*This content was translated by AI.
"I understand why the Dominican national team is angry. I'm also a fan of ABS (automatic ball judging system)."
Mark Derosa (51), who leads the U.S. national baseball team, spoke about the "strike misjudgment controversy" in the blood fight against the Dominican Republic the day before. Is it the margin of victory or the honesty that accepts the trend of the times. Instead of avoiding answers, he actively supported the introduction of ABS and chose to break through head-on.
At a press conference for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) official training session at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 17th (Korea time), Derosa was asked about the controversy over the decision that heated up the last minute of the game the previous day (16th).
The situation was like this. The U.S. leads 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and a third base. The eighth slider thrown by U.S. closer Mason Miller (San Diego Padres) entered the course close to a slightly lower "ball" in a full count situation at the Dominican Heraldo Perdomo at-bat, but the strike decision was made and the game ended with a strikeout. It seemed to be a lot of course on Game Day run by Major League Baseball, including the broadcast screen.
On the 17th, the day after the game, a question flew to coach Derosa. "Looking at the replay, I fully understand why Dominican players were so angry," he said.
However, it presented a technical solution along with the 'winner's margin'. Derosa said, "I'm a fan of ABS. The introduction of ABS will be a good thing for the development of baseball, he said. "I think ABS will be introduced in the next WBC." He also admitted that catcher Will Smith's fantastic framing influenced the decision.
Shortly after the game, Dominican coach Albert Pujols (46) said, "I won't dwell on the last ball of this game. I'm just really proud of how our players showed in this tournament. I always believe that God determines the fate of all of us. This was just not our competition," he said calmly. Perdomo also expressed regret over the strikeout but said in an interview with local reporters, "It's very simple. We didn't end up scoring in the previous 26 outs, but rather blamed ourselves for the decision.
Derosa also treated Pujols, who kept his dignity despite the defeat, with respect, saying, "I deeply respect the class and attitude he showed after the game."
On the same day, coach Derosa expressed his strong trust in him, predicting "the divinity of the Mets" as the starting player for the final. McClain is a right-handed starting resource with a 5-1 record and 2.06 ERA in eight games for the Mets in the 2025 season. Director Derosa said, "McLean really wanted this stage. His ball power is explosive, and he is a player with a mental strength that fits this pressure environment."
Lastly, he also praised the bullpen, which showed overwhelming pitching against the "Dominica" sluggers. In particular, referring to Garrett Witlock (Boston Red Sox), who faced the central lineup, he said, "He has a cold-blooded look. "It was amazing to see Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Manny Machado catch the same batters," he said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. national team will play its fate in the final for the long-awaited WBC trophy at the same stadium on the 18th. The opponent is the winner of Italy and Venezuela in the semifinal on the 17th. If the U.S. wins the championship, it will be the first time in nine years since the 2017 WBC.
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*This content was translated by AI.
