“A ton of respect for Italy. It’s weird; we want to win this game even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals…” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa was confident just before he went against Italy in the Pool B game. However, with 8-6 on the scoreboard in favor of Italy, DeRosa backtracked.

“I was on ‘Hot Stove’ with a couple of buddies today and completely misread the calculations.”

DeRosa acknowledged that his team went against Italy without understanding the importance of the game to get into the WBC quarterfinals. Now, insiders are not only educating DeRosa, but they are also putting pressure on Team USA’s cornerstones, Aaron Judge and Tarik Skubal.

“You think, Mark DeRosa, what are we doing here? That’s amateur, and I don’t want to hear you speaking to your friends and your colleagues on MLB Network. You had no idea what the hell was going on. I watched the game, and I saw the starting lineup. And I thought maybe there was something wrong with Bryce Harper not being in the starting lineup. I mean, come on, what are we doing here?” American commentator Adam Schein addressed Team USA’s manager directly.

There is scant evidence proving Team USA was confident about their quarterfinal berth.

Bryce Harper was not in the starting lineup against Italy. The veteran, coming with 27 HRs from last year, was missing the game. A probable reason could be his workload management, as DeRosa thought it was not important in this game.

And considering DeRosa managed Team USA in the 2023 WBC, this miscalculation surely comes as a shock.

When DeRosa thought that his team had advanced to the QFs after winning against Mexico, there was already the possibility of a three-way tie in Pool B. At that time, Team USA was 3-0, and Italy was 2-0.

“It was a brutal realization that Mark DeRosa thought Team USA had clinched and that he managed the game with that mindset,” Chris Rose agreed.

And what’s more shocking for fans is how Team USA played the entire game with the wrong mindset.

But should DeRosa be blamed only for the debacle? A few insiders don’t think so.

“He, along with the rest of his team, went into a funk yesterday after they had already thought they had clinched; they went out and partied. That’s right. The party was on the bus; the party was in the hotel. Afterwards, a couple of guys said, ‘Ha, we’ve already clinched.’ That’s right. And the whole team goes into the tank,” WFAN Radio commentator C-Mac went heavy against Aaron Judge.

And this delusion probably caused Captain America to finish the game at 0-for-4 with a walk. In the ninth inning, when the whole team looked forward to him tying the scoreboard from 8-6, his swing-and-miss got him struck out against former Yankees teammate Greg Weissert.

Even Tarik Skubal is not spared from the backlash.

As speculations were rife around his probable second start in the WBC after starting against Great Britain last Saturday, Skubal took a stand and went back to the Tigers’ camp. Replacing him was Nolan McLean, who allowed two homers, and Italy was up 3-0 by the end of the second inning.

Critics even slammed Skubal with the “traitor” label for deserting his country for a franchise. His three innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts against Great Britain were surely something Team USA could’ve used.

One miscalculation not only put Team USA in a grave scene but also placed the entire lineup on the receiving end.

Fans are also unimpressed with Team USA

“Why’d he leave?” one fan asked about Skubal.

“Then why aren’t you there, Skubal? What are the tigers going to do to you?” another added.

While Tigers manager A.J. Hinch called Skubal back, it was almost predetermined that he would have only one start with Team USA.

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Even Aaron Judge is not immune to fans’ wrath.

“Can’t remember any time Aaron Judge didn’t stat pad in meaningless baseball,” one fan said.

“Aaron Judge choking again,” another user remarked.

Aaron Judge has long been reputed only as a regular-season hero. We still remember his infamous dropped ball from the 2024 World Series. And his last WBC performance against Italy only added fuel to the fire.

Now, just as Italy smacked Mexico in the latest game, ensuring Team USA’s stay in the WBC, fans still fear DeRosa. “Let’s all make sure Mark DeRosa knows all the rules heading into the quarterfinals,” one user said.

Right now, the calculation stands at something like this: Team USA will face Canada, the top seed from Pool A, on Friday night. Pool B’s top seed, Italy, will play Puerto Rico on Saturday night. Both games will be at Daikin Park in Houston. The winners of these two games will advance to the semifinals in Miami.

The USA got saved from the elimination, thanks to Italy’s 9-1 win against Mexico. But now, Mark DeRosa needs to be cautious with his roster, and Captain America? Well, live up to his name, probably!