11:02pm: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that the Rangers have indeed reached out to Desmond’s camp on what he terms a “fact-finding mission,” but he hears that there have been no substantive negotiations to this point.
10:43pm: The Rangers have reached out to the representatives for Ian Desmond with the idea of deploying Desmond as a left fielder, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (links to Twitter).
Throughout the offseason, there’s been talk that Desmond could draw interest from clubs at a position other than shortstop, though there are a number of obstacles standing between Desmond and an agreement with the Rangers. For starters, Texas has repeatedly been said to be averse to adding further payroll, as they’re already looking at what projects to be a club-record payroll north of $145MM. Beyond that, the Rangers would have to surrender the No. 19 overall pick in the 2016 draft in order to sign Desmond. While that cost isn’t as steep as the draft-pick cost that would face some of Desmond’s other potential suitors (most notably, the Rays), it’s still a definite part of the club’s equation when weighing a run at Desmond. The Rangers picked up the No. 30 overall selection in the draft when Yovani Gallardo signed with Baltimore, though, so they would still have a first-round selection were they to forfeit their top pick for Desmond. That selection wouldn’t move up a spot, however, as the Nationals, who finished with a worse record than the Rangers, would gain a compensatory pick that would slot in ahead of the Rangers’ No. 30 selection.
Desmond endured perhaps his worst full season in the Majors last year, but he did rebound with a .262/.331/.446 second half, during which he homered a dozen times and stole eight bases. As it stands right now, Josh Hamilton is atop the Rangers’ depth chart in left field, but Hamilton is already slated to open the season on the disabled list and is unlikely to be relied upon as an everyday contributor even when fully healthy; given his recent injury history, Hamilton will probably require frequent rest in order to avoid the DL over the course of the season.
The Rangers did add Drew Stubbs on a minor league deal today, creating a bit more depth in their outfield mix, and top prospects such as Nomar Mazara and Lewis Brinson are inching closer to the Majors and could be ready by midseason. Hamilton, additionally, is slated to return to the club in early May, so Texas doesn’t appear to be in dire need of a left fielder — particularly not one that would figure to push the payroll up into the $160MM range for the upcoming season. Learning a new position on the job wouldn’t be an ideal outcome for either the Rangers or Desmond, but at this stage of the offseason, few clubs have definitive openings at shortstop, and the teams that do have such vacancies haven’t expressed significant interest in Desmond, so it’s possible that his eventual team isn’t one that stands out as a readily apparent suitor at the moment.
sdsuphilip
As a padres fan plz do this
Justin Broja
They have Hamilton and Gallo options at left tho -.-
kenster84
Hamilton is starting the season on the DL
lonestardodger
Gallo is back to third base for now. Not being looked at as a left field option.
sdsuphilip
why is gallo where beltre plays?
You_Know_My_Name
Gallo isn’t ready for MLB action. Hopefully he can stay in AAA all summer.
sdsuphilip
Beltre is expected to get an extension done soon, his short term future isn’t at 3B you’d think they want to get him some reps at 1B and OF (yes i know rangers prospect situation but he can help there this year)
lonestardodger
I have a hard time seeing a deal get done because of a relative lack of playing time. Unless of course Josh’s knee never improves.
sdsuphilip
There is really no baseball reasons for Hamilton to be on the roster.
Michael Macaulay-Birks
No, but he’s worth another shot since he costs ZERO for The Rangers…The angels are paying 100% of his salary, the Rangers don’t even have to pay the major lg minimum
sdsuphilip
I really don’t see why he is worth a shot, you are taking PA’s and a roster spot away from guys that could be helpful.
bradleybaseball
I don’t see Desmond going for anything but a one year pillow contract and if his goal is indeed to rebuild his value and earning power for next offseason then moving to left field would be a really tough sell.
R.D.
He never had defensive value really. Arlington would be a great place to rebuild his offensive value though I imagine Andrus would have to get injured for him to be at previous value of a plus-offense shortstop.
dwilson10
It would be a pathetic move for the Rangers to give up a draft pick for Desmond. They are looking to put him in a position he has never played before. He’s not a bad player I just don’t really think he is a good fit for them. They could just move Gallo to the outfield and save the money and pick.
charles stevens
I don’t see it getting done based on finances. Getting him at bats wouldn’t be a problem. Josh is a lottery ticket and nothing more. Who knows how Deshields will do in year two. Gallo can play 1st next year when Moreland is gone. The part that doesn’t make sense is blocking Mazara unless JD thinks he can trade Choo at some point which seems like a stretch unless he has a big year.
charles stevens
Everyone keeps throwing Gallo into every move the Rangers make like he’s the next Mike Trout. He sucked when he was up last year and did even worse when they sent him back to AAA. He’s just not ready to play in the big leagues and honestly I’m not sold he will ever amount to anything. I REALLY wish they had made him the centerpiece of the Hamels trade instead of Alfaro.
sdsuphilip
I don’t understand this thought, Alfaro is unlikely to be good. there is a very high chance he can’t stick as a regular, you are overreacting to a player with a very good track record that might have had some mental struggles when he was 21, but look at how he did at AA before being called up
charles stevens
I’m not overreacting at all. Gallo will be LUCKY to have the career of Adam Dunn.
