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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL C: TORONTO

March 11, 2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: Chris, can you tell us about the home run you hit tonight.
CHRIS IANNETTA: Just looking for a pitch to hit in that situation, and got a fastball on the inner-half of the plate, I think it was. And just try to keep it fair. Put the barrel to it and keep it fair. And, fortunately, I was able to do that.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Davey Johnson, Ted Lilly, Chris Iannetta.

Q. Davey, obviously you want to win, but, I mean, was this as much about just getting people the right kind of work and everything set up for the next game?
DAVEY JOHNSON: No question about it. I know Teddy would like to go more, but we had a bunch of guys that needed work. It's the kind of game where you get more guys into it. We had a couple guys that were down, DeRosa and Chipper, but it was a good day. It was a good ball game and everybody got some work in.

Q. Ted, what is the experience been like, not just the start today, but four days leading up to it?
TED LILLY: I've had a lot of fun. Obviously, us winning those first two games and taking care of that was a good start. But I really enjoyed being around the guys. You know, everyone's loose and really pulling for each other, and we're having fun.
This is a special chance for all of us to, you know, have an opportunity to do something like that. And I think we all kind of relish it.

Q. Davey, two things. One, do you think it's a flaw in the format that this game really didn't matter in a certain sense? Also, were you surprised they threw on the back end of the double steal in the ninth?
DAVEY JOHNSON: No. That's what you want to do. Figure that the guy on first base is not going to get a good a jump because he's got to wait till the guy on second commits. And the Blanco's a great throwing catcher, you know. It took a perfect throw to get him. So that's just baseball.
I mean, if he doesn't make a perfect throw, he's in there. That's the chance you take.

Q. And the question about format of the tournament, this game, wasn't as much at stake after you guys had clenched a spot?
DAVEY JOHNSON: I think the format's all right. But we had two days off. We had to play two games real quick, then we had two days off. That doesn't do much for my bullpen. You know, the second day was a little tough.
So it's really the format more than, you know, we needed to play today. We needed guys, pitchers need the work. Everybody needs at-bats. So, you know, we needed to play at least three games here.
Venezuela is fortunate, they got to play four. Just helps them in the long haul.

Q. Davey, is it better to lose one now and then kind of get it out of the system so the guys aren't too high going into the second round?
DAVEY JOHNSON: I don't think any of us like to lose. I mean, it was more of a day that I think everybody was feeling like it's a day to get some work in, get at some at-bats and get some innings in. It's not a big deal, win or lose, we still got to win two games in Miami. It doesn't matter whether we're the one seed or the two seed.

Q. Davey, I know be careful what you wish for, but it's a little different now. You know that the Netherlands was waiting for whoever won this game. I mean, it's different than the choice between the Dominicans and the Puerto Ricans. Did that enter your mind at all?
DAVEY JOHNSON: Not really. My heart goes out to those guys because I managed them a number of years, and I'm real proud of what they accomplished down there.
But I guess they're in the same spot we are. So we won't play them the first round.

Q. Chris, having seen what the Netherlands did to the Dominican, does that take away any chance that you guys will take them lightly in the next round?
TED LILLY: Well, I think we're playing Puerto Rico first in the next round. There's no telling, we might not even face them, depending on what happens. So in this competition, you can't take anyone lightly. Everyone has a great team. Everyone's playing hard. Everyone wants to win.
I don't think one team takes another team lightly. It only sets you up for defeat or putting you at a disadvantage. I don't think that would be quite advantageous of us to do that.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys.

End of FastScripts

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