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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL C: TORONTOMarch 7, 2009Felix HernandezMelvin MoraLuis SojoTORONTO, ONTARIO (From Spanish Translation.) THE MODERATOR: Questions for Melvin, Felix or the manager. Q. Luis, at the beginning of the practice, you were saying that the important thing for the manager was to have a plan, to get a work plan for your pitchers, and you've done that. I think there was also a lot of pressure with that first game in order to feel that we could break the ice and start batting. How do you feel after the game? LUIS SOJO: I feel happy, obviously. I think we started on the right foot. We won the first game. And that was Carlos's plan. And as I told you I'm very happy. And to have the pleasure of saying that he could get out of the bullpen because he was preparing, even when we -- within 5 minutes, he said, okay, he's ready, he's ready to play. So he -- the pitcher is very important in the ball game, and today we noticed it. Offensively, the team, I think the anxiety sort of made us freeze for the first few innings. But after Carlos Guillen's home run, the guys started to make the necessary adjustments. And from then on, there were nine hits. So that's what we were hoping from that team. Because the guys are ready, and we proved it. Q. Luis, Frank was just in here earlier and he said at least they could take some satisfaction out of forcing you to use Felix in tonight's game. Was he correct in his perception, that you really weren't planning on using Felix today, or was that your plan all along, and who do you plan to pitch tomorrow against the U.S.? LUIS SOJO: That was our plan, you know, from day one. We talked to the pitching coach from the Seattle Mariners, and he's supposed to pitch on Saturday. The fact that we used Carlos Silva here early on, because he had about nine days without pitch, so it's not our choice. So we talked to Felix, we talked to Carlos, and they both did a great job. But that was our plan. And tomorrow is going to be Armando Galarraga. Q. What was the difference, in your opinion, between the team and on the first four innings, vis-a-vis what happened after that? MELVIN MORA: Well, I think the difference was Carlos Silva. I think the fact that we kept him in the game, and he gave us the opportunity to adjust, and once he gave us a home run, it inspired us, and that's what opened the doors wide open. And Carlos was pretty sneaky, and he kept us in the game. I think that's really important, the combination Carlos Guillen and Silva, then Felix, obviously, he helped us out in the game, as well. Q. Felix, it's responsibility that usually you don't have in the major leagues. You're usually the opening pitcher, and this time you are relief. But in the whole format of this World Baseball Classic, it's very different, this format. So you assume that -- we can see now that the experience that you have, and now you unfortunately don't have the responsibility any more of being the opening pitcher. But I think that's -- do you think this may be the work that you could do in the opening rounds? FELIX HERNANDEZ: Yeah, it was a little bit difficult, because it's the first time I've come out of a bullpen in the middle of a game. But I'm professional, I know how to make the adjustments, and I'm pro. And I tried to make the best of it. I tried to throw three strikes. That's what you have to do as a pitcher. And when I have Venezuela's uniform on, I think it's incredible. It's an incredible emotion. Q. We were talking about the fact that the first four innings, the team was a little bit anxious. Did you also feel anxious as well as the batters, or did you get a little bit of fear that maybe the offense wasn't responding the way that you had hoped for, or the way they did in exhibition? And the second question is the fact that you already have an opponent tomorrow, and so what do you think is going to happen tomorrow? LUIS SOJO: Yes, to tell you I wasn't anxious, I'm a liar. But, yeah, I think that right field, the hit was spectacular, that catch was spectacular. And the fact that we didn't start batting at the get-go. I think that the anxiety -- like Melvin said, Carlos Silva kept us in the game, and that's really important at that time. Because as a batter, you have to make the necessary runs, because the pitcher has to respond. Tomorrow is going be a very interesting day. Tomorrow, we're playing against the United States which won today's game. I think Roy Oswalt is the opening pitcher. We're calm. We're not very nervous, but we're going to try to do the best that's possible to try to get a really important win that could probably take us straight to Miami. Q. Melvin, how do you feel about getting this home run on team Venezuela? And Felix, same thing. You've been a pitcher for the major leagues, but how does that compare to playing for Venezuela? MELVIN MORA: I think that hitting a home run is an incredible feeling, especially when you know from the get-go that that ball's out of the field. So we feel that it gives an extra advantage to the team. And that helps that I brought the team with my bat is -- it gave me a special feeling, so that it helped Luis not be as pressured and to open up the floodgates and to the future runs. I think if we keep on doing that, we can protect our other pitchers, and, hopefully, tomorrow, we'll have eight or nine runs. It's important to get a lot of runs, so that the bullpen can be fresh and ready for the next meeting. FELIX