Baseball Guru
12-05-2001, 08:38 AM
By NANCY ARMOUR
AP Sports Writer
December 4, 2001, 7:03 PM EST
CHICAGO -- After rediscovering his love for baseball with the Chicago Cubs, Delino DeShields decided to stick around a little longer.
DeShields and the Cubs agreed on a $1.25 million, one-year contract Tuesday. He can earn another $1.35 million in performance incentives tied to plate appearances and games started.
"I can't point to any one particular thing. It was just the whole situation I felt good about and I wanted to come back," DeShields said.
When DeShields was waived by the Baltimore Orioles on July 2, he considered retiring. But he signed with the Cubs as a free agent on July 7, and hit .276 with 16 RBIs and two home runs in 68 games.
As a pinch-hitter, the 32-year-old hit .438 with a homer and two RBIs. He also stole 12 bases and was picked off only once.
"(Love for the game) is one of the things that I got back when I came over to the Cubs," DeShields said. "Being with Sammy every day and watching how hard he works, it got me excited again."
Including his 58 games with Baltimore, he hit .234 with five homers and 37 RBIs last year. He was 23-for-25 in stolen base attempts.
"Delino really played very well for us in a variety of positions and a lot of bench situations," said Jim Hendry, the Cubs vice president of player personnel. "He's still athletic, very, very solid for his age. Younger body and younger legs than his actual calendar age."
With second baseman Eric Young not coming back, DeShields gives the Cubs some versatility. Though most of his starts last year were in left field, he's played 1,351 games at second in his career.
Bobby Hill, one of the Cubs most promising prospects, will likely get a chance to compete for the job at second in spring training. But if he's not ready, DeShields will be.
"I'm willing to do whatever," he said. "I know my strengths and my weaknesses. However they feel they can use me the best, that's what I'm going to do."
AP Sports Writer
December 4, 2001, 7:03 PM EST
CHICAGO -- After rediscovering his love for baseball with the Chicago Cubs, Delino DeShields decided to stick around a little longer.
DeShields and the Cubs agreed on a $1.25 million, one-year contract Tuesday. He can earn another $1.35 million in performance incentives tied to plate appearances and games started.
"I can't point to any one particular thing. It was just the whole situation I felt good about and I wanted to come back," DeShields said.
When DeShields was waived by the Baltimore Orioles on July 2, he considered retiring. But he signed with the Cubs as a free agent on July 7, and hit .276 with 16 RBIs and two home runs in 68 games.
As a pinch-hitter, the 32-year-old hit .438 with a homer and two RBIs. He also stole 12 bases and was picked off only once.
"(Love for the game) is one of the things that I got back when I came over to the Cubs," DeShields said. "Being with Sammy every day and watching how hard he works, it got me excited again."
Including his 58 games with Baltimore, he hit .234 with five homers and 37 RBIs last year. He was 23-for-25 in stolen base attempts.
"Delino really played very well for us in a variety of positions and a lot of bench situations," said Jim Hendry, the Cubs vice president of player personnel. "He's still athletic, very, very solid for his age. Younger body and younger legs than his actual calendar age."
With second baseman Eric Young not coming back, DeShields gives the Cubs some versatility. Though most of his starts last year were in left field, he's played 1,351 games at second in his career.
Bobby Hill, one of the Cubs most promising prospects, will likely get a chance to compete for the job at second in spring training. But if he's not ready, DeShields will be.
"I'm willing to do whatever," he said. "I know my strengths and my weaknesses. However they feel they can use me the best, that's what I'm going to do."