What felt like an unbeatable Team USA roster fell to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday, the second consecutive time that the Americans came up just short of gold. And given just how much talent the U.S. recruited to take part this time around, it's awfully hard to be satisfied with a second-place finish, especially after getting past the Dominican Republic and avoiding Japan.
All of which has most American fans ready to throw manager Mark DeRosa overboard. He first earned everyone's ire when he was caught thinking his club had already secured a spot in the quarterfinals when that was not actually the case, a gaffe that nearly cost Team USA a spot in the quarterfinals. Such an embarrassing mistake caused every move he made afterwards to land under a microscope, and by the time he let Venezuela score the winning run in the eighth without using his best reliever in Mason Miller, the knives were out.
But while most fans do not want to see DeRosa at the helm for Team USA in the 2030 WBC (to put it kindly), the former big leaguer has other plans. DeRosa said himself that "it would be 100-percent yes to do it again" when asked after the final; he's been involved with USA Baseball for a long time now, he seems passionate about the club and his players continue to have his back. Of course, the U.S. has some time to make their decision ahead of the Olympics in 2028, but it's never too early for us to argue either side.
The argument for Mark DeRosa to continue managing Team USA
Baseball is a game in which people love to justify actions based on statistics, even if the choices seem unorthodox. No, the U.S. may not have won the WBC in their last two attempts, but they have still reached the finals in very competitive tournaments under the leadership of DeRosa. It's more than fair for American fans to expect trophies, but it's also worth noting just how difficult a task managing in the WBC is and how great the competition has become.
There are a slew of superstars on the 2026 roster who are likely to return in 2030, and with DeRosa already building a rapport with these players, it would actually make sense for him to return. The most optimistic perspective to take on a DeRosa return would be "third time is the charm" or view it as a "redemption tour." He's been an ace recruiter for USA Baseball over the past few years, and his players seem to love playing for him.
With the lack of a championship, small mistakes by DeRosa have been viewed as larger ones. And if players are comfortable playing for him, then why not let him return? With no active MLB coaches realistically under consideration due to logistical difficulties, the pool isn't as deep as you think.
The argument against Mark DeRosa to continue managing Team USA
Sometimes, fair or not, it's just time for a change. Reaching the championship game in two consecutive tournaments is most certainly an accomplishment, but it's not the goal the U.S. sets for itself. It almost feels like DeRosa just can't get it together when it matters the most; even managers need "clutch genes", and it doesn't appear DeRosa has one.
Another con to keeping DeRosa as the skipper is that it feels like he completely disregards the "feel" aspect a great manager should have. One prime example is starting Will Smith in the finals over Cal Raleigh: Sure, it was no secret that Raleigh had struggled the entire WBC, but coming off an historic MLB season and knowing the difference Raleigh can make in a game should have made him valuable enough to plug him back into the starting nine.
If the WBC were to be played every year, it would be more likely that DeRosa would return. With it being every four years, results are expected immediately. The passion from every team and fan base in this year's WBC showed just how special this event is, and the how meaningful it is to be able to represent home countries.
With the WBC being taken so seriously now, Team USA will likely explore other managerial options because they feel DeRosa has had his chance. Thankfully, the U.S. has four years to decide, because this is not an easy decision either way.