Ex-MLB Star Recalls Crazy Jail Stint as Wife’s Hilarious Fantasy Football Blunder Piled On the Misery

When you think of a former Major League Baseball star, you probably imagine a life filled with fame, fortune, and smooth sailing. But for one ex-MLB player, things took a wild turn that landed him behind bars—at least for a little while. As if that wasn’t enough, his wife’s hilarious fantasy football mistake added a whole new layer of chaos to an already crazy situation. This is the story of how a tough jail stint and a funny football blunder came together to create a truly unforgettable chapter in their lives.

For those unaware, the former star Mark DeRosa, 50, works as a broadcaster for the MLB Network. In his 16 major league seasons, he batted .268 and hit 100 home runs with 494 RBIs. In the latest edition of the MLB Central show, Lauren Shehadi somehow found out that DeRosa spent a night in jail, and when she asked him about it, he burst into laughter.

I did spend 24 hours in prison.” Can you believe it? Yes, that’s the precise reaction of the entire room. “I went on a vacation out of the country. I came back, my wife obviously did not pay some expired tag tickets that I had. Cops get on the bird. They walk up to me and said, ‘Hey, we’re not going to make a scene, but you’re under arrest,” he continued. 

But wait, that’s not the whole story. Since the arrest was made on Saturday, the courthouse was closed, and DeRosa had no option but to spend the full night in DeKalb County in Atlanta. Now here comes the funny part: DeRosa used his one phone call to call his wife, Heidi DeRosa (obviously), and told her to get him out of jail. But that wasn’t all he asked her. “I need you to put my fantasy football team in because I’m gonna get a zero.” And guess what she did? Well, in his words, “she botched it.” 

 

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Even in that moment, thinking about something like your fantasy football team is funny in itself. But sadly, it didn’t happen. So he got both arrested and a zero on his fantasy football on the same day. That’s tough! But we can’t help but laugh. Though we know that the Team USA manager is no stranger to funny stories. It’s also true that he would like to focus on the job at hand

Mark DeRosa returns as the captain of the Team USA ship

Mark DeRosa’s humorous observations will still add a light-hearted element to the games, but right now, DeRosa’s comeback as Team USA manager is the main story. DeRosa’s leadership helped the team finish with a silver medal in the 2023 WBC. 

As usual, expectations are high for him this season as well. Expressing his excitement about having DeRosa back, USA Baseball executive director Paul Seiler said, “We are extremely excited to begin the 2026 World Baseball Classic process by welcoming Michael and Mark to our staff.” While DeRosa will carry out the managerial role, Michael Hill will focus more on workforce development and field operations. The big-league veteran also played for Team USA in the 2009 Classic. This time, he returns to the team as manager. Sharing the clubhouse with some of the best players and staff may bring back many memories for DeRosa.

We hope he shares more of his humorous tales, especially as he recalls the amusing incident about his wife’s mistake that added to his misery. In fact, it might allow people to laugh out loud more than before. Do you have any funny stories about Mark DeRosa that you would like to share with us?

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