WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - AUSTRALIA VS CZECH REPUBLIC

March 13, 2023

Pavel Chadim

Tokyo Dome

Team Czechia

Postgame Press Conference

Australia 8, Czech Republic 3

Q. What a great baseball game, what's in your mind right now and tell me the reason why you put Hachimaki, the head banner.

PAVEL CHADIM: Yes, with just were did he photoed and I'm not saying I'm pleased. I'm not saying that but I am so proud of my roster, every single player. Australia is one of the Top 10, the best baseball countries, and the number of base hit is equal, 8 and 8. We scored a couple runs. It's a super special game, it was.

Talking about the head banner, this is how I would like to show my respect and my grateful feeling and how I would like to show my respect to Japan, thank you. And once again, in three years, I'd look to come back here in Japan.

Q. Your baseball was such a joy, watching you guys play baseball with a lot of joy and fun.

PAVEL CHADIM: Of course, we wish we could have advanced to the second round, but we accept the result, and I am so proud of who we are. We play hard against Japan, also against Korea. We beat China. We just lost against Australia and the pitch count for the WBC regulation, if there's no regulation, there might be a different story.

Q. For the 2026 WBC, what's in your mind for the future of baseball in the Czech Republic?

PAVEL CHADIM: Me, I'm not a guy to predict in the future but as I plan, yes, I'd like to -- well, I'm going to talk the baseball organization in the Czech Republic. I'd like to get a medal. Younger players have to succeed, Under 23, Under 19, in the European. We have succeeded in those already. For 2026, we would like to be prepared well.

Q. What a game, but the result you didn't expect. You played so hard. My question is ON the baseball expansion with Shohei Ohtani. Your country back home, how often and how easily can you watch Ohtani playing baseball, Major League Baseball? And also the statue of Ohtani, what's that all about with the Czech people?

PAVEL CHADIM: Yes, regarding Ohtani, and not only Ohtani, but many tremendous baseball players were here in Tokyo, Japan, and then the Roki Sasaki, who was hit by pitch, he showed up with Japanese snacks. It's something throughout this experience, we feel connection among the players through baseball. I would like to see Ohtani smiling, playing baseball. And also, although there's war in Ukraine, baseball means something to the people.

Q. Wanted to ask you about when you made a pitching change with Martin, you took off your hat and took a bow on the mound. What did the gesture mean? Why did you decide to do that in that particular moment?

PAVEL CHADIM: The pitch count, I started Martin Schneider. He is one of the stalwarts of our pitching staff, but the limitation of the pitching staff is at the end, so we have to change. If there is no pitch count, the story might be different. We wish he could pitch longer. We are strongly wishing we could go and advance to the second round, and we tried to minimize giving up runs, and he is the one having a lot of international experience. Kovala, Padysak, these are two very young, so one of the reason why we put the younger pitcher followed by Schneider is to think about the future of baseball in the Czech Republic.

Q. Top of the eighth, man on first and third, there's a slight possibility that you minimize runs less than three. In that situation, your infield didn't charge. Why is that? And after you doctor defeated by Australia, you went to the dugout on third base and spoke with the manager for Australia. What was the conversation?

PAVEL CHADIM: Yes, top eighth situation, my brain is confused and couldn't tell you exactly. I cannot explain right now in details but what I said is we could have scored better. In post-game, what I spoke with him is I congratulated him and wished them all the best. I knew that this is the first time ever to go advance to the second round for the WBC pool, so I congratulated him.

Q. On your roster, there are many Czech citizens, and using these players, you had four great games. What was the success point?

PAVEL CHADIM: Like I said, I am so proud of our rosters. We, Czech Republic Baseball Federation have a great program to generate the sport of baseball. That's probably one of the key facts. We have a great youth program. Me, myself, I wish not only for the Czechs but the entire European region is going to make progress and improve baseball in the European region. Baseball is not only for Asia and not only for the U.S. I wish not only Europe, but also maybe Africa, South America, I'd like to put more effort to expand baseball in the future.

Q. Obviously not the result you wanted, but every single game, coming into the game, your guys either had the tying run up or on deck. How do you create a team that just never gives up, never dies. How do you create that culture?

PAVEL CHADIM: From one side, I can say the secret. From the other side, it's in their guys, in them. And I was coach of them last 25 years. I knew I think a lot of them from Under 12, Under 18, Under 23, and I was coached ten years ago like my national team. And the best guys have characters and passion and hard work, we choose on this team. We had fro great leaders, the pitcher and Martin Cervenka on the field.

I have question for you, Mike. What did you can me one or two days ago?

Q. So the other day, I asked you that this team has been together so long. They have been through so much together as a team. How important is it that all of them are here now and what is that view you have that they made it to this point together?

PAVEL CHADIM: Great question. At first, I want to say that I really believe that we showed the way. Not just European teams but all small countries. I am so proud of guys. It's not finished, this group.

But like rookie Sasaki showed me this morning, I want to say thank you, if I first club coach Jeff Samuels. He was coach when we were first time champions with the Dragons in Czech Republic. I want to say thank you Stan Jones and Jim Lucevitch, they were my coach 30 years ago and last thank you is for Bill Holmberg, a guy from America, USA and Italy, who helped us with development programs with pitchers and catchers. He died two years ago. He worked for major league international. This tournament was for him. Thank you, Bill.

Q. On 3/11, you played against Japan, one of the historical days for Japanese people. Two days after, you got hit by a pitch against rookie Sasaki, and then rookie Sasaki gave you the Japanese snack. Did Roki's gift give you extra energy on your team?

PAVEL CHADIM: Yes, Roki's snacks, I just mentioned in the pregame press conference, sport is not a war. Sport is not fighting. The things the Roki did to us is such a heartwarming thing and it touched us. That brings us a huge extra energy, and I'd like to address, once again, thank you, Japan, nationwide.

Q. What a wonderful baseball game. I feel the entire people of Japan would love to see the Czech Republic playing baseball, and if you know, is there any of your players who would like to be Japanese professional players and play for the NPB, if there's any, let me know, please.

PAVEL CHADIM: First of all, my concern is not only attending the 2026 WBC tournament. What I'm proud of is how we worked out hard, how we prepared for this tournament for a long time. I didn't expect even to me a year ago, I didn't even expect that we played that well. How we played solid baseball is even surprising to me, and when we faced against Japan, Sasaki's pitching was so tremendous.

The thing that Roki did to us, it touched us, and our generation's new Babe Ruth is Shohei Ohtani, that's what I'm feeling. One additional thing. There's many players who wish to play in the NPB in the future. If this happens, that will expand baseball in the European region, so I wish for a future extension between Japan and Czech Republic will be brilliant, thank you.