Mark Thomas DeRosa (born February 26, 1975) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

player who played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) from 1998 to 2013. He played for the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

(1998–2004), Texas Rangers (2005–2006),

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

(2007–2008),

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

(2009),

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

(2009),

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...

(2010–2011),

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

(2012), and

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

(2013). DeRosa primarily played

third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...

base and

second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...

base, but he started at every position other than

center field A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

, and

catcher Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...

. He currently works for

MLB Network The MLB Network is an American television sports channel dedicated to baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball, with Warner Bros. Discovery through its sports unit, Comcast's NBC Sports Group, Charter Communications, and Cox C ...

as a studio analyst. A

Carlstadt, New Jersey Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 6,127,University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

, where he led the

football team A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...

to consecutive

Ivy League The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools ...

championships as their

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

in 1994 and 1995. He also played

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

for the

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

, and he chose to sign when the Braves selected him in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 1996 MLB draft. Originally a

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

, DeRosa debuted with the Braves briefly in 1998. He gradually got more playing time over the next few seasons, especially after transitioning to a

utility player In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water polo. The ...

in 2001. In 2004, the Braves tried using him as their starting third baseman, but he was benched in June after struggling. Not offered a contract after the season, he signed with the Rangers. After playing just 66 games with them in 2005, he became an everyday player in 2006,

batting Batting may refer to: * Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs * Batting (cricket), the act of defending one's wicket with the cricket bat while attempting to score ...

.296 and setting career highs in several offensive categories. Prior to the 2007 season, DeRosa signed a three-year contract with the Cubs. He set a career high with 149 games played in 2007, then equaled that total in 2008, hitting over 20 home runs (21) for the first time in his career. DeRosa was traded to the Indians in 2009, then to the Cardinals in midseason. He hit a career-high 23 home runs but injured his left wrist during the year. Offseason surgery was unsuccessful, and left wrist issues severely limited his playing time with the Giants in 2010 and 2011. DeRosa appeared in 48 games with the Nationals in 2012, then hit his 100th career home run with the Blue Jays in 2013 before retiring after the season.

High school and college

DeRosa was born on February 26, 1975, in

Passaic, New Jersey Passaic ( or ) is a city in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 70,537, ranking as the 16th largest municipality in New Jersey and an increase of 656 from the 69,78 ...

. His parents, father Jack and mother Mickey, were descended from

Italian immigrants , image = Map of the Italian Diaspora in the World.svg , image_caption = Map of the Italian diaspora in the world , population = worldwide , popplace = Brazil, Argentina, United States, France, Colombia, Canada, P ...

. Jack once played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

as a

for the

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights refer to the 17 sports teams representing Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan campus in Teaneck & Hackensack, New Jersey. Fairleigh Dickinson University or (FDU) offers a variety of sports on the Divisi ...

, for whom he once threw a

no hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...

. Growing up in

Carlstadt, New Jersey Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 6,127,New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

suburb, Mark regularly watched the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

on television. His favorite player was

Don Mattingly Donald Arthur Mattingly (born April 20, 1961) is an American former professional baseball first baseman, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is the bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed ...

. His early playing experience came with Carlstadt's

Little League Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationGeneral Tire and coached by his father. He attended

Bergen Catholic High School Bergen Catholic High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school in Oradell, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Coll ...

in Oradell, New Jersey, where he earned all-state honors in baseball and in

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

. Offered football scholarships to the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

as well as

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

, DeRosa opted instead to attend the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

(Penn), preferring its academic reputation and the opportunity to play baseball as well. After redshirting as a freshman, he became the starting

for the

in 1994, leading them to an undefeated season and an

championship. He led them to another Ivy League championship in 1995. Passing for 3,895 yards and 25

touchdowns A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether Rush (gridiron football), running, Forward pass, passing, returning a Kickoff (gridiron football), kickoff or Punt (gridiron football), punt, or recovering a Turno ...

during his career, he became one of the top quarterbacks in school history. Meanwhile, DeRosa played

on the

baseball team Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding te ...

. In 1995, he played

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the

Bourne Braves The Bourne Braves are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Bourne, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Braves play their home games at Doran Park on the ca ...

