Higinio Velez Quotations

Let's fight together so this event won't be held every four years but rather every two, so the baseball world won't have to wait so long to enjoy this.

Now we've shown what Cuba can do. Now we've seen the courage of the players when they went out into the field.

I'd like to repeat that Cuba is still a very good team. If this were to occur on a regular basis - using the mercy rule on us - it would be worrisome.

I'd like to recognize the work of the professional ballplayers, who for the first time forgot about the millions (of dollars) they make and thought about themselves to come here and provide a great show. We love and respect the major-leaguers, because most of them come from very humble backgrounds, and have succeeded with hard work, sacrifice and great effort.

I feel regret and sorrow that the U.S. is not here because it is wonderful baseball. It really hurts me. It bothers me because we admire the way they play, and we would have liked to face the U.S. in this tournament.

For you, some of the media and press that follow baseball, it might have been a surprise. It's normal for us. This is the way we play baseball in Cuba.

For us, the Classic starts today and the rest is history.

This wasn't a gift. We won this. The Cuban team simply had to come and show the quality of Cuban baseball.

He wasn't his best today, he didn't have his usual velocity or his control.

He was happy just like the rest of the people in Cuba. We're happy because of how far Cuba has advanced in this Classic, and now he just is waiting for us to do our best in the field to show the world and show everybody else how good baseball is played in Cuba.

I see it as something that really hurts me. It bothers me because we admire the way they play. We would have even liked to face the United States in this tournament.

I said it two or three days ago. I said this was only the very beginning of the Classic, and it was not over. People started saying that Cuba would be out and I said to be patient, and just wait. Now we've shown what Cuba can do.

Our team doesn't give up. Our team continued to fight with courage but it was very difficult.

Our players, when they play, don't think, I'm going to break my hand. Because the player that has money sometimes thinks, What happens if I break my hand?

Some of the players are gone, but ... not all of them were stars. If we go back before the revolution, you will see that a lot of the Cuban players were playing in the major leagues. ... We have a large number of players.

Let me say that our pitchers now have a disadvantage because our pitchers usually have games where they pitch 125 pitches. And here they were limited to 65, 80 or 95. So our starters are used to playing seven or more innings.

We know the Asians. We have played against the Asians, we know how the Asian teams play, and they're great players. They put everything into the field, great effort, very similar to Latin American players.

When I said that this was a team made of men and not names, I didn't mean that the others were not men. They're as manly as we are. We're all men and good men and hard men and manly men.

The President did not demand us to win the tournament, but he told us that we should play well, and teach the world how baseball is played in Cuba.

We are running out of time. We have just 20 days.

We want to be a part of the tournament, and I think Cuba would be an ideal place because it already has experience organizing baseball events.

Both teams played great baseball. Two days ago we told everyone to wait patiently for today's game... This is what Cuban baseball is all about. Our players wanted to come back strong after losing in a mercy rule game and they came through.

This team is the world champion and the Olympic champion. We didn't get that for free.

You have a team of men and not of names. If you don't play as a team, you have to defend the flag of your country. You have to defend your homeland, the love for your country. That is what brings together the players in a team.

What's happened so far in the Classic is history. For us, the tournament begins today. In the first round, we gained some valuable experience.

These are things that simply happen in the game of baseball. If this were to occur on a frequent basis for Cuba, this would be rather worrisome. But this is not the case.

Some people say our athletes are isolated and besieged. Whoever wants to go into exile can just walk away or stand next to a policeman. Our players are not prisoners. Simply, our athletes are besieged because people want to turn them into merchandise. But they want to play for their country. They want to continue to play for the love of their flag ... They're not interested in millions. Whoever wants to leave can leave in peace. We all play without thinking about money.

The most important thing is that baseball and the sport won. The quality of Cuban baseball was demonstrated.

Some players are gone, but not all of them were stars. We have a large number of players. It is our national sport. All I can say is take a look at the quality of our players. We have quality and quantity.

This is what we wanted to see -- this is Cuban baseball. Our boys recovered from the knockout that we suffered. Today was great, wonderful baseball.

They're not interested in millions. We don't have prisoners. Simply, our athletes are besieged because people want to turn them into merchandise, but they want to play for their country.

I told you to be patient. This is Cuban baseball.

That means that Cuba is a great team because if not it would have lost many times under the mercy rule. But that's only happened twice. Our second-line pitchers did not come through and we couldn't use our best pitchers today. That was the fundamental cause of our defeat.

It was not a gift that was given to Cuba. We were put in that pool. It was called the 'death pool,' the 'death group,' and we made it through to the final.

It was a great spectacle. In games like this, baseball wins.

This is Cuban baseball. Cuba is not gone. We're still here to play and whoever wants to beat Cuba will have to sweat it out.

The fans should be happy. That was a great show. They got to watch what baseball is in Cuba.

Hosting games in the next event is the maximum ambition that any country that loves baseball could have.

I don't like to make predictions, but the only thing I can assure everyone is that we will give our best to bring the people a great show. Everything else will be left up to what happens on the field.

I do feel regret and feel sorry that they're not here because it is wonderful baseball what you see in the U.S..