Mark DeRosa plans to keep playing in 2012 if he can find a team to give him a job.
The San Francisco Giants veteran utilityman said Saturday he will give it another go now that his troublesome, surgically repaired left wrist is finally healthy and he has shown himself and
others in recent weeks that he can still contribute with his bat, his glove and on the basepaths.
``I want to keep playing,'' DeRosa said in an interview with The Associated Press. ``Obviously I'll leave that until I sit down in the offseason and see if anyone's interested and see how I feel.
The way the last few weeks have gone and the way it looks now, I feel it's only going to get better and I want to keep going.''
The 36-year-old DeRosa, who received a $12 million, two-year contract before the 2010 season, has reached base safely in eight of his last 17 plate appearances and is 6 for 18 in 12 games since coming off the disabled list for the second time this year Aug. 4. While DeRosa has only started 13 games for the reigning World Series champions in 2011, manager Bruce Bochy has appreciated his positive clubhouse presence and willingness to do whatever he can to help.
DeRosa had quite a series against the Astros from Aug. 25-28.
In the second game of the series, he scooped up a low throw to first base from third baseman Pablo Sandoval to save a run and end the third inning.
A day later, in as part of a double switch, DeRosa singled with one out in the 10th and then stole his first base in two years to set up the game-winning hit by Jeff Keppinger in a 2-1 victory.
Then the next day he hit a tying single in the 10th inning of an eventual 4-3, 11-inning loss in the series finale. He showed on that play he still has plenty of fire.
DeRosa was thrown out trying to stretch the base hit into a double. He slid past the bag and reached back with his left hand, and replays showed he appeared to be safe. DeRosa jumped up to yell at second-base umpire Dan Bellino and Bochy was ejected for the second time this year.
Bochy is all for DeRosa prolonging his playing career.
``I think he should,'' Bochy said before Saturday's middle game in a crucial series with the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks. ``He feels good where he's at and the issue with his wrist has been resolved. He knows what he's capable of and he has a better understanding of his swing and what he can do. If you ever feel like you should keep playing and keep the uniform on, why not? He
has bounced back from a serious injury.''
DeRosa had one home run and 10 RBIs in only 26 games last year and didn't play again after May 8. He then had a second surgical procedure on the wrist.
A journeyman who can play all the infield spots and both corner outfield positions, DeRosa is a career .271 hitter with 93 home runs and 444 RBIs in 14 big league seasons with Atlanta, Texas, the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland, St. Louis and the Giants.
J.T. Snow, a former first baseman turned coach and special assistant with the Giants, is rooting for DeRosa.
"I told him the other day: 'You need to play. Play as long as you can because when it's over, it's over,''' Snow said. "He's the type of guy who knows his role. He could help somebody out. To me,
he's one of the last of the old-school guys.''