. Originally expected to be a reserve, he became the team's starting

third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...

when

Troy Glaus Troy Edward Glaus (; born August 3, 1976) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and third baseman. Glaus played in Major League Baseball with the Anaheim Angels (–), Arizona Diamondbacks (), Toronto Blue Jays (–), St. Lou ...

departed to play for a national team.

Batting Batting may refer to: * Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs * Batting (cricket), the act of defending one's wicket with the cricket bat while attempting to score ...

over .300, he was selected to the league's All-Star team. At Penn, DeRosa was a member of the

Sigma Chi Sigma Chi () International Fraternity is one of the largest North American fraternal literary societies. The fraternity has 244 active (undergraduate) chapters and 152 alumni chapters across the United States and Canada and has initiated more tha ...

fraternity. Drafted by the

in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 1996 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, DeRosa chose to forego participating in college sports as a senior to instead pursue a professional baseball career. However, he continued to take classes in management and marketing, graduating from Penn's

Wharton School The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania ( ; also known as Wharton Business School, the Wharton School, Penn Wharton, and Wharton) is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private Ivy League research university in P ...

in 1997.

MLB career

Atlanta Braves (1998–2004)

Brief callups (1998–2000)

DeRosa made his professional debut in 1996 with the

Eugene Emeralds The Eugene Emeralds (nicknamed the Ems) are a Minor League Baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Eugene, Oregon. The Emeralds are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. Eugene plays thei ...

of the Class A short season

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Basebal ...

. Progressing through Atlanta's minor league system, he joined the Braves for the first time as a

September callup A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...

in 1998. He made his MLB debut on September 2, pinch-hitting for Greg Maddux and

striking out ''Striking Out'' is an Irish television legal drama series, broadcast on RTÉ, that first aired on 1 January 2017. Produced by Bl!nder F!lms for RTÉ Television, ''Striking Out'' stars Amy Huberman as Dublin-based solicitor Tara Rafferty, who is ...

against

Randy Johnson Randall David Johnson (born September 10, 1963), nicknamed "The Big Unit", is an American photographer and former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (1988–2009) for six teams, primarily the Seattle M ...

in a 4–1 loss to the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

. On September 20, he had his first MLB

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

, a pinch-hit

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

against Vladimir Núñez in a 10–0 win over the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...

. He appeared in five games for the Braves in 1998, serving as a shortstop, pinch hitter, and pinch runner. In 1999, DeRosa spent most of the season as the starting shortstop for the

Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...

Richmond Braves of the

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...

. From June 9 through July 1, he served as a pinch hitter for Atlanta, going hitless in eight at bats while

Walt Weiss Walter William Weiss (born November 28, 1963) is an American former professional baseball shortstop and manager and current bench coach for the Atlanta Braves. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 through 2000 for the Oakland Athlet ...

was on the disabled list (DL). He was called up again on May 5, 2000, when Weiss was again placed on the DL. On May 14, he recorded his only three RBI of the season with a pinch-hit, bases-loaded

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

against

Trever Miller Trever Douglas Miller (born May 29, 1973) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. High school Miller graduated from Trinity High School, where he was a pitcher and outfielder, in 1991 and was named Kentucky's Mr. Baseball and the G ...

in an 11–2 win over the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

. After appearing in five games, he was sent back to Richmond on May 21 when Weiss returned from the DL. He was with Atlanta again from June 13 through 29 while

Rafael Furcal Rafael Antoni Furcal (born October 24, 1977) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Miami Marlins. With St. Louis, he ...

was on the DL, then was called up for the remainder of the season in September. In 22 games (13

at bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

) for Atlanta in 2000, he batted .308 with nine runs scored and four hits.

Filling in for Furcal (2001)

After starting 2001 with Richmond, DeRosa was recalled on June 1, replacing

Chris Seelbach on Atlanta's roster. He filled in for Furcal for 10 games, batting .300 while Atlanta's starting shortstop recovered from a minor injury. Then, he took over the starting role again on July 6 after Furcal suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. On July 21, he hit his first major league

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

, a 10th-inning walkoff one against

Graeme Lloyd Graeme John Lloyd (born 9 April 1967) is an Australian-born former professional baseball pitcher, who appeared with the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, and Kansas City Roy ...

that gave the Braves a 2–1 victory over the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...

