Mark DeRosa’s value to the Blue Jays goes far beyond the box score. Just ask his teammates.
In January, after the Blue Jays’ front office put together what was supposed to be one of the most offensively charged clubs in the league, management found themselves looking at a massive hole in their roster. Sure, they had some of the best bats in the game, and a Cy Young Award–winner on the mound, but they lacked “a glue guy”—the type of player required to keep the team together.
So rather than promote a young bat from the minors, they went out and picked up Mark DeRosa, a 15-year vet with a World Series ring and years of post-season experience. It didn’t matter that he was pushing 38 and coming off the worst season of his career (he hit .188 in 85 at-bats with the Nationals last year). All that mattered was that for $750K, the elder could contribute as much off the field for the playoff-chasing Jays as he did on it.
In early August, with the Jays eight games below .500 and all but mathematically eliminated from the post-season, an undisclosed club attempted to snatch DeRosa away from Toronto. That the Jays opted not to let him go may have come as a surprise to those who view baseball strictly as a numbers game. Because despite a few key hits this season, DeRosa hasn’t been among the most productive members of the 25-man squad—he was batting just .227 with 29 RBI and 34 hits at the time. But baseball never has been just a numbers game, at least not to the players themselves, who collectively agree that win or lose, a guy like DeRosa is invaluable.
J.P. Arencibia, C
Off the field, he serves a pretty big purpose. When I’m not playing well, at the end of the day, he’s a guy you don’t mind talking to. He has a gift for being able to talk to people. He gets his point across without you thinking that he’s attacking you personally.
Colby Rasmus, OF
I played with him in St. Louis, and I remember then he just was kind of free-flowing—said anything that was on his mind. When he first came over there from the Indians, he made it more light, more fun rather than just like the stone-faced, “We’re here to work instead of have fun.” He has always been good to me. The game’s hard, man, so being able to just let that go and have fun makes it easier.
R.A. Dickey, SP
Most of the guys in my experience who have been glue guys have had a pretty good amount of experience. When I was younger [with the Texas Rangers], it was Brian Jordan. He was on the DL for a lot of the year but he was a guy who commanded a lot of respect and he knew how to communicate well with a bunch of different types of guys. I don’t think you have to look any further than Brett Lawrie to see DeRosa’s value to the team. It’s not an accident that their lockers are side by side. When you have that much experience next to you—I mean, the guy has been to so many post-seasons, he has played for championship ball clubs.
Brett Lawrie, IF
First time I saw him was in spring training. I knew how long he’d been in the game and all the teams he’d played with. He has played with the best—Maddux, Pujols, Glavine. I knew he was with the Giants when they won [in 2010]. Sooner or later, we started playing golf together and we’ve been boys ever since.
His value starts as a teammate. He helps push this group of guys. He picks you up when you’re down and he keeps you up. He’s always out there for the first pitch during practice. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever met in baseball. It doesn’t matter if he’s just going to hit .100, which he’s not going to because he has got a lot more talent at the plate than that.
I would miss D-Row probably the most of all the guys here if he was gone. This year has been hard for me in the sense that I was hurt in the beginning. I didn’t have a chance to start with the team. I knew we had a great opportunity, there was all this hype and I wanted to be a part of that, and I got taken away from that early and that bugged me. Then I got back with the team and soon enough I ended up hurting my ankle and that stopped me for 45 days. It has been a season of mixed emotions. He has always been there for me. He doesn’t just tell you when you’re doing something wrong—he tries to give you keys to fix it.
He hasn’t been to [the post-season] with all these teams because he doesn’t know how to win. He definitely knows, and I think that earns him a spot in this clubhouse. He speaks his mind. He’s going to tell you: “I’m going to be honest with you.” That’s his line.
Mark DeRosa, UT
Some guys want to lead by example. And that’s fine, but there does come a point when something has to be said in the clubhouse. And sometimes it means a whole heck of a lot more when it’s coming from one of your peers than from the manager. I think I established respect here early because I grinded. I was a 25th man early in my career—a guy who had to grind through the minor leagues. I wasn’t a top prospect at any point. I never hit .300 at any level. As I’ve gotten older and been able to hang around, I’ve kind of been every guy on the roster. I think that experience has helped me get a feel for everybody and where they might be at in their careers.
I completely enjoy being a mentor. I know I’m not going to play every day, especially at this age. My body can’t handle it. Lawrie is able to do things at his age and at his stage in his career that I can’t. So if I can give him some advice that I’ve picked up over the years and if some of that advice sticks or maybe helps him down the road or helps him feel something he has never felt before, then I get a huge deal of gratitude out of that. For me, that’s part of my job description.
My numbers aren’t great by any stretch and I know that, but I have been productive in big spots. I’ve gotten some big hits, I’ve helped us win some games and accomplished one of the career goals that I wanted in hitting 100 homers. I’m happy in what I’ve done and in being able to come back. I’m sure that 80 percent [of what the Jays saw in me] was more to come in and help Brett and to help J.P. and to be a sounding board for some of the younger guys. And then to be a quality bat off the bench. Hopefully, I’ve given them that.