The Orioles are interested in free agent Ian Desmond as a potential corner outfield option in 2017 and beyond, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link).
Obviously, the interest that any team expresses in a free agent is going to be largely preliminary at this juncture of the offseason, but Baltimore’s interest is certainly notable, and it’s not hard to see where Desmond would fit into the roster. The Orioles deployed Mark Trumbo as their primary right fielder in 2016 and enjoyed a 47-homer season out of the big slugger but received some of the game’s worst defense in return. While Desmond is still relatively new to the outfield, he logged positive marks there in left field and handled center field capably enough to expect that he could function as a significant defensive upgrade over Trumbo moving forward. Alternatively, he could start in left field in place of Hyun Soo Kim on days in which the Orioles face a left-handed starting pitcher.
The 31-year-old Desmond signed a one-year, $8MM contract last offseason — a disappointing outcome for a player who just six months earlier looked poised to enter the market as one of the premier free agents available. A poor 2015 season at the plate submarined his free agent stock last winter, but he rebuilt his reputation with a .285/.335/.446 slash line, 22 homers and 21 stolen bases over the life of his one-year deal with the Rangers. That marked Desmond’s fourth 20-20 season in the past five years, and paired with his newly demonstrated defensive versatility, that should be enough to score him a sizable multi-year deal this winter once he rejects the Rangers’ qualifying offer. MLBTR pegged Desmond at four years and $60MM on yesterday’s Top 50 free agent list, and from my own personal vantage point it’s certainly possible to envision him topping that figure as well.
The qualifying offer he received would mean that Baltimore would have to sacrifice the No. 23 overall selection in next year’s draft in order to sign Desmond, but forfeiting draft picks hasn’t served as much of a detriment to the Orioles in recent years. Dating back to 2013, the O’s have punted draft picks in order to sign Ubaldo Jimenez, Nelson Cruz and Yovani Gallardo, and they’ve also traded Competitive Balance draft picks merely to facilitate salary dump trades that shed the salaries of middle relievers Ryan Webb and Brian Matusz as well.
This would be a great pickup for the O’s. He could be their leadoff hitter, a huge outfield upgrade in right over Trumbo, he has a lot of power that will play good at Camden yards, and he has good speed. He would be the perfect fit.
His career OBP of .316 suggests it’s probably best to bat him further down in the lineup.
And Orioles don’t really use speed.
They don’t have speed or they probably would. Look at what the did with Bourn. He almost led the team in stolen bases and he was only with them for a month.
I want to slap the Orioles front office – GO AFTER PITCHING YOU DOLTS
Like who? Rich Hill is the only one they should even consider and I don’t know if they should throw their money at a pitcher that old with that kind of injury history.
Matt Harvey for Adam Jones! 😉
Nova, Hill, Hammel, Chapman, Melancon, Jansen etc etc
“Hi we are the Orioles, we play in an extreme hitters park where scrubs can mash, so lets go after more big name hitters!!!” dumb dumb dumb dumb
Chapman, Melancon, or Jansen? The Os had one of the best bullpens in baseball. Dumb dumb dumb dumb
But throwing their money at guys who are obviously declining, I’m looking at you Ubaldo Jimenez and Yovani Gallardo, is obviously the way to go right?
You mean a team can’t address multiple needs at the same time? Odds are the Orioles are gonna add 1-2 guys like Edison Volquez, Charlie Morton, Jason Hammel and JDLR and hope ones of them sticks.
They don’t actually have many offense “needs”???
Pitching is what eliminated them last year, it should be the extreme focus this year. Matt Joyce could hit 30+ bombs in Baltimore and costs little, proof that its so much easier to get hitting. They need to focus on pitching or else they can’t ever move forward in the postseason.
Are you serious with Matt Joyce? Would be good 4-5th OF option thats all he’s a better version of Riemold. Weak market for pitching this year, none of the available SPs would make a large enough impact to justify their price. Sign a relief pitcher, Desmond would be great addition, and a lefty DH.
I think Boston would be smart to take a look. If Beltran could be had for something like 1-15 or 2-26 and Desmond can be had for 4-50/60, The sox would have a great rotation between DH/1B/3B and RF with Beltran/Sandoval/Desmond/Hanley. I think Shaw should be traded because I have no faith his performance can be maintained.
What happened to Mookie Betts that they need to go after a RFer?
Nothing, as Desmond would likely play LF for the Sox.
What about Andrew Benintendi? They aren’t gonna block a top 10 prospect in the league who raked in his 2 months in the big leagues post-callup
Agreed. Get one of EE, Desmond, or Beltran and spend the rest on pitching. No need for 2 bats.
Whether it’s RF, LF or other, the point is that Desmond helps stabilize 3B, the one positional question mark and Beltran is a dh that can provide a backup OF option… it’s not like massive playing time would be taken away from either benintendi or betts… the two of them provide extreme versatility and allow the sox to flip Shaw for some form of pitching
Benintendi is probably going to headline that Chris Sale package we all have been hearing about for so long now.
Desmond is not a 3B, he was moved from SS because his defense, 3B should be easier but he’ll be signed as an outfielder. Not a backup 3B.
Silly for the Red Sox to sign more outfielders. They already have JBJ, Betts and Benintendi; They already have Chris Young and Brock Holt on the bench. OH I didn’t forget *cough* RUSNEY CASTILLO *cough*. But signing EE as their full-time DH might not be wrong.
This past season has shown how far a deep, talented, bullpen can take a team. Orioles could always use more starting pitching, but seem to stay afloat even with injuries and subpar performance.
Go out and spend big on relievers, Greg Holland, Melancon, even Ziegler. Why not have two set-up men and two closers. Orioles pitching can never make it past the 5th. Better return on wins for relievers imo.
This, all the way with this. Go crazy after Hill and Nova and then add those 3 or even more relievers. The O’s are close, but we saw definitively how and why they were not a championship level team last season. Adding 5 high-tier pitchers off the FA market is all they need to do. Adding pitching and playing Kim and Mancini everyday is better than the plan they had last year.
They do need a catcher though, I will say that. Saltalamacchia is right up their alley, as he’d mash 20+ bombs there too.
Starting pitching is extremely overpriced in this market, and the downside risk can ruin a team’s payroll (see Grienke and Shelby Miller re;Diamondbacks or even David Price for the RedSox).
For the price of one Lester/Price/Verlander, you could probably get Jansen, Holland, Melancon, AND Ziegler, but the risk is spread across four pitchers and gives a team leverage at the deadline to address a position of need or rapidly renew the farm-system.
I assume that when you say “For the price of one Lester/Price/Verlander…” you mean total dollar amount of the contract? Because Jansen and Melancon are signing for an AAV of at least $9 million if not more. Jansen especially will be paid top dollar.
Lol, high tier pitching, lets over spend for a often injured 37 year old. Ivan Nova has pitched most his career in the AL east, the results were never high tier. I do agree that bullpen help would be great, however Melancon will be a closer somewhere, Holland and Zeigler are good options. Hellickson is the only SP available thats worth a longer contract but because of the weak market some team will have to overpay for him. Better for O’s to use that money to extend a contract.
Get Dan Duquette out of the front office. We need pitching, not hitting. Didn’t he learn his lesson? Clown…
I’ve followed the Texas Rangers the whole season and I gotta say Ian Desmond has matured himself into a pretty solid hitter. He will land a contract that sets him for life, for sure.