. DeRosa hit well, batting .342 with 14 RBIs, but defensively he committed five errors. Wanting a better defender with more experience, the Braves acquired

Rey Sánchez Rey Francisco Guadalupe Sánchez (born October 5, 1967) is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball infielder. He attended high school in California and was drafted in the 13th round of the amateur baseball draft by the Texas Rangers. He pla ...

to be their starting shortstop at the July 31

trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...

. However, DeRosa started a few more games at shortstop that August when Sánchez was recovering from a left hamstring injury. In 66 games (164 at bats), DeRosa batted .287 with 47 hits, three home runs, and 24 RBI. DeRosa was part of a playoff roster for the first time as the Braves won the National League (NL) East division. He had a single against Mike Williams Game 1 of the NL Division Series (NLDS), his only appearance of the series as the Braves swept the Astros in three games. In four games (four at bats) in the NL Championship Series (NLCS), he was hitless as the Braves were defeated by Arizona in five games.

Utility player (2002–2003)

In 2002, DeRosa began the year as a backup player for the Braves. He had started five games in a row at shortstop for the Braves from May 13 through 17 when, in the last of those, he tore a

tendon sheath A tendon sheath is a layer of synovial membrane around a tendon. It permits the tendon to stretch and not adhere to the surrounding fascia. It has two layers: * synovial sheath A synovial sheath is one of the two membranes of a tendon sheath wh ...

in his right ankle. The injury required surgery and kept him out until July 17. Upon his return, he split time with

Keith Lockhart Keith Alan Lockhart (born November 7, 1959) is an American conductor. He is the Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Chief Guest Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, and the Artistic Director of the Brevard Music Center in North Caro ...

at second base, though he also saw occasional playing time at shortstop and in

left field In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...

and right field. In 72 games (212 at bats), he batted .297 with 63 hits, five home runs, and 23 RBI. He returned to the playoffs as the Braves again won the NL East. Starting at second base in Game 2 of the

NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...

against the

, he had two hits and two RBI in a 7–3 victory. His pinch-hit RBI single against

Aaron Fultz Richard Aaron Fultz (born September 4, 1973), is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), in all or parts of seven seasons, for five big league teams. He also spent the season with th ...

in Game 5 provided the only Atlanta run in a 3–1 defeat that eliminated the Braves from the playoffs. Healthy all year in 2003, DeRosa again played a number of positions: every

infield Infield is a sports term whose definition depends on the sport in whose context it is used. Baseball In baseball, the diamond, as well as the area immediately beyond it, has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-c ...

spot, as well as left field and

designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...

. Of his six home runs, four came in back-to-back games: May 28 and 30 against the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

and

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

, and September 8 and 9 against Philadelphia. On July 17, he had a walkoff bases-loaded single in the ninth inning against

John Franco John Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher between and . Franco established himself as an All-Star player with the Cincinn ...

, giving Atlanta a 3–2 win over the Mets. In the September 8 game, he started the scoring for the Braves with a two-run home run in the first inning, then scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning of a 6–4 win over the Phillies. In 103 games (266 at bats), he batted .263 with 70 hits, six home runs, and 22 RBI. DeRosa made the playoffs for the third year in a row as the Braves again won the NL East championship. Starting at second base in Game 2 of the

in place of

Marcus Giles Marcus William Giles (born May 18, 1978) is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a second baseman and batted right-handed. His older brother, Brian Giles, was an outfielder who also played in the Major Leagues. Career Giles was selected ...

, who was recovering from a left leg bruise, DeRosa had an eighth-inning, two-RBI double against

Dave Veres David Scott Veres (born October 19, 1966) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1994 to 2003. Career On January 4, 2007, Veres signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. However, ...

, driving in the go-ahead runs in a 5–3 victory over the

. He pinch hit in three other games in the series, but the Cubs defeated the Braves in five games.

