The 2017 WBC (World Baseball Classic) winning team USA has built a stronger national team to protect the honor of the defending champion. Stars such as Mookie Betts (Dodgers) and Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), who have never participated in an international tournament as a U.S. national team, all came together, starting with Mike Trout (Angels) who regretted not attending the last tournament.
However, director Mark DeRosa, who leads the U.S. “Earth Defense Force”, is not a person who boasts such a brilliant career. Although he has experience with the WBC national team, his professional career was weak compared to the current national team players. He was never selected as an All-Star, and retired after racking up 100 home runs over 16 years.
He had never had leadership experience before being selected as the national team coach. An ordinary player-turned-director with no coaching experience who leads superstars. Nonetheless, DeRosa’s appointment as the national team’s head coach is receiving more support than concern. The American Athletic reported on the 21st (Korean time) that “the coaches of the US WBC national team are not at all worried about their coach.”
Michael Young, who was a teammate at Texas and will now be the national team’s assistant hitting coach, was confident that “(Director DeRosa) will do a great job.” Dino Ebel, coach of the Dodgers who will serve as the third base coach for the United States, recalled DeRosa’s days as a player and said, “I thought that one day I would become a manager or coach in the major leagues.” 토토사이트
Coaches with brilliant careers also trust and follow DeRosa. Andy Pettit taught the system for DeRosa, who had no coaching experience, and emphasized that “in the end, you are in charge.” Bench coach Jerry Manuel, who worked as manager for the White Sox and Mets, also encouraged DeRosa, saying, “You don’t have to agree with everything I say. You are the manager. Growth and learning are all for you.”
The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal also supported the coaches’ confidence. Reporter Rosenthal wrote, “Anyone who has seen DeRosa on the MLB Network will have noticed right away that he never lacks in confidence or baseball knowledge.”
Although the competition has not yet started, many are paying attention to the next move of DeRosa. He’s already had managerial interviews with Miami before in 2016 and the Mets before in 2018. Director DeRosa said, “I hung around. I had a few interviews with the manager, but I wasn’t sure if I would have accepted the position if offered it.”
Right now, I plan to focus only on the U.S. national team. “My goal is to make our dugout soar with energy,” said DeRosa.
