easy to talk to. He remains positive. And, you know, this is an experience that I've been looking forward to, and I'm sure I'll remember for a long time because I have the utmost respect for him.

Q. What have you learned and what's the dynamic between the two of you? What have you learned from each other and does the '96 World Series ever come up?
CHIPPER JONES: I think he and I have been on the same field so many times together, I think there's obviously a mutual respect. I think we kind of -- I'm not the captain of the Braves, but, you know, we have sort of the same mantle in our own clubhouses, and we're looked upon to lead our clubs. I think there's a mutual respect there. Whenever we -- you know, the two teams get together or we get a chance to play in this, we usually go out to dinner and, you know, talk about stuff. It's just your ordinary banter between two friends who have played against each other and been through the rigors of war for a long time.
I can learn a lot from this guy because he is a first ballot hall-of-famer in my mind.
DEREK JETER: What do I learn from Chipper? He's a good player (Laughter).
CHIPPER JONES: He's my favorite player (Laughter).
DEREK JETER: You know what happens, when you play against guys, you know them as a player. Then when you play with guys you get to know their personality. So you can put the personality and the player together. I think that's really when relationships start and you realize what type of people that you have bonds with, and you have different things that are familiar between us.
We both came up at a young age. I tease him a little bit and say I watched him growing up, but you have the respect for how he plays. He plays hard, his consistency, you know, you just enjoy watching him play the game.

Q. Does the World Series ever come up for either of you?
CHIPPER JONES: I don't like to talk about it too much (Laughter). He won't bring it up because he is too humble.

Q. You are in a particularly interesting situation with Jimmy Rollins playing the same spot. How is it that Davey's handled that situation and have you talked to him about how that time is going to be split or if it's going to be split?
DEREK JETER: I'll let Davey answer that question first, because he's coming in here. But he's talked to us both about it. So, yeah, I'm sure we'll both get our share of playing time.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys.

Q. Davey, Justin Morneau was talking about how they might have snuck up on Team U.S.A. three years ago. How do you make sure that doesn't happen this time around?
DAVEY JOHNSON: I hope that doesn't happen. I think three years ago, they jumped out, hammered Willis. I think, you know, that's one reason that MLB started spring training earlier this year. And pitchers were way behind the hitters. Power hitters were way behind. And so I think what they did this year, having everybody get an opportunity, just got to avoid injuries also, but the quality of games will be a lot better.
We didn't play well the whole format. So I think mentally, everybody is more prepared for this year.

Q. I don't know if you have already announced this, but have you confirmed who your starting pitcher is going to be tomorrow?
DAVEY JOHNSON: Yeah, Jake Peavy. Apologize for him not being here. We're having a pitcher's meeting right now.

Q. Davey, both Chipper and Derek Jeter talked about not really knowing anything about Mike Johnson. How do you prepare to face him tomorrow?
DAVEY JOHNSON: Messina look-alike. Mike pitched for me in the Baltimore organization. I'm sure he is a little different now. He was, you know, his role model was definitely Messina. He had a fastball, curveball, change, great change. I'm sure he's probably -- you know, that's been probably ten years, so I'm sure he's probably pitching in Korea. I'm sure he's turning it over and doing a few other things.
But always thought he was going to have a pretty good career. Didn't pan out as well as he would have liked, but he is a quality pitcher.

Q. I know this tournament is a lot different when it comes to pitch counts and the pitching. If your team is in a save situation tomorrow, can you tell us who the closer is?
DAVEY JOHNSON: We haven't had that meeting yet. And actually our relievers had a really rough spring. As you know, power pitchers, the first time they approach the rubber for U.S.A., they're probably overthrowing a bit. We saw that with a lot of guys that were going to close this year that were set-up men last year.
So we'll have kind of a rabid discussion on who is more prepared to close, but we have actually about four candidates that can close.