Chance to start at third base (2004)

When

Vinny Castilla Vinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria (; born July 4, 1967) is a Mexican former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves. Previously, he played with the Atlanta Braves (1991–1992, 200 ...

signed with the

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...

after the 2003 season, the Braves decided to make DeRosa the starting third baseman in 2004, despite him batting just .231 with no

extra-base hit In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...

s in

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

. On May 2, he committed four errors, tying a team record amidst a 13–4 loss to the Rockies. DeRosa said later that the poor defensive performance distracted him from his hitting for about a week. His batting average was a mere .178 in May. On June 15, DeRosa lost his starting job, as

Chipper Jones Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the first overall p ...

moved from left field to third base, his position from 1995 through 2001. "It was terrible," DeRosa said of his performance. Watching videotapes of himself and adjusting his approach to hitting, he performed better as a backup, but he remained a reserve player for the rest of the season. His season came to an end on September 25, when he tore his right

anterior cruciate ligament The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation ...

(ACL). In 118 games (309 at bats), he batted .239 with 74 hits, three home runs, and 31 RBI. After the season, the Braves declined to offer DeRosa a contract for 2005, making him a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

Texas Rangers (2005–2006)

On January 19, 2005, the Texas Rangers signed DeRosa to a contract, but it was only a minor league one, as the Rangers had some concerns about his health. Making it through the spring, he had his contract purchased before the start of the season, as the Rangers wanted an experienced utility infielder on their roster. The last member of the Opening Day roster to appear in a game, not making his Ranger debut until the 11th game of the season, DeRosa played only six games a month in April, May, and July, though he appeared in 12 games in June. (Note: May need to click "View More Bio Info+" for some info.) In August and September, he saw more action in right field, as

Richard Hidalgo Richard José Hidalgo (born June 28, 1975) is a former professional outfielder. He played with the Houston Astros (1997–2004), New York Mets (2004), and the Texas Rangers (2005) of Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-hand ...

was battling a left wrist injury. In 66 games (148 at bats), he batted .243 with 36 hits and 20 RBI. Despite appearing in his fewest games since 2001, his eight home runs represented a new career high. Still under team control at the end of the year, he avoided arbitration on December 12 by agreeing to a one-year, $675,000 contract. After playing only two of the Rangers' first 11 games in 2006, DeRosa was on the disabled list from April 15 to 30 with a sprained left foot. With starting second baseman

Ian Kinsler Ian Michael Kinsler ( he, איאן קינסלר; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for ...

injured and fill-in D'Angelo Jiménez batting .208, DeRosa took over the position upon his return. He responded to the increased playing time by hitting .343, leading the Rangers in hitting in the first half of the season. On May 3, he hit a 12th-inning walkoff home run against

John Halama John Thadeuz Halama (born February 22, 1972) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During his major league career, Halama played with the Houston Astros (), Seattle Mariners (–), Oakland Athletics (), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (), Boston Red Sox ...

, giving the Rangers a 2–1 victory over the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

. "He means a lot to our team," said manager

Buck Showalter William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III (born May 23, 1956) is an American professional baseball manager for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he served as manager of the New York Yankees ( 1992–1995), Arizona Diamon ...

. Once Kinsler became healthy, DeRosa returned to being a utility player, but he remained a regular in Texas's lineup, even though his position changed frequently. On August 4, DeRosa hit his first career

grand slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

, coming against

John Lackey John Derran Lackey (born October 23, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2002 through 2017 for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and ...

in a 7–3 victory over the

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...

. Though his average fell to .296 by season's end, he was still one of Texas's best players in 2006. He set career highs with 136 games played, 40

s, 13 home runs, and 74 RBI. After the season, he became a free agent.

Chicago Cubs (2007–2008)

On November 14, 2006, he signed a three-year, $13 million contract with the

. DeRosa was one of several acquisitions by the Cubs in their off-season spending spree. Though the Rangers had been interested in retaining him, Chicago offered DeRosa the chance to start regularly at second base, an option that he preferred. Despite this, he again played multiple positions, though he was in the lineup regularly and second base was his most frequent position. On June 3, he hit a grand slam against

Lance Cormier Lance Robert Cormier (CORE-mee-ay) (born August 19, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angele ...

to open the scoring in a 10–1 victory over the Braves. Against the Reds on August 16 and September 17, he had a career-high five hits. In a career-high 149 games, DeRosa batted .293 with 147 hits, 10 home runs, and 72 RBI. Winners of the

NL Central The National League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the National League West (the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros) and three teams from the National League ...

