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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC SEMIFINALS AND FINAL


March 23, 2009


Jungkeun Bong

In-Sik Kim

Bum-Ho Lee


LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to your formal interview session for the Championship Game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic. This evening we are joined by Team Korea, manager In Sik Kim and player Jungkeun Bong.
Manager Kim, can you give us your overall impression of tonight's game and Team Korea's performance.
IN SIK KIM: Starting from the beginning our pitcher, Jungkeun Bong threw a lot of balls. He was not in a great groove. He did not hit the strike zone very well. He himself had to pay a lot of attention. He had a lot of balls. He had to throw a lot of pitches. Not in a great condition tonight, not excellent, not ideal.
Bong did not feel well up to last night, so that was the biggest reason. He did not feel well. And he was in the same condition today, so it was sad that this happened.
Although there is regret, we did our best. We fought well till the end. I myself have no dissatisfaction. Of course, it would have been better if we would have won, but I do not have a great deal of dissatisfaction.
But in terms of the game, all day we were pushed and pulled. We felt like we were pushed around a lot on many occasions, like we're pushed to the side and pushed to vulnerable positions. But in the end, we were vulnerable, but we kept coming back. And in the end, we kept fighting.
But it was a battle till the end with pitcher Darvish, and I would also say also our catcher and our pitcher did not have great signals tonight. They did not convey signals well. So the catcher maybe understood the signs, but the pitcher didn't understand it very well. So the pitcher and catcher did not communicate well in terms of their signs. And in the end, that led to a hit by the Japanese hitter, I believe that was Ichiro, and that hurt us in the end.
THE MODERATOR: We are also joined by player Bum Ho Lee.

Q. This is for the manager. In overtime, rather extra innings, you had first base open, and you decided to pitch to Ichiro. A lot of people were wondering why.
IN SIK KIM: Even now, as I told you before, of course, they were trying to convey analyses to the catcher. It was not to try to walk him, but to try to throw him a ball. But if it did not work, we would walk him. That was the strategy. Kang tried to convey the sign to our losing pitcher, Lim, but when it was conveyed, somehow the pitcher did not understand the sign.
I don't know why the pitcher tried to pitch directly to Ichiro. Maybe he did not have great condition. I did not understand. I did not ask the pitcher why. In the end, it did not work out for us, and the bench and the catcher -- definitely we had the signals that were conveyed and exchanged.

Q. For Jungkeun Bong and Lee, how did you throw, and what is your feeling today? We tied the game up to the end, but what is your feeling now? Please tell us one by one.
JUNGKEUN BONG: First of all, I believe we did our best in the game. It was a great game until the end for both teams. I believe that we were the best two teams in the world. Asia is best, world best, and Korea and Japan were able to fight till the end. It was a great glory for all of us.
This was the, I believe, three game winning out of five games. We did not have the great condition, but still, I was able to throw over 100 pitches. And I was confident when there were hits or whether there was three strikeouts. I wanted to complete the 100 pitches, so I did well to the end, I thought. I tried my best. That's what I wanted to do. I had some difficulties, but all the players did their very best today.
Although we were defeated today, to me, it was the greatest game of my life, in my memory.
BUM HO LEE: First of all, I regret a little bit that we could not win before leaving, but I know that all the players did their very best. So we do not have any regret as far as our defeat.
I personally had a chance to tie the game, and I did tie the game, so I had a great opportunity in such a big game as this. We will have next game in four years, and I will prepare in the next four years to be able to do a lot better at that time. I will prepare well.

Q. After facing Japan five times, obviously in a close game tonight, what do you take from the games you played against Japan during this WBC?
JUNGKEUN BONG: First of all, I would say Japan has many major leaguers, and even though players who played in Japan league, they were the best of Japan. I believe they were a great team and they had great players. They did their very best up to the end.
I am proud that they fought and did their best. Korea itself did not give up until the very end, so our players and our team and all the coaches and our manager have no regret of leaving anything on the field in this game.
Although the result was Japan winning, whether it was Japan or Korea winning, we have no regret as far as the result is concerned.
BUM HO LEE: I would say, Japan was the winning team in the world. WBC Classic, the first WBC Classic, Japan won, and the second WBC, Japan won again. And I believe in terms of their world record, they were the best and the strongest. We did our best against the strongest and best team. I believe it will help us a great deal. It will be the greatest glory as our players were playing their very best against the best teams.

Q. Sir, were you trying to walk Ichiro, not walk him? You said there was a lack of communication. I believe that was the eighth pitch, the one that he hit. If there was a lack of communication why didn't you go out to the mound? Did you want to walk him intentionally or not walk him intentionally, because you were throwing to him?
IN SIK KIM: Before that time, actually the pitching coach had talked to the pitcher on the mound himself. Of course, I have a regret as to what happened, so we did not have an intentional walk until the end. Of course, there was a mix-up with the signs between the catcher and the bench. Of course, when we had a change in the catcher, it was an inexperienced catcher. Maybe the inexperienced catcher did not communicate and understand very well. So maybe the catcher did not have an understanding.
So definitely I know the bench and the catcher had an exchange, but the problem was not -- it was not an intentional walk. That's why the problem.

Q. Manager Kim, thank you very much for doing your best, for your hard efforts in this Classic. I know a lot of questions will be asked, but we will be very proud of you as manager of Korean team. There was a lot in terms of understanding, and everybody has a great deal of pride. What do you think about in the future as a result of this game?
IN SIK KIM: Through this game, we have a great impression, and we learned a lot as a team. Our players will take this experience -- because they have lacked experience, they will take the experience of this classic, and they will be able to improve four years later. It was a great learning experience, and our players will develop and they will come back to play again in this spot. They did very well, and I just want to thank them for doing their very best.
I myself did very well, I thought. I did my best and I want to continue to do that. I am thankful to all the players.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Thank you, Team Korea.

End of FastScripts




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