DeRosa to sign two year deal with Giants By David Zizmor December 28, 2009     SAN FRANCISCO--The San Francisco Giants have announced Monday they will sign third baseman Mark DeRosa to a two year contract worth $12 million. The Giants will use DeRosa at third base for the most part but he's kind of one of those jack of all trades a lot like Juan Uribe who will also be resigning with the Giants. DeRosa is one of those players that can play a lot of positions and Giants manager Bruce Bochy has said he will more than likely play third base for the most part which was played by Pablo Sandoval last season. DeRosa will probably play some first base and the outfield as well. He's one of those guys who will be in the line up most of the time depending on match ups he might get so he could be moved around by Bochy. It all depends on how the utility guys match up against lefties or righties or whoever the starter happens to be. DeRosa didn't have a great 2009 he split his time between Cleveland and the Cardinals and he played about 71 games in Cleveland and 68 with the Cards. He hit .270 with 13 homers but hit .228 with the Cards down the stretch and for the season he totaled 23 homers. Which would have been second best on the Giants last season. The Giants had Sandoval who had more home runs and in 2008 DeRosa was with the Cubs and the year before that and he hit .285 with 21 homers, and 87 RBIs. DeRosa is one of those guys that’s a scrappy player. DeRosa can be a threat in the lineup he's not a big gun and he's not an All-Star player. He's a middle of the order hitter at the same time Sandoval right now is the Giants middle of the order hitter and the Giants will stick Pablo in the third spot in the line up and put Freddie Sanchez ahead of him at second, and DeRosa leading off or maybe DeRosa hitting fifth or sixth. That definitely beefs up the line up a little bit and gives the guy a little more pop up and down and the Giants need a lot more runs if they want to remain competitive in the N.L.West and DeRosa is only a small part of that he's not going to get them all the way there. He'll definitely improve the Giants offense and it allows the Giants offense to start Sandoval at first and it allows them to have DeRosa to start at third and first for Sandoval first base seems to appear to be a more natural position. Now the Giants have a guy who can play third, outfield, and first and can contribute day in and day out and provide a little bit of power in the line up where the Giants didn't have any. This is a good move for the Giants; it gives them a good solid everyday player who has some pop in his bat. Dave Zizmor is covering the Giants acquisition of Mark DeRosa for Sportstalk Radio

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