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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL TWO: MIAMIMarch 16, 2009Ramon HernandezFelix HernandezLuis SojoMIAMI, FLORIDA Q. Luis, before the game you were saying that you felt pressured because today's game meant a lot. Having moved up in terms of the earlier Classic where you were a manager as well, does that create more pressure or does it relieve it? LUIS SOJO: There will always be some pressure. I think that the mere fact that we won today and we're going on to LA was perhaps the most difficult task because in the year 2006 we were left out of this round, and today we pleased the entire Venezuela for sure. We're extremely happy. Q. How does this feel and how does the Venezuelan team feel given the fact they defeated a strong team like Puerto Rico? LUIS SOJO: Look, for sure, I already said it. We're very excited, we're very happy, especially beating a Puerto Rico team that has lots of experience. Our pitching was great. I've always said it. These guys came in with a lot of focus. Ramón did a great job. In terms of pitchers, this is extremely important. Irrespective of the team, no matter your offensive, pitching will always prevail in a tournament as short as this one, and this is the word, performed by the guys. Q. Irrespective of what happens in LA, you already got to that round. Specifically pitching has been the key, but you came in with pitchers that many people would not give a dime for. You brought in Felix Hernández, who was upset last week because he was a relief pitcher, and he opened tonight. We're going to LA. How are we going to change that score of zero from now on? LUIS SOJO: When Felix complained? When did he complain? Now I'm finding out about his complaint. Well, he's the man you wanted. That's the man that the whole of Venezuela wanted on the mound tonight. But in addition to the four and two thirds pitched by Felix, I think what gave the guys enough confidence, not only the bullpen but the players, was the face-off between Carlos Delgado and Carlos Vazquez. We celebrated that strikeout as we had won the game or the championship, and those are the things that left the opposite team. From then on, the pitches were made. Positive things turned out, and actually it was a spectacular win. As of the time we left Venezuela, we met in Orlando, and the first meeting was completely different from that in the year 2006. The goal was LA, and we're already there. For sure we're going to go there. There is no tomorrow. We have to win two games over there, and hopefully we'll win them so we can keep on celebrating. Q. Your thinking process to bring in Francisco Rodriguez at the time when the hitter had a 2-1 count. How did that happen? LUIS SOJO: Look, we talked it over. I always tell Roberto that he's got to talk about his status. I just want to use him for an inning, and the question was posed to him in the third or fourth inning if he wanted to or if he could get four people out. Yes, just one third in the eighth. Maybe there was misinformation and he wasn't ready, and well, Roberto was going to talk to Ramón. I told him, "Don't go out there, stay there," and Ramón and Melvin did a good job when speaking to him, and that gave him more time. And as a result, we kept talking on the phone until they called and they said both of them are ready. That's why there was a confusion with umpires in terms of whom did I want. The answer was easy. Q. First of all, today's victory does that change your plans in terms of using Armando Galarraga in the next game or are you going to use Victor Zambrano? And second of all what is your message in terms of the atmosphere out there given all the fans that came to provide support? And here's my third question: Can you talk about Carlos Vazquez facing Carlos Delgado. LUIS SOJO: I already forgot these things. What was question number one? Oh, Armando. Armando is going to play. The thing is I've got lots of things in my mind right now. I'm thinking about LA. But for sure Armando is going to play. And Carlos Silva and Felix are going to be ready for those days over in LA. And look, that play by Carlos, if we lost today we had another game tomorrow. But you can't think about tomorrow, you've got to think about today. And in addition, it was a very important time to go to bat, and anything can change your game. Carlos showed lots of courage, he fought him, and he made the right pitches to get him out. And maybe the only thing that I could change during that game is this guy. He's got no knee problem, and he can answer this better than I, but the artificial turf sort of hurt him in Toronto, but as of then you're available. So there will be no confusion, he's available. Today with Melvin we had that scare more than anything. There were cramps, nothing serious, but we have to evaluate him tomorrow. The fans were fine today. I think the scolding that we gave them, look, they got the message. It's a country that's being represented. We want to get to our goals, and you heard all that noise and that support was important because lots of Puerto Ricans were here, and their support was required. Q. Remember before the game I told you that if Felix Hernández was aware that Ramón Vazquez had been his lifetime enemy, and you answered that he knows how to take care of himself after striking out the first two times. He came to bat with two outs. I understand it was a high fastball and Vazquez hit a great triple, and the game was in jeopardy because Felix had thrown over 76 pitches. Do you have any special plan for Ramón Vazquez? Had you talked it over or was he just another guy in the lineup? RAMON HERNÃNDEZ: No, I was managing the game as Felix was pitching. Felix has four good pitches. He has a no No. 1, 2, 3 or 4; all of his pitches are No. 1. What was happening was this: Since I had struck him out a couple times with sliders, the third time I did it the opposite way. And when we wanted to surprise him with an inside fastball, it was sort of like in the middle and he was lucky to hit that ball really well. But he and I knew what we were going to do, and I was keeping my eye on how was the game being called as of the first inning because the batters we were going against tonight had lots of experience, and you can do