A year ago Keoni DeRenne had just completed his first full season of professional baseball and was heading into the offseason carrying a lot of frustration on his shoulders. DeRenne paying
Double-A duesBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comWhat a difference a year made for the former Iolani and Arizona star.
Through June 21, DeRenne was hitting .223 and had lost the starting second baseman's job with the Double-A Greenville (S.C.) Braves. For the rest of the season he hit .329 (51-for-155) to finish with a .275 average.
He was even hotter in the month of August, when his average soared to .394. In 21 games he had 11 doubles, two triples, a homer and 20 RBIs, tied for best in the league that month.
DeRenne's strong finish earned him the Topps Southern League Player of the Month award for August on a vote of the league's 10 managers.
"I think this season, more than anything, I learned to deal with a lot of patience. We had four middle infielders here, and the guy (Nick Green) playing second base is a 40-man roster guy, so he has to play," said DeRenne.
"He was rehabbing and I thought the Braves might move me up to Richmond, but they had a pack of middle infielders there. No one said anything to me until my manager (Brian Snitker) talked to me and said my playing time wouldn't be as much as I was used to."
DeRenne even volunteered as the bullpen catcher several times. His goal entering the season was to get better each month and he knew that wasn't going to happen just sitting around. When Greenville played an American League farm team he was the designated hitter and tried to make the most of the opportunity. Then came the big turnaround in the second half.
"I think that progress he made toward the end of the season characterizes Keoni," said Atlanta assistant director of player development Marco Paddy.
"He is an aggressive guy and works hard. He knows what to do when he gets an opportunity and he knows he has a chance to advance in our system."
"With baseball being a long season, it's all about opportunity," said DeRenne. "If I'm only going to be in the lineup every third or fourth day, then I have to prepare for that. Being in the lineup regularly helped the average and my whole mentality. I just wished it had clicked sooner."
This was the year DeRenne realized there is always tomorrow in baseball. A year ago, his first at the Double-A level, he put a lot of pressure on himself, but this year he left the bad nights on the field and focused on getting ready for the next game.
"I was caught off guard last year. I thought too much about failing, but this year I just showed up ready to play, even thought I never knew if I was going to start," said DeRenne. "I'm paying my dues. I have to be ready physically and mentally every day. I know I gained things this year and that the organization sees that."
He will be in Honolulu during the offseason and indicated he may have to look for a job for the first time.