Delino DeShields Jnr shares the love with Bluesox

Delino DeShields Jnr has brought a wealth of personal experience with him to the Shenzhen Bluesox and he’s also brought a passion for the game that comes steeped in family history.

There’s the 34-year-old’s own eight years of MLB with the Texas Rangers, the Cleveland Indians, and the Cincinnati Reds, after being the eighth overall selection at the 2010 MLB draft. Then there’s his father’s 13 years with the Montreal Expos, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Chicago Cubs – and the lessons he passed from the moment his son picked up a bat.

“My dad always told me to play the game with my eyes,” says DeShields. “He said ‘Just watch the game and you’ll pick up on so many different things’. So that’s how I play the game. There was a point when I was in the big leagues where all these analytics started coming out but I’ve always just played, and a lot of that includes just watching baseball.

“I have 17 years of professional ball behind me and so it’s nice to be able to be here and share what I know, the knowledge that I’ve acquired out of my life from my dad and my dad’s friends that I grew up with, with the younger kids. Then they can learn to make those adjustments, add to their dreams or aspirations, and get to the next level.”

DeShields has brought a vital spark to the southern-based club as they eye a run into Chinese Professional Baseball playoffs. Since joining the Bluesox in early August, he’s second in the league in RBIs (nine) with an OPB of .413 and his team are 7-3 and second with five games to play.

“It’s been good to get here, especially with the kids we have, to just kind of inspire them,” he says. “With the experienced players we have, they get to have a close-up look of guys that have actually been there and done that. I remember when the [Los Angeles] Angels had Albert Pujols. I’m going out, watching him, just watching him go about his routine. So I know what it’s like.

“It’s nice having them come to us and ask us questions. We talk game all the time. Having the eyes of guys that have been there, it’s really easy for us to be like, hey, you know, this is what you’re doing, and then they can go boom, boom, boom.”

DeShields was lured out by a family connection after playing in the American Association of Professional Baseball league, given Shenzhen are being coached by Ray Cheng, who played minor league ball under DeShields Snr. He’s enjoying the new surrounds – and a familiar feeling

“No matter where we are in the world – I could be on any field, any part of the world – the game still remains the same,” says DeShields “I love the game. It’s been fun. At this point in my life, in my career, I’m just saying yes to every baseball opportunity.”