I'm sure everyone heard about the brawl during Saturday's Canada-Mexico WBC matchup. In case you didn't, check it out here. Anyway, after the game, Team Canada's first base coach Larry Walker had some absolutely fantastic answers to questions from the media. Here are some of the highlights, courtesy of Yahoo's Eh Game blog.
Q: Had somebody done that to you during your career, 9-3 in the ninth inning, what would've happened in a regular-season game?
A: In a major league baseball game, yeah, that probably would've been called for. Maybe a brushback or a hit or something crazy like that. Their third baseman was sitting there taking the ball and telling him to hit him right in the ribs. I can't believe he didn't get tossed out of the game for instigating the whole thing. I think something would've been happening in a major league game. It might not have happened that game. You see each other enough during the season, or next year you'll see each other again. It can be done at a later time.
Q: We saw the replay with Cruz doing it. You saw that directly with Cruz pointing.
A: I told Adrian (Gonzalez). Chris (Robinson) was there because he bunted. I said it right there, so Adrian heard me. We all saw it clear as day. It was throwing the ball at his ribs telling him to hit him. He could've made a damn play on it. He was just so pissed that he bunted that he gave up and just sat there. Robinson was running. He's Fred McGriff speed.
Q: Did you feel like you were playing again?
A: The adrenaline started running a little bit, yeah. It was good. Like I say, it was probably all uncalled for because it was international ball, and like I say, the runs mean something in the tiebreaker rule. Whether they keep that or not, who knows? It's Saturday night. It's ‘Hockey Night in Canada.’ Don Cherry can't wait to get on the air.
Q: How would you settle a tie other than the run differential?
A: I'm a beaver. I don't know. I couldn't tell you. I don't know what the ruling is? Do you play another game? That's probably the worst thing you can do. Couldn't tell you.
Q: Do you think the emotion you felt when you popped your jersey was more that it said Canada than if it had the Rockies jersey or Expos jersey?
A: Without a doubt. I look up there and see a sea of red with Canada written across it. Just wanted to fire the Canadian people up there a little bit.
Q: Even though they were outnumbered?
A: Yeah. Nobody's jerseys were tied down on the back. We could've gone into the stands. See what happens. Pull 'em over their heads and throw some haymakers.
Q: Sometimes in MLB with a brawl, you find a buddy and pair off. Out there, did you feel it was on the verge of danger at any point? Did you think it was going to escalate to worse than it was?
A: I did at the beginning. I grabbed Adrian. I said, "Listen, stay away." I told him later, "You're too important to the game of baseball to be jumping in here and doing something stupid." So I grabbed him. Then I let him go and grabbed somebody else. Is it Acev … Aceh … how do you say it?"
Q: Aceves.
A: I had a hold of him, and I think I saw Satan in his eyes. It was scary. I was just hoping he wasn't going to throw punches at me, because that would've been trouble.
Q: Can you tell us what happened, exactly, from your own perspective?
A: Our guy got hit. He was pissed. We all danced and then fought. I mean, it is what it was. It's simple to see.
Q: Larry, the hockey analogies were alive and well in the press conference there. You come from a hockey country. Canadians seem to excel at rough stuff. It's a playful question, but a lot of fans are probably thinking it's a hockey fight at a baseball game.
A: Well, that's going to be a line probably used a lot, and nobody will be surprised that Team Canada was involved. Because that's what they'll say. All those damn hockey players. I don't think this was necessarily started by us. We were invited into it, so we danced.
Larry Walker, ladies and gentlemen. A true Canadian hero. I'm sure the Red Sox are just thrilled to hear that anecdote about Alfredo Aceves, who the team has already had numerous altercations with. I also like how Walker managed to work nearly every Canadian stereotype into this interview…talk about living the gimmick.
