Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Healthy DeRosa hopes to regain stroke

US Presswire file photo
Mark DeRosa joins the Nationals after two injury-plagued seasons with the Giants.
VIERA, Fla. -- When a tendon in his left wrist snapped last May while he stood in the batter's box watching a Clayton Kershaw breaking ball hit the dirt in front of him, Mark DeRosa had no idea if he'd ever play again.

Watch the video of that bizarre, non-contact injury taking place and you can read DeRosa's lips as a Giants trainer comes rushing out to check on him: "I'm done."

Nine months later, the veteran utilityman (he turns 37 on Sunday) feels a whole lot better about his chances of not only playing in the big leagues for years to come, but of regaining the power stroke that made him such a valuable player before his ongoing wrist troubles derailed his career.

"To be honest with you, since I ruptured it, that's the best it's felt," DeRosa said this morning after reporting to Nationals camp. "I was able to come back last year after rehabbing and play in September and played pretty well. So I'm excited."

Indeed, DeRosa's strong finish to an otherwise wretched 2011 in San Francisco -- he hit .367 in 29 games -- gives him and the Nationals reason to believe he has made a full recovery.

There are still some questions, though. After hitting 20-plus homers in back-to-back seasons in 2008-09 with the Cubs, DeRosa produced only one extra-base hit upon returning from his last surgery.

Can he get that power stroke back?

"We're going to find out," he said. "It feels as good as it felt since before the injury, swinging a bat this offseason. I'm really interested. Because that is the name of the game, driving in runs and being a dangerous hitter and occasionally driving the ball out of the ballpark. I hope to get back to that."

The Nationals appear to have big plans for DeRosa, who signed a one-year, $800,000 contract in December, using him as a "super-utility" man who can play all four corner positions as well as second base.

DeRosa's locker features three different types of gloves: an outfielder's mitt, an infielder's mitt and a first baseman's mitt. What about a catcher's mitt? "No, I'm not going back there," he insisted with a laugh.

Having done just about everything in his career, DeRosa is perfectly comfortable holding down this kind of role.

"However I can get on the field," he said. "That's how I got my start, being a utility guy. It's kind of coming full circle, coming back to it, which I'm not happy about but I also understand. I'm pretty comfortable playing wherever."

Though he reported to camp three days before the Nationals hold their first full-squad workout, DeRosa was actually one of the final position players in camp. Only minor-league invitee Xavier Paul has yet to arrive.

DeRosa, who lives in Atlanta, wanted to enjoy as much offseason time as he could with his wife and two kids before joining his new club. Washington's proximity to Atlanta was one factor in his decision to sign, but so was the name of the Nationals' manager.

"Davey," he said. "He was my manager for that World Baseball Classic [in 2009] and I really enjoyed spending time with him."

DeRosa will enjoy himself even more this season if that surgically repaired wrist finally is 100 percent healed and allows him to be the player he always wanted to be.

"It certainly zapped my career for a little bit," he said. "I felt like I was coming into my own at that point after those two years in Chicago. "It's just been a grind the last two and a half years. I look forward to being out there and being healthy, not being in the training room all the time, and being around the guys and able to help."

25 comments:

SCNatsFan said...

That video is just bizzare. I encourage people to watch it... but it also means this guy might have some Nick Johnson DNA in him, counting on him for much this year might be a mistake.

Anonymous said...

Thsi gusy is going to be a big part of the club this year. Nice pickup.

dfh21

Nats1924 said...

ya, definitely a freak injury.

We have 43 days till opening day? Thats awful!

Lets go dubs!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Thsi gusy is going to be a big part of the club this year. Nice pickup.

I am recylcing old posts here and running my motuh to keep up with expectations (even spelled a bunch of stuff wrong too).

Best 25 go North!

dfh21

Joel K said...

I'm certainly rooting for the guy but this has all the signs of one of those classic, "this year I'm finally healthy, haven't felt this good in years" spring training stories. We have no choice but to take the guy's word but every year there are a whole lot of guys who claim they're finally healthy and/or in "the best shape of their lives".

Or maybe I've just got a lingering case of pessimism from the LaRoche stuff this morning.

Anonymous said...

The guy did come back and play well at the end of 2011, so it's not like the Nats don't have a decent reason to belive he's in good shape health-wise, no?

dfh21

Steve M. said...

"However I can get on the field," he said. "That's how I got my start, being a utility guy. It's kind of coming full circle, coming back to it, which I'm not happy about but I also understand. I'm pretty comfortable playing wherever."

I wish Lombardozzi followed in DeRosa's and Jerry Hairston's footsteps and had at least 2 gloves (infielder and outfielder). Davey has said he wants to get Lombo into 130 games this year. No way that comes from playing 2nd, 3rd and SS unless Zim is moving to 1st base!

The Guzman experiment of just throwing an infielder into the outfield with little prep doesn't work either (see Houston disaster)

Steve M. said...

I still believe DeRosa's contribution to the team will be a key in 2012.

Steve M. said...

Amanda Comak reporting that Zim's agent Brodie Van Wagenen will be at Nats camp for a few days.

