Mark DeRosa, who played all or part of 16 seasons in the major leagues as an infielder-outfielder with the Braves and seven other teams from 1998-2013, is an MLB Network analyst and a host of its weekday morning show MLB Central. He lives in Suwanee and commutes weekly during the season to the network’s studios in New Jersey. The AJC caught up with DeRosa as the playoffs approached.
What have you thought of the Braves this season?
“I thought they were the most exciting watch in baseball from start to finish. That’s what I thought. Every night I found myself constantly clicking on. Anybody in the lineup can hurt you. (General manager Alex Anthopoulos) has done a great job of creating a roster that kind of has something for everybody. ... The signing of Dallas Keuchel, which you didn’t know how that was going to go, has come up roses. Same thing with Josh Donaldson.”
Do the Braves have what it takes to thrive in the postseason this time?
“I do believe that. Last year, they were scratching on the door; it was a great season (when) no one expected them to win the division. This year, even though a lot of media and people were picking Philly because they were the sexy team in the off-season and Washington because of their rotation, I don’t feel like the Braves surprised themselves at all. And I think when you look at what they’re getting from Donaldson, Mike Soroka, Max Fried, so much more (than might have been expected), you start saying, ‘Wait a second, it’s kind of a perfect storm here, we have a chance to probably win the whole thing.’
“… They literally have everything you need. I mean, could you use Jacob deGrom? Who couldn’t? Gerrit Cole? Yeah, bring ’em on. But (the Braves) have more than enough to withstand anybody’s best punch and come back fighting. How many times have they been down 3-0, 4-0 early and found a way to get back in it? The bullpen was really the only bugaboo going into the trade deadline, and they found a way to rework that and get those guys comfortable.”
How do you assess the Braves-Cardinals matchup in the NLDS?
“I think it’s an intriguing series. You talk about the young starting rotations. (The Cardinals’) Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson are going to lock horns (with the Braves’ young starters). From an offensive standpoint, I feel like the Braves have just a major upper hand in that regard. But who’s to say (the Cardinals’) Paul Goldschmit or Marcell Ozuna can’t get hot for a four-game, five-game set? I think it’s a tricky series for the Braves. I certainly don’t think it’s one they would just kind of cruise through. I don’t think in any postseason series they would do that.”
They obviously have to hope Freddie Freeman’s elbow is better...
“That is true. That is definitely something to keep your eye on.”
You must enjoy broadcasting, this being your sixth year doing it, but do you still think about getting back on the field as a manager or coach?
“Yeah, I definitely think about it a lot. I definitely think at the end of the day you’ve got to be in the fight. But this has given me an avenue to kind of take a step back, still be a big part of the game … while being able to be a huge part of my kids’ life. But they’re different ages now (16 and 9), so 100% I think about it a lot.”
What will be your role with MLB Network during the postseason?
“We’re going to extend the (MLB Central) show an extra week. We usually finish the show the last wild-card game. We are going to extend for the Division Series games, which I think is awesome. ... We’ll do that through Oct. 11, then I’ll take a break during the Championship Series. Then I’ll be at the World Series, so hopefully I get to sleep in my own bed (in Suwanee) for a couple of those games.”
