Salem Red Sox standout Marrero relishes his chance to succeed

They call it "The Fun House," and that's exactly what it is: an offseason home devoted to childlike wonder. Think of something Tom Hanks' character in "Big" would build, and you'll be pretty close.

It has a pingpong table. It has a pool table. It has a Pac-Man machine. And it has two first round draft picks - one in the major leagues, one currently with the Salem Red Sox - living in it, reveling in all its accoutrements.

"We have everything you could imagine," Salem shortstop Deven Marrero said of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., home he shares with Kansas City Royals first baseman and former high school teammate Eric Hosmer. "We play something different every day. ... We get our work done and then we relax and have fun and enjoy each other's company."

Ah, yes, the work part. Did we mention The Fun House also has a weight room?

It must. Because as much as Marrero cherishes a wholesome good time, he's also religiously devoted to the craft of baseball.

In a lot of ways, Marrero is a walking contradiction. He earned a $2 million signing bonus after being drafted 24th overall last year, but he might be the most humble guy on his Single-A team.

He's an elite defender who seems to make a highlight-reel play nightly, but his greatest source of pride is hitting behind the runner.

He tweets a Ham quote from "The Sandlot" one minute, a spiritual quote about contentment the next.

He refuses to grow up - but had to more quickly than anyone in that clubhouse, thanks to a stunning family crisis that put his hero behind bars.

Born to play

As far back as he can remember, Marrero had a glove on his hand. His Cuban-born father threw him batting practice every day before school. His cousins arranged pickup games, where Deven honed the nimble footwork and strong arm that have made him one of the best defensive shortstops in the minors.

To this day, Marrero says he's never taken a real vacation. Any travel he's done has been tied to baseball, and that's the way the Miami native wants it.

"If I never got drafted, or I was an accountant or something like that, I'd definitely be in one of those Sunday leagues, playing and teaching," Marrero said. "I love this game to death. It's a fun game, man. It's been with me my whole life, and I want to cherish it through my whole life."

A standout at powerhouse American Heritage School, Marrero had his pick of colleges in Florida but chose Arizona State because of its reputation for molding pro prospects.

But just as he was about to move 2,300 miles away, his got some devastating news.

Battling through

In 2009, the year Marrero graduated from high school, his father was convicted of five counts of sexual battery, molestation and other charges and sentenced to prison until 2025.

The arrest came as a complete shock to Marrero, who had viewed his dad as the ultimate role model.

"The last time I saw him was in the courtroom," Marrero said. "I think about him pretty much every single day. He's been my coach, and Eric's coach. ... Whenever I'm on the field, I always have memories of him being out here with me. He kind of pushed me, and he kind of made me the man that I am today."

Still, he can't find the strength to talk to his dad. Not yet.

"I think about it, but I haven't really thought about what I would say," Marrero said. "It's a thing that's just going to happen. When I feel it's right, it's going to be right. My sister has talked to him, twice or a few times, she's talked to him, but I don't think I have as much courage as she does. I look up to her for that. It's just something that will happen on its own."

Marrero, suddenly the man of the house, told his mother and his two younger sisters that he would cancel his plans to attend Arizona State and instead play closer to home to comfort them.

They insisted he go.

"It was a tough decision at first," Marrero said. "But once I knew that my family was behind my decision, it was fine."

Becoming a star

Marrero's career at Arizona State was far better than fine. He led the team with a .397 average as a freshman. He was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore. And as a junior, he realized a dream, hearing his name called in the first round of the draft.

After a 64-game pro debut at Lowell last year, Marrero moved up to Salem this season and immediately earned the respect of those around him.

"You know if the ball's hit in any direction to him, he's able to make those plays - and they look easy," Salem pitcher Kyle Kraus said. "The backhand in the hole looks like just a walk in the park for him."

For more than just his play, Marrero emerged as a leader off the field. His ability to speak English and Spanish fluently helped him act as a mediator between the Latin and American players.

Meanwhile, his energy has been infectious.

"I love him, man," said Salem first baseman David Chester, who also played with Marrero at Lowell. "He's what you want in a first rounder, for sure. He has all the tools, and he's a great teammate."

Case in point: A few weeks ago, Marrero took Salem catcher Blake Swihart and a friend from the Potomac Nationals to the Salem Fair. He paid for all their rides and games, spending roughly $200, and came away with a few stuffed animals and some great memories.

Playing for Mom

As usual, work has been interspersed with fun for Marrero. He earned his criminal justice degree from Arizona State earlier this spring. That fulfilled a promise he'd made to his mother, who still patrols the streets as a Miami-area police officer.

Marrero talks to his mom every night after games.

"She had me when she was 19 years old," Marrero said. "She went to the University of Miami and graduated with honors there, while she had me and my two other sisters that were back-to-back. She's just an incredible woman. I see her strength, and it pushes me to be better and be stronger within. It pushes me to do more to provide for them, to make sure they don't have any worries in their life."

Marrero would eventually like to make enough money that his mom can hang up her badge. But his daily goal is more tangible, more immediate. And it's the same one he has every offseason: get his work done, and have as much fun doing it as possible.

"I'll love this game till I die," Marrero said. "This game is so awesome, so unique, so much different than any other sport, in my opinion.

"I think what intrigues me the most about this game is the mental part. A lot of guys that get drafted and play other sports are entitled when they get on that team, whereas here, you kind of have to work.

"That's what makes it fun," he added. "That's what makes it interesting. That's what makes it baseball."

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