HERNANDEZ: I forgot the question. Can you repeat it? Q. How do you compare throwing for Venezuela with the major leagues? FELIX HERNANDEZ: It's very different. The major leagues, it's very different. But there's good things. But throwing with Venezuela is really a special feeling. Today was a very difficult experience coming out of the bullpen, but it's process, and since we're professionals here, I managed to make the adjustment. Q. Luis, a number of your players, most notably Carlos Guillen had said they were unhappy with their experience in the first World Baseball Classic. What has changed to make the experience better? Do you think things are better run this time around, and what has changed to make it better? LUIS SOJO: Well, first of all, in '06 -- I don't like to talk about the past, but in '06, we don't prepare ourselves to go and compete in this important event. But this year, you know, we played around six games, because each guy played, like, three games with our teams, then we played three games as a Venezuela team. I think that was the biggest difference. You know, when you go to this kind of competition, and you're not able to have, like, a spring training, if you can call it like that, it's tough. But going to '06, we have a great team, and we don't prepare. And we have a lot of guys that was there in 2006, that take it personal. They take it personal. They prepared themselves. I talked personal with a few guys, and they start working in December and November, and I think that was the difference. Q. Felix, is there special work, in terms of communications, before the game? Did you have a certain strategy with the catcher? Did you and the catcher have a certain strategy planned out? FELIX HERNANDEZ: Well, yeah, we did talk before the game, because the pitcher always has to talk to the catcher before the game. But Ramon is an excellent catcher, and the people we have here have an excellent defensive. And I think we have a really good communication. We're on the same page. Q. Felix, during the game you were mixing up the pitches, a lot of sinkers, split fingers, fastballs. Let's talk about your whole mix of pitching. Which one did you feel the most at ease? Which one do you think was key to dominate the way that you did? FELIX HERNANDEZ: Today was one of the days where you say, Wow, everything's under control. That was one. Today was one of those days where the sinker was good. I think that the change-ups, I think I was in the zone at that time. And I thought that all the pitches were quite good. Q. Luis, you talked that you guys were a little anxious early on. Can you talk about that please, and also is Bobby's thigh fine, and just tight, or is anything serious going on with that? LUIS SOJO: Early on, I think we tried to do too much. First game, everybody is overanxious. But this, the guy pitching for Italy, he throw a lot of strikes, first pitch for strikes. We tried to make the adjustments early on. But as soon as Carlos Guillen hit that homer, you know, it opened everything for us. We started making better swings, you know. They got a lot of pitchers, and we worked the count very good at the second half of the game, and I think that was the key for our success. Q. And Bobby? LUIS SOJO: He is a professional hitter. This guy worked the count better than anybody. He was always 3-2, and, you know, make them pay. Q. He took that pitch and you took him out of the game -- LUIS SOJO: He is getting old (laughter.) We got fresh meat on the bench. No, you know, it's our job to protect the guy, you know. So as soon as he got hit, I went over there and asked him, he goes, I'm okay. I'm okay. And that's good enough for me. But as soon as he got to the bench, he said it hurts. So put the young guys over there. Q. No sense of tomorrow for him, whether he is available tomorrow? LUIS SOJO: Well, in my mind, he is playing. But you never know. He might get here tomorrow and say he can't play. But I don't think that's going to be the case. Q. Luis, I know that you don't like to talk about the 2006, but this time, did you notice that you're all batting on time, you're seeing the ball? Despite the games you lost at the preparatory stage, you finally were able to meet things. And how did you try to improve on the 137 that you wanted to erase from the past? LUIS SOJO: Well, these guys are professionals. They play the best baseball in the world, and they've made the necessary adjustments. I've always said, 2006, when we played that game against the Philadelphia Phillies, I was pulling my hair out because that was a different reality. They weren't ready. Like I said earlier, these guys were very prepared. Since December, I talked to some of them on the phone, and the little I saw in Venezuela, they showed me that they were training. And that gave me a little bit less worries. Because that 2006, and the fact we weren't prepared in 2006, it made us actually prepare better for this one. These guys are focused, and the clubhouse, the feeling, the vibe, and the team in general has a lot to do. And we're ready for the challenge, and we're doing the small things. We're doing the small plays and we're getting the pitches right, so that we can get the win. Q. How important is it for the team's morale to get a significant win, knowing that in the next game, you'll be able to -- you might be able to get to Miami. So how important is that win? LUIS SOJO: It's very important. And 2006, we always started losing the first game, then we had -- in the first round, we had to win two more