things both ways just the same. If the third time there is the same situation, he already knows that you got him out. And I always tried to get him out a different way as much as I can. Q. This question is for Felix Hernández and Ramón. Felix: You celebrated that strike-out of Carlos Delgado. What happened at the time? What crossed your mind at the time? And for Ramón, I think this homer was really expected. What did you think at the time? FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: Well, first of all, Vazquez did a great job with Delgado, and I celebrated because he had runners on base and they were my runners, and these were my runs. Carlos Vazquez did a great job. How should I put it? He pitched a great game. RAMON HERNÃNDEZ: And about the homer, well, I was ahead in the count. I was trying to look for a pitch that I could try to hit between left and center field or right-center field. I was trying to hit the ball well to start the inning, and luckily enough, I was able to hit it well enough so that it could become a homer. Q. Luis, this is a moment of great joy for you, but I wanted to ask you, in terms of Venezuela's earlier performance in this World Classic, you as a manager, what do you feel you have learned? Is there any space for self-criticism? Do you feel there is a lesson that you have learned before that has been useful for this wonderful moment you're living through right now? LUIS SOJO: Well, I believe that the mere fact is that human beings learn from failures. It was a personal failure because things didn't happen, and somebody had to be blamed, and I took on the blame with full responsibility. And that's why I agreed on being Venezuela's manager once again, because I knew that if these guys got ready for this Classic, things were going to be different. Up to this time we have showed this. In other words, the manager is just there to support his players to tell them what they should do at a given time. But they should take all the credit. They're the ones on the ball field. They do the hitting, they do the pitching, and I'm just another cheerleader. I just try to be on top of them by talking to them because that's part of my job, and I believe that coupled with a couple trainers that I have, coaches that I have who are excellent, we thank God that we're able to manage a group of talented guys like those on the Venezuelan team right now. And I'm proud and happy to have been born over there because this is for Venezuela, and we are achieving this up to this time. Q. Felix, how motivated and emotional was this game tonight to advance your country? FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: Well, first of all, that's the biggest game I ever pitched. To pitch in these kind of games, that's what I like. I'm just proud to represent my country in this great tournament. So today was the most exciting day of my life. Q. Felix, I would like to ask you this: Training for a World Classic, you were one of the first ones who guaranteed his participation. When many of the young guys were asked, they said, well, I don't know, I don't know if I should go early to the training camps. You were very decisive and you said you were going to be in the World Classic, and here are your results. Luis, talk to us about that generation that's coming up. Talk about all the guys you have and about all these young guys. FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: Well, actually, the first World Classic I did miss because the Seattle Mariners told me not to come. It was my first full year in the majors. But as of the time I came to the second World Classic, and as of last year when I filled out the forms, I was the first one who said I won't miss it no matter what. I'm ready, I started to train as of October last year. As soon as the season ended, I trained. I rested a couple days to be ready for this tournament, and I'm actually proud of representing Venezuela. LUIS SOJO: Well, that upcoming generation is very important because, as I've always said. We do not have a Carlos Zambrano and Johan Santana, and these players are irreplaceable for any manager, but I believe that the desire the guys had to be here this year has been basic, and the prepping has been excellent for sure. As you see the hitters, you see a hitter hitting a slider as they have done. For sure the goal is being made, and they took it like that. In terms of Ramón, Miguel and all the guys in the last Classic, they knew that what happened before couldn't happen again, and today we're showing it, because as I said, in answering the first question, this round last time ended Venezuela's dream, and now we're going on to the final round to try to get this dream. Q. I'm wondering what it's like to stand on third base for ten minutes before you get waved across the plate? What was going through your mind during that whole sequence and what did you think about the whole process? RAMON HERNÃNDEZ: First of all, I was thinking, why does it have to happen to me? One of the times when I hit the ball good at somebody, and definitely nobody catch it, it started a big question if it's a homer or not. I was like, okay, why is this going to happen to me again? I was just hoping it would be a homer. I know, because like today, they was pitching very well, the Puerto Rican guys, they threw a good game. And when you get another run before you have to get another hit, it's a lot of help, especially like the game was tonight. So the game started, I was catching, and I was feeling it was going to be a close game. It's going to be on the pitching side. I was going through in my mind hopefully it would be a homer. I've got to be a break one day sooner or later, so I was hoping it was that one, and it came on through. Q. Last week you came over as a relief pitcher. You got the victory, and many people thought that Luis shouldn't have you as a relief pitcher. Now you came as a starter to face a team that beat the U.S. easily. What came across your mind before facing such a powerful hitting team as Puerto Rico? FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: First of all, I have to pitch my own game. That's the most important thing. I don't care if I was a relief pitcher in Game 1. We won the first game, and that's the most important thing, and