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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL C: TORONTOMarch 11, 2009Davey JohnsonTORONTO, ONTARIO Q. You guys have already made it as far as the last American team in the last Classic. I'm guessing that you are not satisfied with that? DAVEY JOHNSON: No, again, you know, we've had a couple good games here. We've seen about three, four guys that are under the weather. Hopefully, they'll recover in time for the coming weekend. But we've got a couple players, Randy's not feeling too good, DeRosa, they sleep on the training table, Putz is not too good. I had it early, but I'm okay now. So my concern is really coming out of this game and getting some guys some work, and being in good shape coming into the weekend. Q. So you're not looking ahead to games with the Netherlands or nothing like that? DAVEY JOHNSON: No. Just the game here. Everybody continue doing what they're doing, and the timing gets better. They get more comfortable at home plate. The pitchers get a little more comfortable with their commands and their breaking stuff, and so they're ready to go on to the weekend. Q. Did you manage a lot of the guys who are on the Netherlands team now? DAVEY JOHNSON: I certainly did. I watched the whole game. I was really proud of them. You know, I had them in 2000, all the way through the Olympics. I came over and managed them while Robert Eenhoorn was bereaving the death of his six-year-old son. And so I know that organization very well. I managed them in the European Championships, which we won, were 9-0. Qualified for the Olympics, then went on for the Olympics. I was the bench coach for the Olympics in Athens for the Dutch team. So I know them real well. There's some new players, but there's still a lot of the same guys that I had. And to see them pull off two great wins against the Dominicans, I was real proud of them. Q. Have you talked to anybody? DAVEY JOHNSON: No, I haven't. But I'm sure that I'll get a chance to congratulate them down in Miami. Q. Are you just surprised by the growth? DAVEY JOHNSON: You know, I said before, they're like the Yankees of Europe. Italy was kind of like the number two team in Europe, and the Netherlands were like the number one team. Robert Eenhoorn has done a great job with that program. And Meulens is a big part of that program. He has kind of a camp down in Curaçao and between the two of them, they've done a good job getting the team ready. Used to be when I would manage, I would play in a tournament and qualify for the finals, and then Curaçao players would come in and position players were pretty much dominated by the Curaçao players and the pitching staff was dominated by the Netherlands. So I had to tell the everyday players from the Netherlands, These are the guys that are going to be starting. That was a tough managerial decision, because these guys played their heart out over there. But they have a lot of fun playing baseball. They take it very seriously. Work very hard at it. You know, most of them have other jobs. Baseball in the Netherlands is basically a part-time job. So it was very exciting to see them. Q. Between them now, what you saw, and them getting to this level, you know -- DAVEY JOHNSON: Every time they entered an event, a lot of events they entered, Cuba is always there. So their backs are always against the wall. They've learned how to compete against good teams, good hitters. It's not as if a lot of these kids on the Netherlands have, you know, they've grown up competing internationally. Most of them, a lot of the American players. So I learned a lot from them about the way they pitched the Cuban team. They know all the hit on the Cuban team very well. And they scout. They have a very good scouting department. They film a lot of clubs. So their program -- the good news about this that I'm really proud of is because their program basically is funded by the Olympic money. So any additional funds they can receive through this event goes toward their baseball program, and it's in dire need of funding with baseball not being in 2012. So I was proud of them, and I knew the whole program over there was going to benefit by what they did. Q. They're hitting the worst out of any team in this tournament. Obviously, their pitching has been great. How do you trace that? Is there a way you can trace why their pitching is so good? DAVEY JOHNSON: I mean, again, you know, there are more pitchers coming out of Curaçao, but a lot of their mainstays, a lot of their starters, come out of that league. Neptunus is the number one team over there. That's kind of like the Yankee team, Steinbrenner kind of team. They get most of the good players in Neptunus. But they take their baseball seriously. You know, soccer is still the number one sport over there, bicycling and stuff like that. But baseball is certainly growing. It's a totally different environment, a ball game over there, for the fans. It's party time. It's kind of like a football game is going on. They're partying at the game more than they're watching the game. Q. How did you get hooked up over there? DAVEY