Veteran utility infielder Mark DeRosa has retired. The Blue Jays exercised a $700,000 club option on DeRosa for the 2014 season earlier this month, and expected him to be a crucial part of their bench for the 2014 season.
The 37-year old spent parts of 16 seasons in the majors with eight different clubs, with most of his playing time coming with the Braves and Cubs. The Braves drafted him in the seventh round of the 1996 Draft out of the University of Pennsylvania. Over his career, DeRosa played a total of six positions, mostly at second base and third base.
The best year of his career was in 2008 with the Cubs, when DeRosa hit .285/.376/.481 with 21 homers in 593 plate appearances. After that season, Chicago dealt him to the Indians for a package of players that included current Rays starter Chris Archer, and Cleveland traded him midway through 2009 to the Cardinals for former closer Chris Perez. For his career, DeRosa hit .268/.340/.412 with exactly 100 home runs. He was a member of the 2010 World Champion Giants, though didn't play after May 8th thanks to a ruptured tendon sheath in his left wrist.
What's next for DeRosa? The studio, of course. MLB Network has added DeRosa to their ever-growing stable of on-air analysts. DeRosa worked in the studio for MLB Network during the 2011 and 2013 Postseason, and immediately became one of their best broadcasters. He'll debut on MLB Tonight on December 9th at the Winter Meetings.
