Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball Italy Stuns Team USA, Jesús Luzardo Gets an Extension & The Cost of Wins
Mar 11, 2026
They recap Italy's shocking win over Team USA and the tiebreaker drama it creates. They cover Hunter Greene's surgery and who might fill the Reds rotation. They discuss Jesús Luzardo's five-year, $135M extension and what it means for Philly. They examine the rising dollars-per-WAR and how the cost of wins is reshaping free agency.
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Italy Won With Pitching And Timely Power
- Italy beat Team USA by playing quality pitching and timely offense despite many regulars being quiet.
- Michael Lorenzen delivered 4 2/3 scoreless with mid-90s velo and Italy got key homers from Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci, and Jack Caglione.
DeRosa's Deleted Clip Changed Team Perception
- Mark DeRosa publicly said Team USA had already advanced, which seeped into team mindset and contributed to a rude awakening.
- The hosts noted a now-deleted MLB Network clip and debate whether it reflected real misunderstanding versus a simple misspeaking.
How WBC Tiebreakers Actually Work
- WBC tiebreakers: head-to-head then fewest runs allowed per defensive out among tied teams determines advancement.
- If Italy wins USA advances; if Mexico wins all three teams are 3-1 and the runs-per-out quotient decides which two move on.