A utility-man's appreciation

Let's just get this out of the way: P Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter on Sunday night at Miller Park was brilliant.  Sure, the Astros were tired, worn-down some from Hurricane Ike, and the game was a virtual home game, but you would have a great amount of difficult convincing me that Carlos couldn't do that to any other team in the majors.  His fastball was popping, he's splitter was uber-filthy, and he had every hitter off balance.  THe only time he lost his command has the pitch he plunked OF Hunter Pence with, and the walk to OF Michael Bourne was on three pitches that were extremely close but didn't go Carlos' way.  It is great to see Carlos Zambrano back on the mound, the human buzzsaw of every major league lineup.

And on we go to the Around the Horn feature of this blog, IF/OF Mark DeRosa.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying we don't appreciate IF/OF Mark DeRosa.  I'm saying that the true value he adds to this team will never fully be known, and therefore we will never fully appreciate him.  Mark DeRosa is quite possibly the best baseball player on a team packed to the brim with talent, and I would go so far as to say that Mark DeRosa deserves serious consideration in the National League MVP balloting.  No, seirously.  Of course, we all know he won't even get a vote, but if Mark DeRosa ever reads this, let me just say this: DeRo, you are the MVP of the National League in my book, and you deserve a rather large slice of the credit for what you've done for this team in only 2 years.

Mark DeRosa epitomizes the concept of a utility-man.  Commentators Bob Brenly and Len Kasper regularly refer to DeRosa as a "super" utility-man, but I feel like for Mark DeRosa, there should not be a distinction.  They should basically call the super utility-man, the "Mark DeRosa" of a team.  

Now, I know it's far-fetched that Mark DeRosa get a vote for MVP (which is just a little short-sighted).  So I propose that in addition to all the traditional postseason awards (i.e., MVP, Cy Young), the MLB should start a new award: Utility Man of the Year.  Heck, they have the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year (Which both P Brad Lidge and P Francisco Rodriguez have wrapped up), why not a Utility Man Award?  The only reason I can offer to explain why this would never happen is because Mark DeRosa would win the award every year.  Even after he left the league.  And retired.... Okay, so maybe not.

He's a force.  All four infield positions, and both corner outfield spots.  And Quarterback!  That is, if the Cubs joined the NFL.  And P Jeff Samardzija could be the No. 1 Wide Receiver.  Okay, I'll end this blog before I get too far into my dream world.... On deck: C Geovany Soto; In the hole: SS Ryan Theriot.