Q. Davey, you may have been asked this before, but how do you plan to use Jeter and Rollins, and who is going to be the starting shortstop tomorrow, and how are you going to get them both time?
DAVEY JOHNSON: I've been answering that question every day I've been in uniform down here. One of the things, even as early as a couple months ago when they were both named on the club, you know, from a manager's standpoint, I love having them. I mean, both of them are great players. But there's a possibility we could only play eight gapes in 17 days, and I can't get them both in, you know, for eight games.
So, I mean, I talked to them about splitting games. I talked to them about playing nine innings of a game. And basically, you know, I mean, it's great problem to have, but I worry about playing time and them coming out of here with a great experience.
Today, I'm going -- tomorrow I'm going with Jeter. The next day, I'm going with Jimmy, and I'll probably alternate. I'm really not a fan of all-star format. You go five innings or half the game, and the other guy comes in. I think especially this time in spring, that third and fourth at-bat really, a guy starts being comfortable. And to take either one of them out and put another guy in and start all over again, I'm not a fan of that.

Q. Following on the question about the bullpen, you always hear relievers talking about they prefer to have a defined role. Are they going to have defined roles? And following up on that, do you have sort of a group of candidates for that closer in mind and who are they?
DAVEY JOHNSON: Well, as you know, Heath Bell is going to close for San Diego. Hanrahan is going to close for Washington. I think Broxton has closed at times for L.A.
You know, it's just -- at this time of the spring, it's really who's throwing the ball, has better command of their stuff. Ideally, you'd like to have four spring games where, you know, we kind of divide the bullpen. I got two great pitching coaches, Stot and Lachemann.
Latch and I divided the bullpen into two different groups, so one group works one day and the next group works the next day. Unfortunately, we didn't -- some of the guys had a rough outing first time out against Toronto. The power pitchers, J.J. and Hanrahan, I would have like to have one more outing for them to be more comfortable with how they're throwing the ball. Because most of them we're overthrowing. That's been the problem. First game out, the adrenaline starts pumping and they start overthrowing.
The guys that have probably had two outings or look far advanced will go into Group A, then Group B will be the other guys. And I'll be dividing them up with my pitching coach after their meeting.

Q. Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones were in here, and they spoke glowingly about you as a manager, said you are a great communicator. What's the biggest struggle you have to face in kind of getting all the players in line and kind of check their egos at the door and knowing this is about U.S.A., and not about their own agenda?
DAVEY JOHNSON: They've all been great. You know, they've been great. I mean, I talked to McCann today. I said, "When is the last time you hit eighth?" He said it's been awhile.
But he was great. He says, "I don't have any problem. I'm just happy to be in there."
That's been the attitude of the whole ball club.
You know, I've talked to DeRosa, I've talked to Eric Wedge about how can I use DeRosa; I've got a couple of pretty good third basemen. He said, "I want to play him at third."
I said, "I've got a problem there." I said, "How about first base?"
He says he's not going to play there.
Any other positions available?
He said he could play the outfield.
So I'll probably use him probably more in the outfield.
But all of them have been great. I talked to DeRosa about it and he said, Skip, I just want to win. Pinch run me. But that's been the attitude of the whole ball club. They've been outstanding.
Jeter and Rollins have been outstanding too, so I got no complaints.

Q. You talk about how, for the pitchers especially, the power pitchers, the adrenaline flows. What's it like for the manager? What sort of juices flow in you to have this kind of a roster?
DAVEY JOHNSON: It's great. Three years ago we didn't do so well, but I've had some U.S.A. teams where we were coming off where we didn't qualify in '03, for the '04 Olympics in Athens. A group of kids I took down to Cuba, we won the event, won the qualifier. Beat Cuba first time in 37 years. The big leaguers facing that same kind of challenge. They were embarrassed. I mean, you talk to Pedroia, he doesn't want to listen to Dice-K all year long, talking about how they won the WBC.
So I think that's kind of been permeated. We want to have a little payback this year. I think that the attitudes have been great. Probably the first workout, I looked in the locker room and there were 13 chairs. Every day, players were all gathered in a circle, and they were talking about the importance of going out there and representing your country and doing a lot better than we did three years ago.
So I think that we're much better prepared with the spring we had. Three years ago, I think the whole event kind of caught us -- I think MLB saw we couldn't just throw our glove out there and compete with a lot of countries around the world.

Q. What's it like working with Mel again?
DAVEY JOHNSON: It's great. I told Mel early on, You are going to be a bullpen coach for me, I said, but you know how I am? I said, If Lachemann keeps -- we don't put a bunch of zeros up there, I'm liable to send Latch out there and bring you in.
It's great. He is a friend. He is a great pitching coach, and it's been outstanding. He and Latch get along great. So he's been a big help.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Davey, appreciate it.
Questions for Jake Peavy.

