MIAMI — Team USA’s lineup is hitting its stride, which should terrify its next opponent just 48 hours away from the World Baseball Classic final.
USA flaunted its ridiculously deep lineup to overpower Cuba, 14-2, in the WBC semifinal on Sunday night at loanDepot Park. This marks the second time USA has advanced to the WBC final, as the defending champions are just 27 outs away from repeating. The dynamic red, white and blue offense now awaits the winner of Monday’s semifinal between Japan and Mexico.
"They're swinging the bats good, they're having fun being around each other, they're passing the baton, they're not having selfish at-bats, constant pressure," Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said. "I think the first couple innings it was, like, two runs, one run, two, two, two, two. Constant on the attack."
It’s intimidating to think this USA lineup is just beginning to come together. The team’s 14-hit effort against seven different Cuban pitchers was the most complete performance we’ve seen from the Americans thus far. USA scored at least one run in seven of the eight innings it batted, including in each of the first six frames. With a lineup this loaded, Cuba’s mediocre pitching staff never stood a chance.
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If Cuban starter Roenis Elias was encouraged by getting Mike Trout to fly out in the first inning, it didn't last. Paul Goldschmidt quickly sparked USA’s offensive boom with a two-run home run on Elias’ eighth pitch of the night. The reigning MVP of the National League has smacked 323 homers in his illustrious career, including eight in the postseason, yet described this blast as "one of my favorite home runs I've ever hit in my entire life."
In the second inning, Trea Turner, the greatest No. 9 hitter of all time, picked up where he left off against Venezuela, cranking a solo shot to left field and extending USA’s lead to 3-1. For good measure, Turner went yard again in the sixth; that one was a three-run homer.
Turner’s four homers in the tournament are the most a Team USA player has ever hit in one WBC. As much as he’s enjoyed success from that No. 9 spot, Team USA’s decision-makers have to at least consider moving Turner up in the lineup so that he gets more at-bats in the final. Even so, his low placement does an excellent job of detailing the hard-to-believe length of USA’s lineup. After Turner, the lineup turns around to Mookie Betts, Trout, Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Kyle Schwarber, and J.T. Realmuto or Will Smith.
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"I kept saying every time he went deep, who is the idiot that's hitting him ninth, you know? But that's the way this lineup is built," DeRosa laughed. "So I'm going to leave him alone right now."
"What a fun team where Trea Turner bats ninth, I tell you what," quipped Adam Wainwright.
If facing USA’s starting nine wasn’t challenging enough, the big lead also allowed its rookie manager to utilize the extra weapons on his bench. Mets infielders Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil received at-bats on Sunday, with the former knocking a timely RBI single in the third inning and the latter drawing walks to get on base for Turner. Typically, Schwarber has been starting at DH in lieu of Alonso and Tim Anderson has been starting at second base over McNeil. But DeRosa must have liked what he saw from both Mets players on Sunday, perhaps enough to give them more opportunities in Tuesday’s final.
Utilizing all of the weapons on USA’s bench was actually Betts’ recommendation to DeRosa. On Friday, a day before the USA-Venezuela quarterfinal, Betts walked into DeRosa’s office and shut the door. With just the two of them in the room, Betts implored the skipper to manage the next day’s quarterfinal like it’s the World Series.
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"I don't want you to worry about hurting anybody's feelings," Betts told DeRosa.
What exactly did Betts mean by that?
"Use our guys," Betts said. "It’s easy to get lost in the All-Star lineup. But we have All-Stars on the bench, too."
DeRosa said he appreciated Betts taking that initiative because, "It's hard to manage a room full of superstars and you know you're not going to make everyone happy, even though you're trying to." DeRosa finally put Betts’ advice into practice Sunday against Cuba when he rearranged his lineup and made in-game adjustments. The result was an even more powerful USA lineup.
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s final, USA must attempt to replicate its offensive prowess to overcome its pitching deficiencies. USA starters Lance Lynn and Wainwright pitched in the quarterfinal and semifinal, respectively, and Miles Mikolas piggybacked Wainwright with four innings of work against Cuba. So, Team USA’s bullpen and high-leverage relievers will be plenty rested for Tuesday. But the USA's biggest strength remains its offense. It’s a terrific sign, then, that the lineup is coming together at exactly the right time.
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"After we got through that first round, guys really got comfortable with each other," Goldschmidt said. "We had a cross-country flight. Now we're all staying at the hotel together. I think we learned a lot about each other."
Turner added: "Getting our feet underneath us, just feeling what it's like to be out there and wear the jersey, play with each other, play with guys you had never played with before, play against teams you never played against before, just a lot going on those first four days. It took us a little bit of time, but now we found our stride a little bit. We played good baseball the last few days."
Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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