WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: QUARTERFINALS 2 - USA VS VENEZUELA

March 18, 2023

Mark DeRosa

LoanDepot Park

Team USA

Postgame Press Conference

United States - 9, Venezuela - 7

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Mark DeRosa. Who has the first question?

Q. A more general question, not as much about the game, but here in Miami, Group D was considered the group of death, but coming out of Group C in Phoenix, you've eliminated Venezuela, Mexico eliminated Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico eliminated the Dominican Republic. The question is: What does it say about the quality overall in this tournament, but also the quality coming out of Phoenix in Group C?

MARK DEROSA: I mean, there's just a ton of Big Leaguers on both sides. I think for me I look at it not pool-related, but just -- being honest with you, it's one of the greatest games I've ever been a part of. Someone had to win, someone had to lose.

Trea Turner stepped up just with a 0-2 absolute bomb. Lance Lynn battled through four innings. We knew our bullpen was one of the big strengths of our team. Daniel struggled a little bit. We had to go get him and burn Adam in a spot we usually wouldn't use him in.

But there was no tomorrow. I mean, their team was littered with Big Leaguers. The passion in this building was absolutely incredible. When Arraez hit both those homers, to see those guys come out of the dugout -- I wanted to match -- I told the guys before the game, I wanted to match their passion. I had played over there. I had been a part of that, coming out of the dugout and jumping around and being part of the Leones in Caracas.

So I wanted to match that. I wanted us to meet our guys at home plate as well. When Trea clipped that ball, honestly, I saw about 35 guys, including the coaches, kind of black out and lose their minds for a minute. So it was just an awesome moment.

Q. Of all the games you've been part of, where does that one rank?

MARK DEROSA: It's right up there. I mean, obviously -- I was injured with the San Francisco Giants when we won the World Series in 2010. To be a part of that, I mean, before the last pitch is thrown with Brian Wilson and Nelson Cruz, you kneel down and you just take yourself back through the battle to get to the Big Leagues and you're going to be on the greatest team in the world once that last pitch goes he past. Nelly Cruz right there. It's up there. It's top -- it's top 3 for me, it really is. That was a special, special game played by super talented Big Leaguers on both sides.

Q. What do you attribute Bard's arm slot problems out there to? And looking back, would you, if you had to do it again, get someone up earlier?

MARK DEROSA: You know the problem with that is once we get someone up, they got to come in. We are, you know, dealing with some parameters to try and protect these guys that -- I knew he had to face three batters once he came in. Adam was going to take his second -- a lot of these guys can get up super quick.

This is getting toward the end of Spring Training for a lot of these guys, and to pitch in a World Series environment, if you lose your mechanics, you don't have time to go to a back field and hide and work on it. So I know, hey, no one's happier than him when Trea hit that baseball.

Q. You had mentioned Arraez a few questions ago. What did you think of his overall performance today from your perspective?

MARK DEROSA: Oh, man, I think he won the batting title, if I'm not mistaken, right? I didn't know he had that pop in him, though (laughing.) I mean, that one down the line was smoked off him three-quarters of the way up the foul pole there.

Yeah, I mean, I have a ton of respect for all the guys over there. Up and down that lineup, you never felt -- I never felt confident. I mean, some of these guys the Devin Williams of the world and the Ryan Presslys of the world. Ryan's been in every big moment known to man in this game, so he was like really the only time I sort of relaxed.

I think talking with -- having Andy Pettitte next to me, I cannot understate the value because it's not only a guy who knows mechanics and knows pitches, he's been in the biggest moments and he knows -- he'll turn to me and say, I don't know if he's got it anymore, or, hey, let him ride, or -- he kind of gets a feel for it working with J.T. and the catchers.

So I've leaned on him and Jerry heavily in the process. But, yeah, Arraez's awesome. Salvador took a beating behind home plate, hit that big bullet down the line to explode them for the big inning. So, yeah, a ton of respect on both sides.

Q. Did you play ever Caracas Marianas game?

MARK DEROSA: Absolutely.

Q. How do you remember that atmosphere and how would you explain that to the players? Because we saw the atmosphere in your dugout.

MARK DEROSA: Yeah, I mean, I remember being on the bus ride over to Marianas and a lot of the guys telling me, You're in for a treat here. I did not expect what I was going to get when I got over there. But just the passion with which they play is -- it's kind of unmatched. That's why I wanted to have a meeting before we went out there. I knew we were going to be in a hostile environment. Even though we're in the U.S., I knew we were going to be kind of like a road game for us. So I just wanted our guys when we got rolling to kind of come out of the dugout and kind of send a message that we were going to match their energy.

Q. Now you guys have a quick turnaround to face Cuba, and you used six relievers today. How is the situation looking for tomorrow's game? You have an idea who might be starting?

MARK DEROSA: Yeah, we're going to hand the ball to Adam Wainwright. I mean, he's pitched in every big game known to man. We can cover it. I know we used a bunch of relievers, but we can cover it. We have some starters that can go. We'll check with some guys with the potential of maybe going back-to-back days. We'll see tomorrow where that stands. We didn't use Graveman, we didn't use Loup. One thing I'll say too, Adam Ottavino

hadn't pitched in a while. He came in tonight and looked awesome in his inning. So, yeah, we'll be up pretty late tonight.

Q. Before the game Mookie Betts told you that if you need to make decisions in a game like a World Series, go ahead. What the meaning of you for that Mookie Betts told you that?

MARK DEROSA: Oh, yeah, it just tells me these guys are all in on this. I know it's hard for parent clubs to understand, but when it starts to come together and you feel like a team, you have to match the energy in this building or you're going to get beat.

So, yeah, there were moments in the game tonight where I wasn't looking to tomorrow, I was just saying we got to figure out a way to keep us in this ballgame, get our offense going. I was a little surprised when I pinch hit for Schwarber that Quijada stayed in the game. Maybe they couldn't get anybody up in time. Then Pete throws a lawn dart out there to kind of get us going. So there were moments in this game that, yeah, it got super real. Like I said, I turned to Andy and I said, Man, what did we get ourselves into? This is like the real deal here.