, the Cubs faced the Diamondbacks in the

. Playing second base, DeRosa batted .333 with two runs scored in the series. However, the Cubs were swept by the Diamondbacks in three games. On February 23, 2008, DeRosa was hospitalized with breathing difficulties and a rapid heartbeat. On February 28, he had a successful

catheter ablation Catheter ablation is a procedure used to remove or terminate a faulty electrical pathway from sections of the heart of those who are prone to developing cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and Wolff-Parkinson-White syn ...

Northwestern Memorial Hospital Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) is a nationally ranked academic medical center located on Northwestern University’s Chicago campus in Streeterville, Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship campus for Northwestern Medicine and the primary ...

to correct an

irregular heartbeat Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, heart arrhythmias, or dysrhythmias, are irregularities in the heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. A resting heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beats per minute in adults ...

, a problem which had plagued him since high school. His heart procedure earned him the nickname of "the Pulse", which also became the name of his blog on the Cubs' website. On June 30, he hit a two-run home run against Barry Zito and a grand slam against Billy Sadler as the Cubs defeated the Giants 9–2. After having three RBI against the Astros on August 4, he hit a grand slam and recorded five RBI against them on August 5 in an 11–4 victory. He hit home runs in four consecutive games from August 20 through 23, becoming the first Cub to do so since

Fred McGriff Frederick Stanley McGriff (born October 31, 1963) is an American former first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for six teams from 1986 through 2004. He was one of the most consistently productive powers hitters of the 1990s, post ...

in 2001. In 2008, DeRosa primarily played second base, but he also filled in at third base, left field, and right field when the Cubs starters at those positions were hurt. He was the only MLB player with at least 20 appearances at four positions in 2008. Manager

Lou Piniella Louis Victor Piniella ( usually ; born August 28, 1943) is a former professional baseball player and manager. An outfielder, he played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals and ...

said, "The amazing part about it is he’s very adroit defensively at every position he plays". Playing 149 games for the second year in a row, he batted .285 with 143 hits, setting career highs in runs with 103, home runs with 21, and RBI with 87. Paul Hoynes of ''

The Plain Dealer ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...

'' called it his finest season in a January 15, 2009, article. For the second year in a row, the Cubs won the NL Central. DeRosa's two-run home run against Derek Lowe in Game 1 of the

opened the scoring but wound up providing the only Cubs runs in a 7–2 loss to the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

. He had two hits and two RBI in Game 2 but also committed an error that contributed to a five-run second inning by the Dodgers as they defeated Chicago 10–3. DeRosa hit .333 in the series, but the Cubs were swept by Los Angeles in three games, a loss that DeRosa found more disappointing than the previous year's.

Cleveland Indians (2009)

On December 31, 2008, DeRosa was traded to the

for minor league pitchers Jeff Stevens,

Chris Archer Christopher Alan Archer (born September 26, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins. Archer attended Cla ...

, and

John Gaub John David Gaub (born April 28, 1985 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Career Prior to playing professional baseball, Gaub attended South St. Paul High School and then the University of Minnesota. He was original ...

. Prior to the 2009 season, he represented the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

in the

World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Lea ...

. He batted .316 and led the team with nine RBI before

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

eliminated them in the semifinals. Though third base would be his primary position for the Indians, he also spent time at first base and in the outfield. On April 18, he had six RBI in a 22–4 victory over the Yankees. From June 14 through June 16, he hit home runs in three consecutive games. He received a standing ovation from Cubs fans when he returned to

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...

on June 19, even though he was now with a different team. On June 27, DeRosa was traded to the Cardinals for relief pitchers Chris Perez and

Jess Todd Jesse Ray Todd (born April 20, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Todd is tall and weighs . The St. Louis Cardinals selected Todd in the second round (82nd overall) of the 2007 MLB Draft out of the University of Arkansas ...

. In 71 games (278 at bats), he was batting .270 with 75 hits, 13 home runs, and 50 RBI.