now we go to LA. I got ready just the same as I get ready for every single game. Having a Venezuelan team as competitive, and I would like to thank Ramón Hernández, who's done a great job as a catcher, and I'm proud to represent Venezuela. And as I told you, I got ready just as I get ready for any other game. Q. This is for Felix: How important were your breaking pitches to come out of a game like this one? And Luis, how much would you pay for the year 2006? FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: My breaking pitches were quite fine, but I would like to show you something. My breaking pitches are better when my fastballs are working as they did today. And actually it was an important game for me, and as I said in English, it's one of the best games that I have ever pitched. RAMON HERNÃNDEZ: Would you like this from professional believers or regular believers? I'll give it to you for free. I think Luis blames himself, but he never should have been blamed. It was our fault, and hopefully you're going to leave our manager alone. He's done his best, and he's checked with every single one of us, and he's done a great job as of the last Classic. It was not his fault. He didn't play, he didn't pitch. He did what he had to do, and it was our fault because we didn't hit well and we did not get ready. FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: We thought we were going to take a straw and we were going to win based on our names. You should show it like that in the newspaper, just like that. Q. Luis, once again, your confidence was well paid for with your lefties. They said they weren't worth a dime, but these two lefties were very valuable getting those important outs. I would like to reflect on this. Also I would like to talk about the umpires. It was not just the homer but also the grounder that they hit against Alex, and before round 2 began, all of us knew that Ramón was playing hurt, but it doesn't seem that way because Felix Hernández pitched a great game tonight. Did you talk to him, because you announced perhaps Henry Blanco would be the starter. Did you talk to him? Did you request a medical check? What did you do to make that decision? LUIS SOJO: Well, first of all, I have to tell you that those players who aren't worth a dime already got a contract, and that really pleases me. I won't say the organization because it's not relevant. Umpires are human beings, but that play could have gotten involved. The ball was way far, almost in left field, and the homer, I didn't see it because as of the time the ball was hit, everybody stood in front of me and I wasn't able to see anything. In terms of Ramón and Melvin, of course I talk to my coach every single day, I asked him how they're doing. It's very important for me to look after their safety because they're Major League material and they're representing a country, and I know that they're keeping a good eye on them. But the most important thing about this is that they say everything when they look at me, and since you're afraid because they are tall and whatnot, but that's important. Melvin Mora, you know, take it easy, don't ask any more questions about him. So their desire, that really puts me at ease, and the only thing I do is put in their names on the lineup. Q. Felix, would you rate this game as the most important one in your career? And Ramón, we saw your great performance. How would you describe this behind the plate? FELIX HERNÃNDEZ: For me it was one of the most important games because I was wearing the Venezuelan jersey, and for me I have to do my best in order to put my country's game up high, and I do believe this was one of my most important games. RAMON HERNÃNDEZ: What was the question? LUIS SOJO: Do you have Alzheimer's? RAMON HERNÃNDEZ: I think Felix was very well prepared as of the outset. He was talking to me, and he said, "How are you going to pitch?" I know that all of his pitches are No. 1, as I said. He can do anything in any given situation that makes things easy, even though they're not easy, but the most important thing was that I saw him very reassured in the clubhouse. He wasn't that excited. Sometimes you see people desperate. When he went out to pitch, he wasn't that jumpy on the mound, like saying give me the ball, and I want to pitch. No. They say he's 21, and I don't believe it. Don't be mistaken, he's 22 years of age. I think he pitched as a man who's been playing ball for many years, and the relief pitcher got us the victory. I've seen him pitch many times, and tonight is one of the best nights that he's ever pitched. Q. My question is for you, Luis: How do you see the chemistry on the team? What do you do when you have an Endy Chávez and Gregor Blanco playing the same position, and you tell them, you play one game and you play another, and you lose important games, and naturally Ramóncito, you have to choose one. How do you handle this? LUIS SOJO: The most important thing about this is they're focused and they know what they want. Endy and Gregor, they already know that they're playing on alternate days, and it's been easy for me because both of them are responding offensively. And when that happens, you can lean to either of them, but both of them are doing a good job, and they have the same features, and well, Ramón, perhaps together with Henry, they are two wonderful catchers. Defensively they are excellent. Perhaps Ramón is a better batter than Henry, better hitter. I think that the key -- there's been a lot of chemistry with Ramón. They've been feeling well. And that doesn't mean that Henry can't catch because he's an excellent defensive receiver. But the most important thing is that chemistry is there, they're clear on their role, and that's important. Q. Have you spoken to someone from the New York Mets about using K-Rod in a four-out situation? LUIS SOJO: We're talking about that. We're talking about that, and the most important thing is if he goes and he can go for outs, I'm going to do it. I just want to use him for one inning, but if he has that plus and he can give me one more out, I'm going to keep doing it. He had a day off yesterday, and we asked him today, and he said, "I'm ready." That's good enough for me. End of FastScripts |
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