The last time Mark DeRosa was in a Giants' uniform, he left the game after straining his left wrist. While that's not news by itself, DeRosa's latest injury was noteworthy because a) he had already undergone surgery twice on the same wrist, limiting him to 144 at-bats over the last two seasons, and b) this recurrence happened while he was getting ready to swing. Not swinging, and not checking his swing, but gripping the bat tightly as he prepared to move the bat.
Mark DeRosa Returns To Giants, Brandon Belt Optioned
Considering his previous injuries, his age, and the apparent seriousness of the injury, a lot of folks assumed his career was over.
Not so! From Jaymee Sire of CSN Bay Area:
DeRosa reinstated. Belt optioned
Brandon Belt was recalled from triple-A on July 19th, receiving 23 plate appearances in the 14 games since then. The Giants are hoping he'll get regular at-bats in Fresno, though there's a chance that the club could sign Jose Offerman and block him.
A lot of DeRosa’s value comes from his ability to play several positions, but not so fast! That wrist is still limited:
Mark DeRosa thinks he will be activated tonight. Said of wrist, ” I definitely have some limitations, but I feel good.“The speculation is that he’ll be limited to first base for a while, which is exactly where you want to hide a guy who has hit .185/.264/.238 over the last two seasons. Luckily, the Giants could make a first-baseman-for-first-baseman swap, sending Belt down to improve on his .324/.462/.549 line in triple-A. If Belt finally starts to hit down there, the Giants might bring him up in September as a defensive replacement.
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