St. Louis Cardinals (2009)

The Cardinals hoped that the addition of DeRosa would improve their offense. Soon after his acquisition, however, he was placed on the disabled list with a left wrist sprain, an injury that kept him out from July 1 through July 17. From July 26 through 28, he hit home runs in three straight games for the second time that season. On August 4, he was

hit by a pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...

with the bases loaded in the 10th inning of a game against the Mets, forcing in the winning run in a 12–7 victory over New York. In 68 games (237 at bats), he batted .228 with 54 hits, 10 home runs, and 28 RBI. Defensively, he committed no errors as a Cardinal. Playing 139 games combined between Cleveland and St. Louis, he batted .250 with 129 hits, a career-high 23 home runs, and 78 RBI. The Cardinals won the NL Central and faced the Dodgers in the

. In Game 1, DeRosa had three hits, including an RBI double, but the Cardinals lost 5–3. He had two hits in Game 2 and scored a run that put the Cardinals ahead in seventh, but they ultimately lost 3–2 following an error by

Matt Holliday Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980) is an American professional baseball coach and former left fielder who is the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 2004 to 2018 for the ...

. For the second year in a row, DeRosa's team was swept by the Dodgers in the NLDS. DeRosa, who became a free agent at the end of the year, used the offseason to undergo surgery that sought to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. He also became a free agent.

San Francisco Giants (2010–11)

On December 29, 2009, DeRosa signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Giants. At the beginning of the 2010 season, DeRosa went into a prolonged slump. He batted only .194 in his first 26 games, with just four extra base hits and 10 RBI. Experiencing numbness in the fingers of his left hand, he underwent a medical examination on May 11 and found that the wrist surgery in 2009 had been a "failure". He rested it a few days to see if it would improve but was placed on the disabled list on May 17, having not played since May 8. On July 1, he underwent season-ending surgery, a procedure that again sought to repair his tendon sheath, as well as releasing pressure on his

carpal tunnel In the human body, the carpal tunnel or carpal canal is the passageway on the palmar side of the wrist that connects the forearm to the hand. The tunnel is bounded by the bones of the wrist and flexor retinaculum from connective tissue. Norma ...

. The Giants went on to win the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

that year, their first title since 1954. Though DeRosa suffered from mild

tendinitis Tendinopathy, a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement. It most commonly occurs around the shoulder (rotator cuff tendinitis, biceps tendinitis), elbow (tennis elbo ...

in his left wrist during spring training, he began the 2011 season on the Giants' roster, though just as a reserve player. He was on the disabled list from April 28 to May 10 with wrist soreness. On May 18, 2011, he completely tore the injured tendon on a

checked swing A checked swing is a type of motion in baseball made by a batter. A checked swing occurs when a batter starts to swing the bat at the ball, but stops the swing in order to allow the ball to pass without hitting it. If the swing was indeed check ...

and went on the disabled list again. "Given his history, you have to consider that the injury might be career-ending", speculated reporter

Andrew Baggarly Andrew Baggarly (born c. 1975) is an American journalist and author who has covered Major League Baseball teams since 1998 and the San Francisco Giants since 2004. As of December 2017, he is the Giants beat writer for ''The Athletic''. Baggarly ...

. DeRosa instead reworked his swing to become more of a singles hitter and returned to the Giants on August 4. He was used mostly as a pinch hitter for the remainder of the season. In 47 games (86 at bats), he batted .279 with 24 hits, no home runs, and 12 RBI. After the season, he became a free agent.

Washington Nationals (2012)

On December 22, 2011, DeRosa signed a one-year contract with the

. Now 37 years old, he started at several positions for the Nationals in April 2012 but batted .081 in 13 games. On April 29, DeRosa was placed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, an injury that kept him inactive until June 25. From then on, most of his appearances throughout the season were as a pinch hitter. He went on the disabled list again from August 5 to September 1 with a left abdominal injury. Despite DeRosa's limited playing time, he became an important mentor for his Nationals teammates, many of whom were much younger, including former first overall

draft Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vesse ...

picks

Bryce Harper Bryce Aron Max Harper (born October 16, 1992) is an American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to his arrival in Philadelphia, Harper played for the Wash ...

and

Stephen Strasburg Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Strasburg was selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the 2009 Major League ...

