Now that a spring debut featuring both "good and bad" elements is in the rear-view mirror, PaulSkenes is turning his attention to joining Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Skenes lacked execution in allowing one run on one hit with four walks and four strikeouts in the Pirates' 3-1 loss to the Braves here today at CoolToday Park, but he came away from it feeling good physically and feeling confident about his pitch mix.
Despite his excitement for the tournament, Skenes also came away from it dreading the moment when he has to say goodbye to his Pirates teammates and travel to Scottsdale, Ariz. on Sunday. Team USA's first exhibition game is scheduled for Tuesday against the Giants.
"It's bittersweet. I genuinely don't want to leave," Skenes said here afterwards. "If it were anything other than WBC, I would be dreading leaving. I'm looking forward to it, for sure, but we're building something here that I think is going to be pretty special. I'm not looking forward to missing two weeks of it in the heart of spring training. Obviously, I think we'll be better for it. Having Oneil (Cruz) go play and Kyle (Nicolas) and (Spencer) Horwitz, all the guys that are going to play in the tournament, I think we're going to be better off, with them having some experience in those environments. But yeah, I'm not looking forward to leaving."
As for that World Baseball Classic, Skenes says he'll make one start in exhibition play and then two in the actual tournament if all things go according to plan.
"It's pretty scripted out," Skenes said. "I've known for a couple months which games I'm pitching in. Winning gold is the biggest thing. Whichever game I'm pitching in, it doesn't really matter. Just want to win gold."
THE ASYLUM
Skenes on leaving for WBC: 'It's bittersweet'
Now that a spring debut featuring both "good and bad" elements is in the rear-view mirror, Paul Skenes is turning his attention to joining Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Skenes lacked execution in allowing one run on one hit with four walks and four strikeouts in the Pirates' 3-1 loss to the Braves here today at CoolToday Park, but he came away from it feeling good physically and feeling confident about his pitch mix.
Despite his excitement for the tournament, Skenes also came away from it dreading the moment when he has to say goodbye to his Pirates teammates and travel to Scottsdale, Ariz. on Sunday. Team USA's first exhibition game is scheduled for Tuesday against the Giants.
"It's bittersweet. I genuinely don't want to leave," Skenes said here afterwards. "If it were anything other than WBC, I would be dreading leaving. I'm looking forward to it, for sure, but we're building something here that I think is going to be pretty special. I'm not looking forward to missing two weeks of it in the heart of spring training. Obviously, I think we'll be better for it. Having Oneil (Cruz) go play and Kyle (Nicolas) and (Spencer) Horwitz, all the guys that are going to play in the tournament, I think we're going to be better off, with them having some experience in those environments. But yeah, I'm not looking forward to leaving."
As for that World Baseball Classic, Skenes says he'll make one start in exhibition play and then two in the actual tournament if all things go according to plan.
"It's pretty scripted out," Skenes said. "I've known for a couple months which games I'm pitching in. Winning gold is the biggest thing. Whichever game I'm pitching in, it doesn't really matter. Just want to win gold."
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