If the Nats get a deal done with Zim I hope they don't delay announcing it for several weeks like they did with his last contract. We don't need more "drama" as the Anon said.

MicheleS said...

Richard Justice is on 980 with Tony K. He has good things to say about the Nats. He is in Nats camp today, I am sure we will see a story on MLB.com later

Anonymous said...

Getting Lombo into a bunch of games, if Davey is serious with that 130 number, means lost playing time for Desmond more than anyone, I;d guess, as he has the least upside or power of the guys at positions that Lombo can reasonable play. Lombo might even be the starting SS or 2B if Desmond does not look very good and Lombo does over these next 6 weeks. The club is looking to win and the best performing guys are going to play.

natsfan1a said...

LOL, I like your moxie, dfh. :-)

Not gonna watch the video because, ewwww, icky.

Anonymous said...

Thsi gusy is going to be a big part of the club this year. Nice pickup.

I am recylcing old posts here and running my motuh to keep up with expectations (even spelled a bunch of stuff wrong too).

Best 25 go North!

dfh21
February 22, 2012 10:47 AM

Les in NC said...

That's right, Anon 11:22, best 25 go north.

umm, best 24 go north with Desmond...

no wait, best 23 go north with Desmond and Detwiler....

well, now that I mention it.... best 22 go north with Desmond, Detwiler and Lannan....

Shoot, now I'm confused again! :)

At any rate best intentions go north!

Steve M. said...

Here's Rizzo's quote on Lombardozzi. Remember, if he pinch hits in 80 games that leaves 220 at-bats for games that maybe he starts in and that's how you get to 130 games.

“He won’t be a true utility player,” General Manager Mike Rizzo said. “But a hybrid role, where he can get multiple at-bats and we could utilize his skill set and still have him develop as a player … We see him as an everyday player. And Davey sees him the same way. And Davey is going to utilize him to get those 300 at-bats in the major leagues.”

MicheleS said...

I just saw this...

First Day

Drew needs to trim that mop up and not sure what is growing on his chin. And Gio is getting into the "I need to by the Shersey" range. Need more from EJax before he gets into the shersey discussion

PAY TO PLAY said...

Re: Lombardozzi. I don't see it. Rizzo's quote of 300 At-bats is not an every day player unless you consider him pinch hitting as being every day. Even if he appears in 130 games of which 50 are starts that is basically 1 out of every 3 games that he will be in the starting lineup.

Why can't they just say they see a big role for Lombardozzi or pencil out their intentions.

Lombo is listed generously at 6'0" (same as DeRosa). Maybe 1st base and corner outfield is in his future also.

MicheleS said...

And for those of you that want and update on Pudge

I hope someone picks him up

Joel K said...

Pay to Play- I took it to mean they see him as an everyday player in the future, not necessarily this season, so he would like to see him get more ABs than the avg utility guy so that he can continue to develop... I'm personally split, on the one hand I think he needs to play every day, on the other hand i kind of like the idea of having him on our bench breathing down Desmond's neck and pushing him to either get better or get out of the way.

Anonymous said...

natsfan1a -- funny stuff. :-)

Lombo's AB's -- if he really is going to get a lot of them in 2012, he needs to make the roster first -- are going to come from the infield, likely the middle infield. In the infield, Zim's healthy, LaRoche is supposed to be (and if he isn't Mrose is) and Espi has 20+ HR power and is a switch, so I think that the Anon above claiming Desmond might be losing AB's unless he's playing very well might have something. Club needs OBP like you read about and all. We'll see.

dfh21

David said...

Yes. I also believe that Davey will play who he believes give us the best chance to win. If Lombo outplays Desmond this spring, it's his job. Davey wants to win....

DFL said...

Barring injury, Zimmerman, Desmond and Espinosa are each capable of starting 150 games+ this year and should if they are not injured or in a prolonged slump. I'd be disappointed in their competitive spirit if they did not. That doesn't leave much of a role for Lombardozzi. If Lombardozzi can not beat out Desmond, he should be Syracuse bound or trade bait. Someone like Blanco or Tug Hulett can fulfill the middle-infielder reserve role. De Rosa can play third and first.

Anonymous said...

If Lombardozzi can not beat out Desmond, he should be Syracuse bound or trade bait. Someone like Blanco or Tug Hulett can fulfill the middle-infielder reserve role. De Rosa can play third and first.

Read between the lines. If Desmond doesn't hit Johnson will move Lombardozzi in there. That is the "Plan B" for lead-off. The same might be true for Espinosa. The lineup isn't that fixed so that there isn't room for competition during the season. Desmond is capable of doing the infield UTIL role as much as any player. Its all about who hits and who doesn't in Johnson's mind I bet.

DFL said...

Anonymous, do you think Desmond will bridle at being benched? If so, how badly? Will he be a disruptive force?

JaneB said...

If only for DeRosa, I hope he makes it back.

JaneB said...

Thanks for the Pudge update, 1a. And the reading in between the lines, Steve. I hadn't seen that and it makes sense.

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