GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -Mark DeRosa is used to meeting new teammates and getting his work in during spring training.
This year has been a little different.
DeRosa is in his first spring camp with Cleveland after the Indians acquired him from the Chicago Cubs on Dec. 31. But the veteran infielder will leave his new teammates on Sunday to begin training with the U.S. squad in Clearwater, Fla., for the World Baseball Classic.
“I’m a guy who’s never been in an All-Star game and I’ve never been in the Olympics,” DeRosa said. “I’ve never had a chance to play for the United States. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Fortunately for the Indians, DeRosa has been around long enough that adjusting to a different team and a different position won’t be a problem, even if it’s in a compressed time frame.
The 34-year-old DeRosa will be playing for his fourth team since reaching the majors in 1998.
“It always seems I get comfortable somewhere and then, I’m gone,” said DeRosa, who also has played for Atlanta and Texas. “It’s not as difficult when you’ve been around the game a little bit.”
urning to the American League won’t be DeRosa’s only adjustment. After primarily playing second base last season for the Cubs, the Indians acquired him to play third, a position he hasn’t played regularly since 2004.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any difference,” DeRosa said. “They are two entirely different positions, but it’s a position I’ve played. It’s something I’ve done for so long. I’ve bounced around so much the last four or five years, I can get the hang of it taking a few groundballs.”
DeRosa will be used as a utilityman for Team USA, but he insists he’ll get enough work to stay sharp for his return to Indians camp.
“I’ll take plenty of grounders at third,” he said. “I’ll find a coach to work with. That won’t be a problem.”
The Indians went into the offseason knowing they needed to fill a spot at either third or second. The team gave some thought to moving Jhonny Peralta, whose range at shortstop has been questioned, to third and switching second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to shortstop. Those moves would have opened a spot at second, but general manager Mark Shapiro ultimately decided to acquire DeRosa and put him at third.
DeRosa will bat second in the lineup, a spot the Indians had trouble filling last season.
“I’m confident I’ll give myself a chance to be successful and have a good plan,” he said. “I feel like I’ve become a better hitter over the course of my career.”
DeRosa hit a career-high 21 homers last season. The Indians don’t necessarily need that kind of power in the No. 2 hole, where DeRosa, a career .279 hitter, will bat behind Grady Sizemore.
“He’s a smart baseball player with a lot of ability,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said.
DeRosa, who is in the final year of his contract, was acquired for minor leaguers Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer and John Gaub.
“You appreciate him on paper, but you look at what he does day to day and the kind of guy he is, you double that,” Wedge said. “He’s a strong makeup guy.”
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