Alfaro has the ability to be an elite catcher if he can ever get and stay healthy.
sdsuphilip
If Joey Gallo could hit like Adam Dunn and play at a position other than 1B adequately that”s a very good player.
Jorge Alfaro has 2 tools, an arm that is useless when he can’t recieve the ball, and 60 power with awful plate discipline. The odds of him being a top 10 catcher, let alone elite, are damn low.
knolln
Everyone and I mean everyone would take the next Adam dunn. Desmond only makes sense to compete for a ws crown in 2016. Letting him rebuild his value while being paired with cole, yu, prince, adrian, Choo makes a whole lot of sense. A crazy aav on one year would be brilliant, and if (when) you decide andrus is trash (I love him but it’s not working) Desmond could be immensely valuable in multiple roles
knolln
A very good player indeed. And yes Alfaro is a much bigger lotto ticket. If he can’t catch he’s a scrub, it’s only one question granted, but it’s a huge question
stryk3istrukuout
I don’t know much of Alfaro, but I agree until I see him actually put together a couple of seasons. Anyone who strikes out at that insane rate is a red flag. Not to say he can’t be valuable, but I don’t feel like we’re on our way to seeing the next Babe Ruth. He reminds me of Russel Branyon
sdsuphilip
Russell Branyan outside of 1B is a valuable good player
stryk3istrukuout
I’m agreeing, but there’s a huge difference between a 350AB, .230 AVG, 20-25 home run hitter and say a 2013/2015 Chris Davis.
stryk3istrukuout
Money and depth chart aside, I do like the thought of Desmond in left, especially in a park like that. On another note, imagine what a Rockies offense could do if they actually sought hitters instead of always believing a pitching prospect will succeed in Coors. They can literally pull guys out of nowhere and they’ll become all-stars. Would be cool to see them sign Desmond to a two year, 20 million deal. Have him play short until the young guys are ready, while giving him a few innings here and there in the outfield in the interim to break him in. Sign Pedro Alvarez and Freese cheap for first base and depth and maybe trade for LuCroy. You don’t really have to even spend that much in terms of MLB money. Perhaps by the end of the year Trevor Story comes up and hits his stride. Seriously, just load the offense up and see what happens. It would be a shame to see Arenado’s ability be all for naught on a team that can’t/doesn’t spend or make aggressive moves aside from when a contender wants one of their hitters. But yeah, back to the point…Ian Desmond…
NeilAlien
Texas has been linked to Lucroy in the past. If Texas wants a left fielder, Brewers should dangle Braun (to get out of his contract) and Lucroy (the value of the deal, assuming last season didn’t deflate it too much) in exchange for Hamilton (to make money work in short term, and then he’ll be off Milwaukee’s books when they’re ready to spend / contend) and prospect(s).
Bobby Sweet
Hamilton is basically free. The Angels ate the entire contract.
NeilAlien
Texas has been floated as a possible destination for Lucroy. If they want a left fielder, Brewers should dangle Braun (to get out of his contract) and Lucroy (the value of the deal, assuming last season didn’t deflate it too much) for Hamilton (to make the money work in the short term, and then he’ll be off the books when Brewers are ready to spend/contend) and prospect(s).
CursedRangers
While it’s an interesting thought, the Rangers are hardly paying Hamilton anything. The Angels picked up almost his entire contract when they traded him to the Rangers.
gomerhodge71
His nickname will be “Hanley”
Ray Ray
Did they learn nothing from the Red Sox debacle with Hanley Ramirez last year? And Ramirez’s bat was always better than Desmond’s as well, so it is even worse. I just can’t believe that signing Desmond to a relatively big contract to play a position that he has never played before is better than signing a David Murphy, David DeJesus, Alex Rios, or Chris Denorfia. Especially when you add the draft pick compensation. I am not as big on draft picks as most, but they are still a part of the equation. This move just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.
TheAdrianBeltre
Deshields played a terrible CF and a great LF last year, not sure why you give a pick for Desmond to play LF if you weren’t interested in Fowler, who could play left OR center… Or why Venable(who is now an Indian) or Jackson wouldn’t be considered a better value. Personally, I thought that Deshields in left, Choo in right, and a Venable/Stubbs platoon in center(or Jackson every day) wouldn’t be bad, with Ruggiano resting the corners and 1B as needed… No need to run prospect clocks if not ready, and pretty much all the OF contracts are movable except Choo’s if one of the young ‘uns bullies his way onto the big league roster… But definitely no reason to lose a pick to plug a SS in left for a year…