Please tell me what this guy meant by his statement!

[benjjang751]

Hey Teachers!
My english isn't so perfect, so I wanted to ask you guys some questions about how would you guys interpret the following statement.

I was watching a baseball tournament, and the reporter asked Team B's captain how he thinks about their next opponent, Team A. Then he said, 'Team A is one of the best teams in Europe, if not the best.' And, he went on and said few things about how great the pitcher is for the Team A.

So, if this is the case, then what was meant by captain B's statement.
Is it
A) Team A is one of the best teams in Europe, perhaps there may be a possibility of them being the absolute best in Europe. (Respecting the fact that the Team A is indeed the best)
Or,
B) Team A is certainly one of the best teams in Europe, though they may not be absolute best team in Europe. (Acknowledging the fact that Team A is a good team but saying it with some sarcasm or negative nuance.)

I guess in essence, which one would you choose and why? A) vs. B). Please let me know guys thanks in advance!

 

[Raymott]

To me, it could mean either of those. It would depend on the way it was said and other contextual factors.

 

[probus]

Much of the dialogue that reporters manage to elicit from coaches and players is difficult to interpret when approached seriously. In my opinion it is mainly produced and intended as ephemeral meaningless chat to fill those TV minutes. If you google Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra you will find some truly wondrous linguistic gems.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's A. Opposing coaches always talk up the teams they are going to play. No coach would try to insult the other team, as that would work as motivation for the other team.

Even if you are the best team in the league and you are playing a winless, horrible team, you still talk about how tough they are and what a challenge it will be to play them.