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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL D: SAN JUANMarch 7, 2009Bruce ChenHector LopezSAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (Questions and answers translated from Spanish.) MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference. We'll start with some opening comments. HECTOR LOPEZ: It was a good game for them. To win a game we have to score runs, but we were not batting, and that's why we lost today. Bruce Chen pitched very well until about the third or fourth inning, and then they scored three runs and we were out of the game. Q. Bruce, you pitched very good for the Panama team, but the defense of the team did not -- the offense, I mean, did not work. The batters did not hit. What do you expect for tomorrow? You're facing the Dominican that has a very strong team of pitchers? HECTOR LOPEZ: Vazquez pitched a great game also. He is a big league pitcher. He pitched very well. But as I said, we have to score runs to win. They pitched well, and they scored runs. That's what we needed to do. Q. Bruce, the Puerto Rico team has big league players that are well paid. What was the reaction to play with Beltran, Delgado that are well known in the big leagues in the level that you are seeing them in this World Baseball Classic. BRUCE CHEN: The Puerto Rico team came well represented, and all of the players were well prepared. I did the most I could. I was attack the zone, and I tried to keep the team close to the game. But unfortunately we did not win. But really the team played quite tough against us to win the game. We thought we could win, but unfortunately we could not. Q. Manager Lopez, you talked about the offense did not score runs. Are changes expected for tomorrow with the offensive lineup? Is there going to be a change in the offensive lineup, because you say you need runs and that's how you win games. HECTOR LOPEZ: We're going to use the same lineup, but we're going to change of pitcher. Tomorrow we're going to have Mendoza instead of Atencio, and that's all. The lineup is going to be the same. Q. Manager, can you tell me a little bit how Carlos Ruiz is, what do you think about Carlos Lee who has had problems in the last Classic and being able to bat. HECTOR LOPEZ: Carlos Lee has to bat. He is a good player. Sometimes you don't bat. You can't take a leader from the lineup. He is my fourth bat. That's where we are. Carlos Ruiz also? Well, let's see, we have to wait until tomorrow to see what the doctor says. BRUCE CHEN: Pinched nerve. HECTOR LOPEZ: It seems that he has a pinched nerve when he went back. Q. Hector and for Bruce. Hector, third or fourth fifth bat did not respond. We left more than 15 batters on bases. What is going to be told to the Panamanian offense for tomorrow's game to get the runs that we will need? And Bruce you come from an injury of many years. Do you feel fine? How are you for your possible return to the big leagues? HECTOR LOPEZ: Well, third, fourth, fifth bat were swinging, but you have to -- the pitcher was pitching well. What else can they do? They are going to be in the lineup tomorrow, three, four, it will be the same. BRUCE CHEN: Well, I feel quite well from the injury from the Tommy John surgery. I know it's only been 14-15 months. Today I did feel real good. I felt I had full domain of the strike zone, and right now I feel a little bit frustrated because we lost. I was not able to make my team win, and I know that I did pitch quite well, but I feel that, I don't know, that I could have done more. Sometimes when you play for your country's team, Panama, I expected a bit more from myself. I know I could have done more. Sometimes you have to give credit to the Puerto Rico team because they did it quite well. I thought we were going to win. I thought that, myself, I thought that we could win today. We couldn't today, but -- I mean we won't sleep tonight. I feel frustrated because I thought we might win, but things happen. You know. HECTOR LOPEZ: You have to give credit to the Puerto Rican team. They played well. They batted. They pitched well, everything. Q. Bruce, facing Ivan Rodriguez, you faced him before, but Ivan Rodriguez does not have a big league team right now. And facing him twice, do you think that Ivan Rodriguez has a chance of being in the big leagues again as you saw him tonight? BRUCE CHEN: Well, I am quite happy for Ivan Rodriguez. He was very well prepared. I don't know why he has not signed a big league contract. I've read articles about him that he said that any team that signs him will have a bargain. He did show it. He's not only a good player, but he's also a good leader, a good catcher in the defense. And he made a difference today under so much pressure and many things that are not in his favor. Like he doesn't have a team, such a short tournament here in Puerto Rico. He showed and proved that he does not feel pressure. He's a great player. I don't know. I don't know what else. I tried to do my best with the pitching, but he really -- if he's not in the big leagues -- I'm going to have to work harder because I'm going to have to pitch to the big leaguers. End of FastScripts |
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