The most expensive baseball team ever had gathered for a steak dinner Tuesday night when Team USA manager Mark DeRosa introduced a special guest.
“I want you to know what it means to play with that ‘USA’ on your chest,” DeRosa told his team.
Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, a 2008 and ’12 Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. men’s basketball team, stood and spoke to them about the special pride in playing for your country. Earlier that day, DeRosa gave his introductory speech to his group, hammering home the idea that this was not a collection of All-Stars but a true team. Sitting in front of him were five of the 24 highest-salaried players in baseball: Mike Trout, Nolan Arenado, Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Paul Goldschmidt. No other WBC team has more than two of the richest two dozen players. The job, he told his players, was to win the World Baseball Classic, and it would take every player in the room to make that happen, even if it means setting ego aside because stars must sit on the bench at times.
