SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Mark DeRosa was a cheerleader with a mending wrist during the Giants’ World Series run, but he stayed active as a clubhouse mentor to younger players.
He made an impact on left-hander Jonathan Sanchez’s late-season surge after he suggested using a timing mechanism that worked for Tom Glavine, DeRosa’s former Atlanta Braves teammate and a 300-game winner.
DeRosa plans to contribute to the Giants’ title defense in 2011, too, in myriad roles. But not as a pitching coach.
He is ecstatic that his left wrist finally feels strong after two surgeries and a pair of wasted seasons. And his goal is to recapture an everyday role, no matter what glove he totes to the field on a given day.
“I don’t kid myself and think that’s going to happen from Day 1,” said DeRosa, who turns 36 on Feb. 26. “But that’s gotta be the goal. We have such an interchangeable group of guys. It made us a stronger team last year, and I’m versatile enough that there should be a spot for me to play. That said, I’ve got to perform.”
Last year at this time, DeRosa was coming off a winter of rehab work after undergoing wrist surgery. He wasn’t able to do his usual program of lifting and hitting, but he figured he’d be a week or two behind other players. As it turned out, DeRosa’s tendon sheath ruptured again, and although he hit a home run on opening day as the Giants’ starting left fielder, it soon became clear that he couldn’t pull a fastball even if he cheated on it.
He had the wrist repaired again in June, and this time, he is confident it will hold.
“It was eight months ago, and they tell me if you get to six months with no problems, you’re past it,” DeRosa said. “The swing I’m used to having is back.”
DeRosa said he swung the bat “full throttle” over the winter in Atlanta with Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and Brian McCann, whose double in the All-Star Game ended up securing home-field advantage for the Giants in the World Series.
“I thanked him for that,” DeRosa said, grinning.
DeRosa’s best avenue for playing time could come in left field again, although the Giants didn’t have Pat Burrell at this time a year ago. Manager Bruce Bochy said DeRosa will get innings this spring at all four infield positions — even shortstop, where the Giants don’t have a primary backup to Miguel Tejada.
“He’ll have all his gloves out here, I’ll put it that way,” Bochy said.
If Pablo Sandoval cannot rediscover his right-handed swing, there’s a decent chance DeRosa could see action at third base as part of a platoon situation.
Of course, that’s all to be determined by how everyone looks in Cactus League games — and DeRosa understands his spring will be about more than mere preparation.
“I’ve read all the stuff about age and injuries, and I plan on proving people wrong,” DeRosa said. “I’ve never considered myself one of the elite players, but I was pretty good. I can get clutch, two-out hits. I feel I can walk through this door and bring the same thing every day.”
Lincecum said he might have slept wrong, but his neck and headache felt better after treatment, and he was able to play catch in addition to completing the rest of his workout regimen.
Wilson didn’t throw with much extension or effort in his initial bullpen session Tuesday, but didn’t complain of any back pain at the time. He has dealt with occasional back soreness over each of the past two seasons.
For more on the Giants, see Andrew Baggarly’s Extra Baggs blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs.
