WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: QUARTERFINALS 2 - USA VS VENEZUELA

March 18, 2023

Mark DeRosa

LoanDepot Park

Team USA

Pregame Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with the first question for Mark. Who has the first question?

Q. You had some other starters that were available to go today. You decided to go with Lance Lynn. Can you talk about that decision-making process that went into that and how hard it was to tell the other guys and their teams, I guess, that they weren't going to throw today?

MARK DEROSA: Well, I think for me I got to be fair to the 29 other guys in the room, right? I felt like Lance threw the ball the best. I felt like we were in dire straights from a bullpen perspective when he took the ball, and he bailed us out and allowed us to reset everything.

I loved the way he worked with J.T. I liked that J.T. was working in a little more off-speed stuff, because when you watch Lance pitch for the White Sox, it's 80 percent heaters, different variations of it. But I just felt like he was the right man for the job. He had earned it. His stuff matches up really, really well to the Venezuelan hitters.

As far as talking, yeah, I didn't think I would be actually put in these positions where I would have to have these conversations with them. But Adam Wainwright is back of the baseball card, will wear a red jacket and be in the Hall of Fame for the Cardinals, and I still believe when we win this game, he's going to play a prominent role in us going forward. I wanted him to be upset about it and he was. So I would expect nothing less from him. But I do believe that he still will play a monster role for us if and when we get past this.

Q. Taking into consideration the amount of Venezuelans that live here in Miami it's going to be --

MARK DEROSA: It's going to be awesome.

Q. But it's going to be like they have their home team today.

MARK DEROSA: Yeah.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about that?

MARK DEROSA: I think that's what the WBC is all about, man, like, the passion. I said this yesterday in the press conference. I spent 1999, my off-season I spent in Caracas playing for the Leones, and I loved every second of it. Not only did it make me a better player and prepare me for the Big Leagues, but it gave me a better understanding of the passion of the Latin American ball player, how hard it is for them to come over at 16, 17 years old and be dropped off. I know things have changed now. It's gotten way better. But at that time, to be dropped off in Florida or Arizona and have to fight to eat. I felt that when I was over there and it was guys like Bobby Abreu, Álex González, Omar Daal, guys who kind of helped me out for my two, three months over there, and I was super appreciative of it.

So it kind of changed my whole perspective of trying to create a synergy and a chemistry in the clubhouse of everybody. Yeah, I think it will be an away game for us, there's no question about that. But I think sometimes that could bode well for us.

Q. Team Venezuela is a great team, great batters. What is your plan for pitching today?

MARK DEROSA: I can't tell you our plan for pitching to 'em, not yet. (Laughing.) I just think Lance's stuff matches up well against their hitters. You know what's interesting about -- if this is a regular season game, the names on the back of the jersey would certainly matter way more. I think right now the hot hand plays, right? Anthony Santander is swinging a hot bat, Sal Perez is swinging a hot bat, as opposed to maybe Acuña, who we have a ton of respect for and over a .162 is arguably a top-5 player in the game.

I think the same could be said about our hitters. There's certain hitters -- like, Mike Trout's swinging the bat great, Pete Alonso's struggled a little bit throughout the course of this tournament. So I think that has to carry more weight than the name on the back of the jersey right now.

I've had Spring Trainings where I couldn't make an out and I've had Spring Trainings where I couldn't get a hit. You use this to build up. So I just think Lance's weapons matchup well for what the Venezuelan hitters like to do, free-swinging guys.

Q. A few questions about you feel this game feels like an away game and that could bode well for your team. What have you learned about your team throughout the tournament that makes you think that?

MARK DEROSA: I think for me the biggest thing I learned about is just trying, like you said, to create roles and create team. I think when we first arrived, it was this feeling out process, and I think now -- like, Mookie Betts came into my office and said to me yesterday, he shut the door, and he said, Listen, I want you to manage these games like they're the World Series. Like, I don't want you to worry about hurting anybody's feelings.

That means a lot to me because it's hard to manage a room full of superstars and to -- and you know you're not going to make everyone happy, even though you're trying to. I've always been a guy that I didn't want anyone not to like me in the clubhouse, but there will be two or three guys, that's just the reality of it, that don't get the run that they think they deserve.

And it goes back to my answer to him. The hot guy's got to play right now. So I think they're understanding of that, and I also think being around this bullpen, the thing I appreciated the most in the Colombia game is, even though I didn't necessarily tell those guys who was coming in what order, they kind of knew. So that's been my biggest thing that I've learned is that they want to create team and not just play as individuals, because you can't get through this like that.

Q. You have replaced Nick Martinez or didn't you think it wouldn't be fair to the rest of the pitching staff?

MARK DEROSA: I don't think we could have.

Q. Even between rounds?

MARK DEROSA: No, I think -- that would be a Tony Reagins question. I think we would have to win tonight to be able to replace him, or it would have to be injury-related or -- I had, again, another tough conversation with Nick. I mean, I completely understand his position. If he wasn't going to be guaranteed a start and guaranteed pitches, then he wanted to break camp on Opening Day with the San Diego Padres.

And going back to your answer, like, you try and create team, and I didn't feel that was fair to us as a whole or to him to guarantee that, regardless of result. We're trying to win this thing, so I thought it was best for everyone -- and he agreed -- that he would go back and get ready for Opening Day with San Diego.

Q. This is somewhat unique in that it's a must-win game, but it's not like a one-game Wild Card because you also have to get ready for several days in a row. Is this somewhat more akin to being down 3-1 knowing you have three games in a row you have to win?

MARK DEROSA: No. No, this is the only game I'm concerning myself with. We'll move on to tomorrow when we have to. I will not try and squeeze and save anybody for tomorrow. I'll try and get through this game.

Q. As an offense against a guy like Martín Pérez, what do you guys need to do to have success against him?

MARK DEROSA: We got to get him in a zone. I've watched him pitch a ton. I've watched him recreate himself. He gives the illusion of a lot of pitches being strikes. His little two-seamer in on lefties, little slider, changeup just off. I just think we got to control the strike zone. I told these guys in the first meeting, I watched them fight for every little inch of the strike zone. I mean, they know -- when I came up, that was a -- that's a strike. Now with the technology and the umpires under the scrutiny, I mean, that's getting balled in the Big Leagues now.

So I just think he can take advantage of aggressive-type approaches. So we just got to get them in a zone. But I think there's a confidence that comes, probably on their side as well, from a familiarity with these guys. Like, all these guys have faced Martín. There was guys with Colombia and Great Britain and Canada. Like, there's no knowledge there. It's tough to do. So I think both sides will have better at-bats tonight.

Q. You just mentioned Great Britain, and you can probably tell from my accent where it is I've come from, what's the difference in a you preparing for a game like Venezuela, where as you say, all of your players have faced Martín multiple times versus Great Britain, which is a mixture of complete unknowns and Minor League reports.

MARK DEROSA: Yeah, I think when you dive into the analytics side of it, like, what does a 900 OPS in A ball equate to the Big Leagues. You don't want to give 'em too much respect, but yet his numbers on paper that I'm looking at during the game, I'm like, well, is he better than Bobby Witt Jr., who is rocking a 720? You know what I'm saying? So it was difficult.

I think we just went with like, hey, trust our guys and trust that they can get it done. But certainly, I think here you can get in the weeds a little bit better, how has he attacked you. I went to sleep last night watching Olivares against Martín. So that goes into making out the lineup, who has seen him a ton. Kyle Tucker's a guy who has seen him north of 20 plate appearances, right?

So there's familiarity there on how he's going to attack him. He faces him in Division the entire season.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you.