Cubs 2B DeRosa has irregular heartbeat

Feb 23, 2008 - 9:26 PM MESA, Arizona (Ticker) - Chicago Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa experienced an irregular heartbeat during workouts Saturday and was taken to hospital.

DeRosa left the field on a stretcher and was taken to hospital as a precaution after struggling to get his breath back.

"He came in with a rapid heartbeat from doing the things on the field and was having a little trouble breathing, so they called in the medical team," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said on MLB.com.

"He's completely stable but better to be safe than sorry, with the irregular heartbeat and so forth; they took him to a hospital to test him. He's fine."

Piniella said DeRosa has suffered from the problem in the past and has learned to manage it most of the time.

DeRosa's double-play partner, shortstop Ryan Theriot, noticed DeRosa struggling and called the medical staff over.

DeRosa is set to be the Cubs everyday second basemam this coming season with a long-rumored trade for Baltimore's Brian Roberts yet to materialize.

In 149 games, DeRosa hit .293 with 10 home runs and 72 RBI in 2007, his first season with Cubs.

The 32-year-old has a career batting average of .278 with 48 home runs and 265 RBI for Atlanta, Texas and the Cubs.