JOHNSON: I originally got linked over there. I had retired in 2000, completely burned out from baseball, and I got a call from an agent. He told me the story about Robert Eenhoorn, and that they were entering this big tournament for the European Championships and Olympic qualifying event, and that his son was dying and they need a manager. I couldn't say no. I mean, I don't know anybody that could say no under that circumstance. I remember going over there. The day I got over there, the next day his son died, and attended the funeral. So it was a very traumatic time to go over there. But the guys were great. I really enjoyed the country. And we ended up qualifying for the Olympics and that was a big thing. Robert came back for the Olympics, and I was a bench coach for him. So, yeah, I have a lot of fond memories of that country. I've been to Curaçao, too, visited that country. I was watching the game intently. Q. Is there an awareness of your career over there and who you were as a manager? Did the players ask you about the old Mets or the old Royals? DAVEY JOHNSON: You know, I mean, I had a great time over there. The players were really good. They knew a lot about what I had done and whatever. But it was very easy, they were very accepting of me. But Robert Eenhoorn, being an ex-Yankee, a great player, he is a great instructor, great organizer, ran a great camp. The guys were totally prepared when I got over there, so it was really easy for me. But, you know, I mean, it's really big. It was a huge thing because of the Olympic funding money coming out. So the money would be very well spent over there to keep their programs going. Q. All that said, is there now a difference (indiscernible)? DAVEY JOHNSON: No, I want to take the mercy rule to them (laughter.) Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing them and congratulating them, and then playing them. Q. What were the biggest skill differences that you had, that you observed over there? What were the things they really had to catch up on? DAVEY JOHNSON: Well, you know, they're very fundamentally sound. Again, Robert Eenhoorn has done a great job with them. They had great defensive players. Listen, when you play Cuba, they played Cuba so many times and they've been successful against Cuba. One of the best -- arguably one of the best international teams in baseball over the last 30 decades, you know. And they've had their moments of glory against Cuba. So, I mean, when they went up against the Dominican team, I'm sure they didn't feel intimidated or nothing. They felt like they could find a way to win, being the underdog. The guy that got a big hit was -- I used him as my clean-up hitter over there, Sidney de Jong. He was a catcher. Puts the ball in play, a smart hitter. And I knew that they didn't know anything about this young man, and he got up there and smoked that ball for the double and to lead off, what was it, the bottom of the 11th? I said this game is a long way from being over. And the shortstop's a new player. I didn't have him, but I did have Kingsdale, and he redeemed himself from missing that ball in right field. Then the wild pitch, and I said, boy -- and DeCaster, I think he's still playing over here in AA ball. And, you know, he has some talent. When he hit that ball down the first-base line, I thought he hit the umpire. Then I saw it bounce off of Aybar. But it was just a fantastic game. A fantastic win. Q. Having known all of these guys, did you get an inkling this would happen? Everybody else is shocked. DAVEY JOHNSON: Well, as the game went on, anything can happen. One of the things I've always lived by as a manager is take nothing for granted. If you have a nine-run lead, don't take it for granted you are going to win. You hit a ground ball, don't take it for granted you will be thrown out. I think the Dominican club learned, Don't take it for granted. You got a great pitcher in there against a team you should beat 99 times out of 100, and they haven't beaten them the last two times. It's just the game of baseball. Anything can happen. Q. What do you take on this round moving forward in the tournament? What did you learn about these guys? DAVEY JOHNSON: The big thing about our guys, I think they've come together really well. I'm trying to be as consistent as I can be so there's no surprise for their preparation in the ball game. And I think everybody has enjoyed the experience. I hope they have. And, you know, we've got one leg done, and we've got two more legs to go. The big push will come this coming Saturday. Q. Where did you watch the game last night, and did you watch it with anybody? DAVEY JOHNSON: I was up, started out with Mike Schmidt in a little restaurant. And we stayed there awhile, then went up to his room and watched a little more. It started getting late, then I just went to my room. And I was going to wait up for the Cuban -- I watched the Dominican game, and I was real excited. Mike called and said, Man, I can't even go to sleep. I said, You don't have to. There's another game coming on (laughter). I was watching that game till they brought in Lazo. I had