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TORONTO - It appears Mark DeRosa will finish his 16th major league season with the Toronto Blue Jays, the club valuing his experience and leadership so much it wouldnt lose him to a waiver claim. “Hes helped stabilize some things” said manager John Gibbons. “I know hes really helped Lawrie. Hes just that proven vet that everybody bounces things off of. Hes got the right things to say at the right time. Its been a frustrating year but, you know, hes helped stabilize some things.” According to numerous reports, DeRosa was claimed on revocable waivers on Wednesday. A routine paper move, had the player cleared the Blue Jays would have been free to trade DeRosa at any point in August or September. Once DeRosa was claimed, the Jays had a decision to make: deal or no deal with the selecting club. CBS Sports reported the team which took DeRosa was, like the Blue Jays, under .500, therefore not increasing the veterans likelihood of competing in the playoffs. DeRosa has a World Series ring as a member of the 2010 San Francisco Giants but, due to injury, he doesnt consider himself a contributor to the championship. The Blue Jays hold an option on DeRosa for 2014 for $750,000. The 38-year-old doesnt yet know whether hell play next season. “I go back and forth on it everyday,” said DeRosa. “I think my family will play a huge part in that. Thats something, in the offseason, well sit down and discuss as a family. Ive been gone for a long time and my wife always has the line, ‘Do you want to raise 24 men or do you want to raise your own son? A little bit below the belt for her to tell me those things but I understand wholeheartedly. Itll be a family decision but I still think I can compete.” DeRosa has proven to himself he can still play. Coming off three down seasons thanks to two surgeries to repair a torn tendon sheath in his wrist, the first of which was botched, DeRosa knew in spring training he had some pop back in his bat. He was driving the ball during batting practice, something he couldnt do during the worst days of his injury. This season, afforded more of an opportunity to play than he anticipated, hes hit seven home runs and posted an OPS of .769, which is above his career average. “Im appreciative of the way Gibby has used me,” said DeRosa. “I dont think coming out of spring training I was expecting or he was expecting to use me as much as he has. Im glad Ive changed that opinion. I know the team has had something to do with that and our struggles have given me more opportunity to play. Hes handled me really great. Hes kept me fresh. Hes kept me involved. The way hes handled me has been perfect.” More valuable than his numbers is DeRosas ability to connect with anyone in the clubhouse. Lawrie tops the list and the two have shared neighbouring locker stalls since the start of spring training. Theyve golfed together, can be seen arriving to visiting ballparks together, and have struck up a friendship despite a 15-year age difference. “Hes been tremendous,” said Lawrie, who at 23 is the mentee to DeRosas mentor. “What a good dude. I havent met anybody for that fact, in baseball, thats been around the game like him. His personality is exactly like mine. Hes just one of the guys. He has good energy. He comes to the clubhouse everyday with a smile, brings a good attitude. Hes just been around the game a long time. Hes been to 11 postseasons. Hes been in the game for 14, 15 years. There are not a lot of guys that have been around like he has and have gone to the extent, hes won a World Series and hes done all these things and he knows what it takes to win. He knows what it takes to be in the big leagues for a long, extended period of time and thats beneficial to me.” “Being more of a big brother for him,” said DeRosa of his responsibility toward Lawrie. “Letting him vent, letting him say what he needs to say and then picking and choosing what battles to fight with him. You dont just want to flood a guy with a million things to think about. I think with him its got to be in steps but he has to understand the importance of being accountable, being in the right place at the right time, being consistent.” Lawrie has touched nerves this season, perhaps no more so than when he stared down Adam Lind and third base coach Luis Rivera when Lind didnt score on a fly ball during a June 22 game against Baltimore. DeRosa said then, and repeats now, that Lawrie has a unique intensity which comes from a good place even if, on occasion, its appearance is ugly. As to the fundamentals of the game, DeRosas spoken to Lawrie about how the intensity, the constant movement, can be beneficial on defence but ineffective in the batters box. Hes been persistent in delivering the message, as well as others, and he believes its starting to sink in. When sharing his wisdom, hes quick to remind teammates hes passing along information from the greats with whom hes played; the likes of Albert Pujols, Chipper Jones and Gary Sheffield. DeRosa is someone players, and even the manager, can confide in. “I talk to him about different things, no question,” said Gibbons. “The thing about DeRo, hes a levelheaded guy. I mean, hes highly intelligent and hes been around, man. Hes been around winners his whole life, his whole career.” “He tells you straight up, hes not going to lie to you,” said Lawrie. “He tells you everything thats on his mind and says Im going to be honest with you. I say, go ahead and shoot me with it because thats how I am, I like to know the truth, I like to know whats on his mind and obviously everyone elses but for myself, a guy thats 38-years-old thats been around the game for this long and done everything hes done, its a lot of fun for myself.” DeRosa is a stand-up guy, good to his teammates, good to his coaches, good to those around the team. An Ivy Leaguer, he quarterbacked Penns football team for three seasons in the mid-1990s, DeRosa is also intelligent and approachable on all matters of the game. Hell play again in 2014 if he gets the blessing of his wife and two children and if he feels like going through the rigours of another offseason of training. Dont mistake the decision hell make, whatever it is, for his view of the Blue Jays. “I still believe in the talent in this room,” he said. “I know it hasnt jelled for whatever reason. There are a ton of reasons why it hasnt worked from an offensive standpoint and a pitching standpoint, a defensive standpoint. I still believe that this team is capable of great things with a couple of tweaks, a couple of adjustments.” Cheap Air Max Shoes . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Cheap Nike Air Max 90 . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. http://www.airmaxshoescheaponline.com/ . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. Wholesale Air Max Shoes .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. 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Yorkshire will be without Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow as they aim to overtake Middlesex and secure a hat-trick of County Championship titles in the closing weeks of the season.Roots last match of the summer will be the T20 against Pakistan, at Old Trafford, on Wednesday while Bairstows season is now finished unless he is given a late call-up to the T20 squad due to Jos Buttlers fitness after the hamstring niggle which kept him out of the final two ODIs.A decision on that will be taken after England train on Tuesday, although with Sam Billings already in the squad it may be decided that no reinforcements are needed even if doubts remain over Buttler.Chris Woakes and Jason Roy have been made available for the Royal London final at Lords on September 17, buut Woakes will miss Warwickshires final Championship match against Lancashire as he prepares for the upcoming tours to Bangladesh and India.ddddddddddddJake Ball, who was added to the one-day squad after David Willeys hand injury, is available for Nottinghamshires final two Championship matches as they attempt last-ditch survival in Division One. Liam Dawson, who made his ODI debut in Cardiff, is available for Hampshire who are also in the relegation battle having been left out of the T20 side.A decision on the availability of the rest of Englands T20 squad for the remainder of the season will be made after Wednesdays match. ' ' '