Minor League Baseball

The Chicago Cubs finally unloaded utility man Mark DeRosa on Wednesday. They sent him to the Cleveland Indians for three pitching prospects.

DeRosa was rumored to be a major piece of the Jake Peavy deal that never occurred at the Winter Meetings. He was rumored to be going to the Phillies in a four team deal between the Phillies, Cubs, Padres and Orioles but the Padres couldn’t get on board with players they were asking for in return for Peavy.

Now DeRosa has found a home in Cleveland with the Indians in the AL Central.

The Indians are sending right handed pitchers Jeff Stevens and Chris Archer and left handed pitcher John Gaub to the Cubs for DeRosa.

DeRosa will more than likely man third base for the Indians even though he spent the majority of his time with the Cubs at second base.

The Indians need a third baseman after dealing Casey Blake to the Dodgers midseason in 2008. Blake resigned with the Dodgers this off-season.

DeRosa has played for the Atlanta Braves, the Texas Rangers and the Cubs. He made his Major League debut with the Braves in 1998.

He is a career .279 hitter with 69 homeruns and 352 RBIs.

He posted a .285 average in 2008 with 21 homeruns and 87 RBIs in 149 games with the Cubs. The Cubs signed DeRosa prior to the 2007 season as a free agent.

DeRosa is in the final year of a three year contract he signed with the Cubs prior to the 2007 season and will be a free agent after 2009 unless the Indians sign him to a new deal.

DeRosa can play all four infield positions and both corner outfield positions as well. This is what makes him such a hot commodity in the trade market and when he is a free agent.