seen enough of him, I didn't want to see any more of him, and I went to sleep. Q. (No microphone.) DAVEY JOHNSON: I was over there, and we played an event in Haarlem, and I think we came in second to Cuba. And Cuba beat us in the first tournament we had. Then the European Championships, I mean, we were playing against teams, I mean, Russia, Spain. It was a very enjoyable experience. To know these countries even had baseball, I couldn't believe. You know, I've managed against France, Spain, Italy, these different countries. And I was really impressed with -- even Russia. Fundamentally, they played the game very well. Russia had a very big team. Also South Africa was over there. Russia had a very big team, and they played little ball. All these guys were trying to hit behind the runner at second. I remember after we beat them, I think it was something like 11-0, and we were shaking hands, and the left fielder said, Skip, Skip. And I said, Igor. He was down at Vero Beach. Had breakfast with him a couple times, and the Dodgers let him go, and he was playing for the Russian team. So it was just a wonderful -- I love baseball, and it brought back a lot of good memories. It was really something in my life. At that time, it was really important for me. And I'm glad we came up. Q. Before Lazo last night, what did you think about that big left-hander they had? DAVEY JOHNSON: He was very impressive. You know, they've always seemed to be developing a lot of great young arms. You know, when we qualified, they had a young guy, relieved their ace left-hander, his name skips me right now. And they play a little different. I mean, against their ace left-hander, they started in the final in the Olympic qualifier, Palma. They took out Palma. The manager had the bases loaded and no outs in the first inning, and he went to this fire bag 21-year-old, four great big league pitches. I said, He is under the gun. That's a pretty good hook on your ace (laughter). But that's international play, and that's something that the Netherlands team has done since they started. Q. Baseball is honkbal in the Netherlands? DAVEY JOHNSON: Yeah, honkbal. The good news there is everybody speaks very good English. They do oftentimes break off into their own language, which I thought it would be somewhere close to German, which I grew up in Germany for a couple years. I knew a little German. But it's not even close to German. Q. Did you use the honkbal, though? DAVEY JOHNSON: I'm not even sure what honkbal means (laughter.) I have a lot of great memories from going there. Robert Eenhoorn, all those guys and I became good friends. Q. How much fun you think this has to have been for Blyleven? DAVEY JOHNSON: I think he enjoyed it a lot. I mean, the manager did a great job. You know, I was wondering where they recruited him. Robert usually has managed that team, and I'm sure he's still probably the head of their federation, baseball federation. It was fun. Q. Had you ever been to the Netherlands before? DAVEY JOHNSON: Nope. That was the first time. And I had an off day there and took the high-speed train to France, Paris. I like it over there. My wife likes it a lot more than I do. The U.S.A. baseball has already mentioned something about the World Cup, we're the defending champs, the one we won in Taiwan the first time in 35 years, and asked me if I'd like to go back. And I said my wife has been talking to me for a month about going back, because it starts in Germany, then goes to Italy. I think Italy is both our favorite place over there. Q. Have you been in that country? How do you think the reaction was once they saw that Netherlands won? DAVEY JOHNSON: I think baseball has grown a lot there. You know, there's -- you know, they're playing at a younger age. A lot more soccer players are probably coming out and playing the game of baseball. And, you know, they run a good program over there. Neptunus is kind of like the Yankees. There's a Steinbrenner owner. He sees a player, he goes out and gets them, if they played against them the year before, and they generally do, as do the Yankees here. Q. What year was it that you were there? DAVEY JOHNSON: You know, I think it was in '02, was the first time I went over there. Because I know my wife -- two days after 9/11, my wife opened a dress shop, and I thought she was going to stay here and run the dress shop. And she wanted to go over there. I'm sure it was in '02, the first time. Q. You lived in Germany when you were growing up? DAVEY JOHNSON: My father was in the service. I was there in 1950. We were stationed in Nuremberg. We lived in a German neighborhood. There was a lot of German kids around, and we would talk and cuss at each other. And most of the words I learned were cuss words (laughter.) Then the Berlin crisis hit and we all got on a boat and came back to the United States. But I spent time in Garmisch. Passion Play, I saw that as a young kid. It was, you know, beautiful. A beautiful experience. So I'm looking forward to going back there. Hopefully I can go back to see Garmisch. Beautiful. Q. Do you think the average Dutch citizen has paid attention