Claire: DeRosa, Giants a perfect fit
Veteran utilityman fills important role on and off the field

12/29/09 7:04 PM EST

Free agent Mark DeRosa wanted to find a home where he would feel wanted and appreciated.

Brian Sabean, the general manager of the San Francisco Giants, was looking for a player with a team concept who was willing to play any place on the field and where a recruiting job wasn't required.


All of the above added up to a two-year deal for $12 million on Tuesday as DeRosa became a member of the Giants.

"I was just tired of being a lot of teams' Plan B's," said DeRosa. "From a certain standpoint, I wanted to go to a place where I felt comfortable and the team wanted and needed me to be productive. I just felt like this was a good spot."

"He's a winning player and any organization wants as many players like Mark on the ballclub, especially ours that has a chance to turn the corner and get to the playoffs next year," said Sabean in a conference call to announce the signing. "To get him in here, he spoke of his willingness to show our guys around a little bit. We need that. We need to get to the next level with guys like him."

It was one of those media conference calls where everyone expresses happiness -- the player, the general manager and the manager, in this case Bruce Bochy of the Giants.

In reality, the deal is a reflection of a very thin free agent market and DeRosa, 34, a utility player for most of his career who batted .250 last season, benefited by being rewarded with a contract that pays him an average of $6 million a year.

The deal speaks to the value a player can build by being willing to play any position and by gaining the reputation of being a good teammate and clubhouse presence.

"He can play anywhere, he's comfortable playing anywhere and seems to thrive moving around," said a delighted Bochy as he welcomed his new player.

"We see Mark as a great fit for us and we've been looking to add offense and veteran presence to our team," said Sabean. "He has proven that he can hit for power and drive in runs, while performing at a consistently high level during the pressure of a pennant chase. His ability to play multiple positions both in the infield and outfield provides Bruce with an opportunity to get our best team on the field each given day."

DeRosa has shown versatility in the field throughout his career, playing over 100 games at third base, shortstop, second base and outfield.

Despite his good reputation in the game, DeRosa has played for five Major League teams during a 12-year career that started with Atlanta in 1998.

In six of those seasons, DeRosa has found himself with a team that reached postseason play and he has compiled a .358 batting average (19-for-53) in 22 postseason games.

DeRosa comes to the Giants after three straight trips to the playoffs, twice with the Chicago Cubs and last year with the Cardinals.

DeRosa's knack for getting into postseason play clearly wasn't lost on Sabean. After all, that's where he wants to find his Giants in 2010.