CARY, N.C.?¨C USA Baseball today announced Mark DeRosa will manage Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). DeRosa, a member of Team USA¡¯s WBC team in 2009, will make his professional coaching debut as the U.S. looks to defend its world championship title next Spring.
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A 16-year MLB veteran, DeRosa is currently a co-host of MLB Network¡¯s daily morning program,?MLB Central.
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¡°I¡¯m completely honored and humbled to be named the manager of Team USA,¡± said DeRosa. ¡°Competing in the 2009 World Baseball Classic for Team USA was one of the greatest experiences of my baseball journey. Getting the chance to lead this star-studded roster and represent our country is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I can¡¯t wait to get started.¡±
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¡°Mark DeRosa brings a lifetime of baseball knowledge to the dugout for Team USA,¡± said General Manager Tony Reagins. ¡°¡¯DeRo¡¯ is well respected both on and off the field and his experience and leadership as a player in the 2009 Classic will be a valued asset as we navigate this process. His insight and ability to communicate effectively will shine through as we continue to develop the various elements of the Team USA World Baseball Classic title defense.¡±
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¡°We are excited to welcome Mark DeRosa back to Team USA as our manager for the 2023 World Baseball Classic,¡± said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. ¡°Mark will bring a truly unique perspective to managing this team given his extensive professional career combined with his experience working for MLB Network. Few people are as informed and attuned to what is going on in professional baseball and the premier players in the game today as he is. We look forward to watching him lead this team as we look to defend our world championship title.¡±
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The U.S. is looking to win its second consecutive World Baseball Classic title after capping the 2017 event with a dominant 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the championship game at Dodgers Stadium.
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DeRosa was selected in the seventh round of the 1996 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Pennsylvania, where he played both baseball and football for the Quakers. He made his MLB debut on September 2, 1998, for the Atlanta Braves in what would kickstart a 16-year playing career. DeRosa played in 1,241 career games for the Braves (1998-2004), Texas Rangers (2005-2006), Chicago Cubs (2007-2008), Cleveland Indians (2009), St. Louis Cardinals (2009), San Francisco Giants (2010-11), Washington Nationals (2012), and Toronto Blue Jays (2013), and tallied a .268 lifetime batting average, 494 RBIs, and 100 home runs. In 22 career postseason games, DeRosa batted .358 with 10 RBIs and won the 2010 World Series with the Giants.
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A native of Carlstadt, New Jersey, DeRosa was a member of Team USA in the 2009 WBC, helping lead the red, white, and blue to its first semifinal appearance in the event. He appeared in all eight games, hit .316 with a double, triple, and a home run, and led the team with nine RBIs.
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DeRosa first joined MLB Network as a guest analyst during the 2011 and 2013 postseasons and made the transition to full-time in November of 2013 upon retiring. He co-hosts MLB Network¡¯s weekday morning show,?MLB Central, alongside Robert Flores and Lauren Shehadi.
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Team USA will begin its WBC title defense as part of Pool C in Phoenix, Arizona, from March 11-15, facing Canada, Colombia, Mexico, and a to-be-determined qualifying team. The Pool C winner and runner-up will advance to the quarterfinals in Miami, Florida, from March 17-18, and match-up against the winner and runner-up of Pool D.
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The fifth installment of the Classic, to be played from March 8-21, 2023, will take place at Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan; the Tokyo Dome in Japan; Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, in Phoenix; and loanDepot park, the home of the Miami Marlins, in Florida. loanDepot park in Miami will also host the semifinals and finals of the World Baseball Classic from March 19-21.
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USA Baseball will announce the full coaching staff next week. Follow @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, for the latest Team USA World Baseball Classic news.