to this? I know what it does for baseball people, but does it have any meaning beyond the baseball program there, in the popular culture? DAVEY JOHNSON: I think it's just like everything, it is growing. You know, I mean, TV coverage on the baseball games, party atmosphere. You know, it's -- I don't have anything to compare it to a long time ago, but I know they were excited to have me when I came over there. All the people that run their IBF, head of their IBF really took pride in that sport. You know, I mean golf, basketball, football. I mean, I played some golf over there. I figured the weather was going to be detrimental to golf, but they like their golf, too. But I think baseball is growing. I don't think it will ever come close to football, soccer. I mean, I didn't think I'd see -- I didn't even realize that Italy had a great program. The Czech Republic, I mean, a lot of little countries over there are playing the game of baseball. I've been to their facilities. They've got great facilities. In the Netherlands, they got good fields in Rotterdam. Haarlem is kind of where a lot of the games are played. The old town, you know, the one that Hitler didn't bomb because he wanted to visit there, that's some great baseball stadiums there, too. So I'm sure it's growing over there. This will be a big shot in the arm over there, big time. It's like winning the gold medal, beating the Dominican Republic in a couple games. Q. Party atmosphere games over there? DAVEY JOHNSON: Oh, yeah. Q. That's hard to imagine they would let their hair down and have a good time. DAVEY JOHNSON: Oh man (laughter). I remember being over there when we beat the Greek team in the European Championships, and Louis Angelos was there because Mr. Angelos put up a lot of money. And I told Louis, I said, you know, tell your dad he did a great job in funding this team and putting it together. And that loss, tell him that I enjoyed that loss that they suffered through (laughter). Q. The atmosphere, is it like Caribbean winter ball or anything like that? DAVEY JOHNSON: Kind of. I mean, they have, like, picnic areas, music. Different, you know. Very different. But Neptunus, their home field, that's a beautiful ballpark. You know, it's something over there. I mean, I was impressed. I really was. The fields were all great. Q. How big are the ballparks? DAVEY JOHNSON: You know, very similar. You guys have never even heard of them until now. Q. They're on the map here. Sure. Is their park big enough to host one of these some day? DAVEY JOHNSON: Yeah. I mean, they don't have these kind of stadiums, but their facilities are better than Panama. And, you know, if they hadn't spent about $10 million, probably better than Bithorm Stadium. Q. One day you could see a European pool in this tournament? Like we have the Asia pool, players over there in Tokyo, maybe something over there in Europe? DAVEY JOHNSON: Yeah. You know, I think that -- you know, like I say, when I see Russia, France, and Spain -- Spain had a pretty good ball club. France threw a guy against us that was 17 years old and his fastball topped out around 80. But he had a great change-up, a great command. I have great hitters that spent time -- one guy that played for me, he's about 45 now, a first baseman, he couldn't touch it. But, you know, the programs are growing. I mean, it's amazing to see these countries that you would never even think had a ball team. I mean, Czech Republic, are you kidding me? They have a great facility there. I mean, folks have spent a lot of money, you know, used to be everybody looked to the United States and we sent players to Japan, we sent them to Italy, we sent them different places. And now we're scouting these countries. You know, the international budget has, I'm sure, grown ten fold what it used to be. And there was two great pitchers from the Netherlands that weren't on this club. So, you know, it's growing. Q. Did the Dutch have a seventh inning stretch? DAVEY JOHNSON: I'm not sure. I think so, yeah. I think so. Q. Do they have, like, some of the -- they put their own twist on the American game, or just play it like the American game? DAVEY JOHNSON: They have a few little twists. I was so engrossed in learning my players and trying to meld the Curaçao in because they're always the late arrivals. It's kind of like their reserves coming up. They never show up the first day of a tournament. They seem to come down the line (laughter.) But, you know, I mean, there's a lot of, you know, quality players that are from the Netherlands that play in that league. The good ones come out of Curaçao and go right to the minor leagues. But now they're scouting and drafting players from the Netherlands, which is something they have never done before. Amazing. Q. Assuming DR did you a bit of a favor. I can't imagine if you see the Netherlands next round, the players would think anything other than we got a (indiscernible)? DAVEY JOHNSON: No question. No question. Our job will be to put them back down a notch. They've gone up a little bit (laughter). End of FastScripts |
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