games. In Puerto Rico, we lost the first, we won the second, and then we lost the third, and we were out forever. But in such a short series, this time around, we're a little bit more relaxed, and we have to just win one out of two, instead of two out of two. And like I said earlier, I think it's really important, the chemistry on the team. The way that the guys are communicating, and I think that's all really important. We all have a common objective, and it's to win six games in order to have that honor, and that satisfaction to be able to give Venezuela a title. It's very difficult path to take with a lot of barriers in the way, but between these barriers we can get through it, and that's our mentality up to this point. Q. It's very important situation what happened in the fifth inning. We were talking about the fact there was a lot of anxiety. People were nervous at first. In the fifth inning rally, were you able to -- you had Bobby's single, and then after that, you had that real word (sic), when you had that home run in the seventh inning. So how do you feel that helped the team in general? And for Luis, the bullpen was well rested. The two opening pitchers did a good job, and they also gave the opportunity to the bench to come out and play. So what's your perspective of the first game? MELVIN MORA: I think their pitching was phenomenal. From the first pitch, when it was a strike, it looked pretty straight, but I think the ball was coming in with a bit of a cut. When you have a pitch that can dominate, whether it's curveball, a strike, or slider, the first strike, you have to think about, and you have to go forward. But when we got to a situation where we were a little bit more relaxed, when Carlos Guillen scored the home run, from the fifth inning on, even the fourth on, we started to see more pitches. And I know that the lefty that they brought, we knew (indiscernible), and other managers from the Orioles, I think they were trying to make me look for the wrong pitches. And since I had Abreu, Mario and Cabrera ahead I said I'm going to be patient because we'll win with sickles. And if I get a single, then that's not bad. LUIS SOJO: You know, for the manager, it's more relaxed when you don't use the bullpen. With the limited amount of pitches, Carlos had 58, four innings, which is what we hoped to, Felix could throw the other four innings. I think he threw 63 pitches. And, obviously, in such a short event as this one, if we use him today, and use him tomorrow, then maybe in the third game, he won't be available. So that's why we didn't have to make that call. I have the arms that are well-rested and that can strike people out, people that have been proven, whether it's in the professional level or in the Caribbean, and that's what people want. And the bench, I think with Blanco and Parra, they're gentlemen. If you have them in the outfield, it's great. That's my style. If we can have that opportunity, we'll see it more often. Q. Is Armando Galarraga ready for tomorrow? LUIS SOJO: Yeah, tomorrow, Armando Galarraga is going to be opening. I'm still talking to Roberto as to who is going to follow up after him. Relax, it's not you (laughter). We're going to get to this situation, but we have Enrique Gonzales, and he is up there with Ramon Ramirez. It all depends on how Armando's going to throw. And from then on, maybe we'll just see what happens. Most important thing for us is that to pitch as least as possible, and for the innings to get longer, and the bullpen to be nice and relaxed. Q. Playing with the United States, Luis, maybe the pressure has to be different, not just like underestimated Italy. Because Italy does have some players, and they were able to keep up in the first four innings. They were very focused, and they know what kind of baseball they were playing. But when you analyze the United States's offense, maybe they don't -- there isn't that same point of view where they're going to do what they can, so they don't make the same mistakes from the past. What are you going to do to practice against? How are you going to put the brakes on such impatient offense as you saw against the Canada game, where even though Canada's threat was always very receptive at the time of batting? LUIS SOJO: In Italy's case, I don't understand why people are saying that. I mean, the pressure's always there. Whether it's one team or another, the main objective is always to win, it doesn't matter who the rival is, who the opponent is. We're not interested in that. We just want to win the game. In Italy's case, we don't really know the batter, most of them. But in Italy, we don't know the pitchers. But with the United States it's very different. There's a lot of batters that we know. And remember that there's these gentlemen and other pitchers and other batters that know these guys. Just as we did with Italy, we met with them, and we broke the ice. Some of the scouting that we did against Italy, I think against the United States, it's going to be a lot easier, because we know their game. They're very feared, but I think that the pitching's going to kill the batting. I think if we can make the necessary adjustments to get the outs and to make the adjustments in order to be able to get to that shot, well ring the bell. Let's get it on. Because we want to win, and we have all the necessary reports to be able to have the necessary research. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys. End of FastScripts |
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