USA Manager Mark DeRosa Blamed by Fans for WBC Loss vs. Mexico over Lineup Decisions

After getting off to a strong start at the 2023 World Baseball Classic with a win over Great Britain, Team USA faltered badly in its second game, falling 11-5 to Mexico on Sunday night.

It can be argued that no team in the WBC has a deeper pool of hitters to draw from than the United States, and that prompted manager Mark DeRosa to make some changes compared to the opener.

Gone from the lineup were Philadelphia Phillies teammates Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber in favor of Tim Anderson, Will Smith and Pete Alonso.

While Anderson went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Smith hit the team's only home run, much of the production came late when the game was already out of reach, as the Americans scored three runs in the eighth inning when down 11-2.

Given how well things went in the first game, many fans blamed DeRosa and his decision to shake things up in Sunday's defeat:

In addition to some suspect lineup changes, it also seemed like Team USA failed to meet Mexico's energy and excitement level throughout the game.

That led to several fans questioning Team USA players' pride and desire to represent their country on the international stage in comparison to Mexico:

In international competition without much time to prepare, it can often be difficult for a veritable All-Star team like the United States to mesh as quickly as desired.

The Americans managed to make it happen at the last WBC when they won it all, but early indications are that it could be more of a challenge this time around.

Additionally, there is no question that Team USA's pitching is nowhere near its hitting in terms of star power, and that was clear Sunday when starter Nick Martinez was tagged for five hits and three runs in just 2.2 innings, followed by Brady Singer and Daniel Bard giving up four runs each.

It is also fair to wonder if DeRosa is ready for the spotlight, as this marks his first opportunity to manage at any level, let alone a major event like the World Baseball Classic.

DeRosa gained a reputation for being a great leader during his 16-year MLB career and has had some manager interviews over the past couple of years, but it remains to be seen if his qualities will translate to being a quality manager.

He will have a chance to get things back on track Monday night when Team USA faces Canada at Chase Field in Phoenix.