Q. Jake, Justin Morneau talked about the fact that Canada might have snuck up on the U.S. last time around. What do you do to prevent that from happening tomorrow?
JAKE PEAVY: I don't think with the line-up we just went over and the scouting reports, they're going to sneak up on anybody. I mean, the guys are running just, like, nine major baseball players out there, MVP candidates. So, you know, they're not going to sneak up on us. They played better than we did when we faced them last time during the first round, so, you know, we're as prepared as we're going to get physically at this time of year.
Been going over the scouting reports. I don't know a whole lot of the guys. I've had some history with Jason Bay, a little bit with Stairs and Justin Morneau, but we're ready to go. Should be fun tomorrow.

Q. Is this team, is there a different era this time with this U.S.A. in terms of making it right, do better than you did in '06?
JAKE PEAVY: I think this team has a little more attitude, to be honest with you. We're having a lot of fun. You know, I think when you add some of the scrappier-player types, you know, the Pedroias, the Youkilises, and some of the guys, even David Wright, Jimmy Rollins, we had a little attitude, a little swagger, not any cockiness, by any means, but a lot of fun. Bring in Adam Dunn, a class clown to come in and keep the mood light, but then again, build that cohesiveness, the team chemistry that I think you need, that I think is important.
So we're as relaxed as we can be. But then again, we're prepared and we've prepared ourselves the last few days. Some of the older guys who have been through this once, just have kind of spoken to the team on how, you know, serious this is going be taken tomorrow, and we expect to win, do a little better than we did in '06.

Q. You recall the first time you ever put on a U.S.A. jersey and what that feeling was like for you?
JAKE PEAVY: There's a lot of pride when you put the red, white, and blue on. You are representing your country. I told some of the boys that, you know, hadn't played in the Olympics, David Wright, and some of the other guys, we were talking over dinner last night, and even some of the young bullpen guys that only have a few years in the big leagues, tomorrow when you see Team Canada across the way, hear their national anthem and watching those guys salute their flag and vice versa on our end, when the Star Spangled Banner is played tomorrow, it will be a pretty special feeling having the red, white, and blue on.
Having a chance to represent your country and play for the pride of your country, it's a great feeling. I'm excited to be here. I'm honored to be here. But like I said, at the end of the day, we expect to win.

Q. You will be opposing Mike Johnson tomorrow on the hill. Ever met him, know anything about him? Would you know him if he was sitting among us?
JAKE PEAVY: I can't say that I can. You know, like I said, I don't look at it as I'm opposing him. A lot of people say that in the season, Well, you are facing Roy Oswald tonight.
I say the only time I'm worried about Roy Oswald is when he is in the nine hole and coming to the plate. I got my hand's full with the line-up.
Obviously, I've had a lot of history with Russell Martin, and I know how good Russell is, and Justin Morneau, Joey Votto, Jason Bay, I mean, these guys are hitters, bone fide MVP-type players in this line-up with a lot of scrappy guys around them. As far as their pitching goes, I don't know many names. I'm sure they're going to be getting after it.
And the guys, this time of year I think anything can happen. You never know. We didn't hit too much in the last World Baseball Classic. Stuff is different in March than it is in June, July, August. So we'll see what happens. I wish Mike the best, but not the very best (laughter).

Q. Baseball is still predominantly an American sport, but how are Canadians seen by major leaguers?
JAKE PEAVY: We got the absolute utmost respect for the Canadians. I mean, like I said, the line-up they're throwing out there, the guys that are pitching. I know having Jeff Francis and I think Adam Loewan has just now switched to a position player. Like I said, their pitchers may not be, you know, household names in the major leagues, but we certainly, I mean, absolutely have the utmost respect for all the guys, the kid starting tomorrow, all through the bullpen.
Our guys are in there going over scouting reports on what these guys are good at and what they can do. We know they wouldn't be on this team if they weren't good.
Speaking for whole Team U.S.A., as far as their hitters go and their pitchers, we have the utmost respect for them. But at the end of the day tomorrow, we're going to strap it on and see if we can't beat them.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Jake.

End of FastScripts

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