. In 48 games (85 at bats), he batted .188 with 16 hits, no home runs, and six RBI. Though the Nationals won the NL East, DeRosa was left off their playoff roster. However, he travelled with the team during the postseason, even reading his teammates the " Man in the Arena" portion of a

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

speech to inspire them before Game 4 of the

. The Nationals were eliminated by the Cardinals in five games. After the season, DeRosa became a free agent.

Toronto Blue Jays (2013)

On January 22, 2013, DeRosa signed a one-year deal worth $775,000 with the

, with a $750,000 club option for the 2014 season. Against the Astros on July 27, DeRosa hit his 100th career home run, a solo shot to lead off the second inning against

Dallas Keuchel Dallas Keuchel (, ; born January 1, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Ran ...

in an 8–6 loss. In August, DeRosa was placed on revocable waivers and claimed by an unnamed team on August 7, but no trade occurred, and he remained with Toronto. During the season, DeRosa was used mostly as a pinch hitter, but he also started some games at third base, second base, first base, and designated hitter. In 88 games, DeRosa hit .235 with seven home runs and 36 RBI, including hitting .286 with one home run, eight RBI, and seven walks as a pinch hitter. The Blue Jays exercised their option on DeRosa in late October, but on November 12, DeRosa informed the team that he would retire after 16 years in MLB.

Career statistics

DeRosa spent parts of 16 seasons in the major leagues. In 1,241 games (3,633 at bats), he batted .268 with 538 runs scored, 975 hits, 196 doubles, 12 triples, 100 home runs, and 494 RBI. Primarily a shortstop early in his career, he became a versatile utility man, ultimately making 363 appearances at third base, 343 appearances at second base, 167 appearances in right field, 120 appearances at shortstop, 90 appearances in left field, and 53 appearances at first base.

Personal life and post-playing career

DeRosa married former model Heidi Miller in 2002. Their daughter, Gabriella Faith, was born prematurely by two and a half months on July 28, 2003, after Heidi had spent 10 weeks in the hospital. Though Gabriella was hospitalized with tubes inserted for several weeks, she ultimately progressed to normal health. He is good friends with

Jim Finn James Finn Jr. (born December 9, 1976) is a former American football fullback. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears as the final pick of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Pennsylvania. High school career Fi ...

, his football teammate in high school and college.

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...

is one of his favorite bands. After retiring, DeRosa accepted a position as a studio analyst with the

. He has been the broadcast announcer for the video game franchise '' MLB: The Show'' since replacing

Harold Reynolds Harold Craig Reynolds (born November 26, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman from to , most prominently as a member of the Se ...

in ''

MLB The Show 18 ''MLB The Show 18'' is a baseball video game by San Diego Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, based on Major League Baseball (MLB). It is the thirteenth entry of the '' MLB: The Show'' franchise, and was released worldwide ...

'' until

MLB The Show 21 ''MLB The Show 21'' is a baseball video game by San Diego Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, based on Major League Baseball (MLB). It was released for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, as well as the Xbox One and Xbox Ser ...

. DeRosa was named Team USA manager for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Notes

References

External links

Mark DeRosa
at MLB Network
Mark DeRosa
at Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Professional Baseball League)
"The Pulse"
at MLBlogs.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Derosa, Mark 1975 births Living people American sportspeople of Italian descent American expatriate baseball players in Canada Atlanta Braves players Baseball players from New Jersey Bergen Catholic High School alumni Bourne Braves players Chicago Cubs players Cleveland Indians players Durham Bulls players Eugene Emeralds players Fresno Grizzlies players Greenville Braves players Leones del Caracas players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Major League Baseball broadcasters Major League Baseball third basemen MLB Network personalities Myrtle Beach Pelicans players Oklahoma RedHawks players Penn Quakers football players Penn Quakers baseball players People from Carlstadt, New Jersey People from Hillsborough, California Potomac Nationals players Richmond Braves players St. Louis Cardinals players San Francisco Giants players San Jose Giants players Sportspeople from Bergen County, New Jersey Sportspeople from Passaic, New Jersey Texas Rangers players Toronto Blue Jays players Washington Nationals players World Baseball Classic players of the United States 2009 World Baseball Classic players