DeRosa plays first minors game

The journey of 1000 miles, the old saying goes, begins with a single step. But for Mark DeRosa, the journey of 3000 miles, from Eugene, Oregon, to Atlanta, started with a single game. On Tuesday night, June 18, the former Penn shortstop made his professional baseball debut for the Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League. Eugene is an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, the team that drafted DeRosa in the seventh round two weeks before. It was Opening Night in the short-season A league, and the occasion attracted a crowd of over 5000 to Eugene's 60-year old Civic Stadium to see the local team host the Portland Rockies. The first contest of the 76 game schedule ended in disappointment for the home fans, as the Emeralds' pitchers were hammered for 15 hits en route to an 8-2 loss. Eugene took a first-inning lead, but watched it crumble in the middle innings. Both managers made extensive us of their bullpens, judging that the pitchers were not yet ready to go the distance. Among the few bright spots for the home nine was the play of their shortstop. DeRosa, batting fifth, picked up one of Eugene's three hits, a single, for his first professional hit. The Carlstadt, N.J., native also played an errorless shortstop. · DeRosa's manager at Eugene, Jim Saul, has a delicate job leading the team. He has to balance the parent organization's interest in developing players with a desire to win games for the club's fans. "We come out here to win every day," Saul said. "But each player will be given a chance to prove what he can do." Another key aspect of the low minor leagues is learning how be a full-time professional. Players such as former Penn outfielder and current Chicago Cub Doug Glanville cite adjusting to the daily routine of a professional athlete as the hardest part of the transition. "This is a learning process and a teaching process," Saul said. "It all goes hand-in-hand. Some are mature and others need some help." There should not be very great competition for playing time on the Emeralds, at least not in the early going. On Opening Night, the manager had only 12 position players available on a roster of 24. DeRosa should see the bulk of the action at shortstop. He'll be working extensively with Eugene coach Rick Albert, an infield specialist, on his defensive play.