Reactions To Rangers' Signing Of Ian Desmond
Ian Desmond‘s winter did not progress as expected, as he landed with the Rangers on a one-year, $8MM deal after turning down a $15.8MM qualifying offer from the Nationals. Even more surprising than the magnitude of the contract was the fact that he’ll be shifting off of the shortstop position in Texas. As Desmond begins preparing to move to left field, at least for the time being, here are some reactions to the signing:
- From the Rangers’ perspective, too, the move represents — at least in some part — an effort to make the best of a trying situation, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. The injury issues surrounding Josh Hamilton left the team without a clear solution in left field, and now Desmond will be tasked with that job. GM Jon Daniels made clear that Elvis Andrus will be the team’s shortstop, and also that Desmond is slated for regular duty in left — meaning that Hamilton’s own role will be determined when he’s back in action. “This move is about 2016, about adding a winning piece and a winning man,” said Daniels. Meanwhile, Desmond added that he’s long thought about playing in the grass, and is most committed to the same ideals that Daniels described. “I made the decision when the offseason began I wanted to be part of something more than just our names on the back of our jerseys; I wanted to win,” he said. “I felt that if to do that, I needed to move positions, I would consider it.”
Rangers Sign Ian Desmond
Ian Desmond‘s drawn out free agency has come to a close, as the Rangers announced today that they’ve signed Desmond to a one-year contract that reportedly guarantees the longtime National $8MM for the 2016 campaign. Desmond, a client of Sports One Athlete Management, will reportedly serve as the everyday left fielder in Texas despite a lack of experience at the position, and the Rangers indeed announced him an an “infielder/outfielder” in their press release. Right-hander Tanner Scheppers has been placed on the 60-day disabled list in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for Desmond.
Critics will be quick to point out that Desmond infamously turned down a seven-year, $107MM extension with the Nationals in the 2013-14 offseason. While Desmond undoubtedly has some financial regrets about doing so, the money he apparently left on the table isn’t quite as much as many would assume at first glance. For starters, that contract included his final two arbitration years with the Nats, during which time he earned $17.5MM anyway. Secondly, the contract was also said to include deferred money (as has been the case with virtually every significant Nationals contract offer in recent history due to their ongoing television rights fees battle), further deflating the value of the deal. While Desmond unquestionably comes out behind for the time being, he’ll hope for a big year in Texas and a significantly better result in free agency next offseason.
Throughout the offseason, there’s been talk that Desmond could draw interest from clubs at a position other than shortstop, though there were a number of obstacles that seemed to be 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 will have to surrender the No. 19 overall pick in the 2016 draft in order to sign Desmond. However, if the Rangers make Desmond a qualifying offer next offseason and he turns it down to sign elsewhere, Texas can recoup a first-round pick.
The Rangers picked up the No. 30 overall selection in the draft when Yovani Gallardo signed with Baltimore, though, so they will still have a relatively high draft pick even after coughing up their top selection for Desmond. In turn, the Nationals will now gain the No. 29 overall selection as compensation for the loss of Desmond, who turned down a $15.8MM qualifying offer at the onset of free agency.
That decision, of course, will be scrutinized as well, though it’s easy enough to see why Desmond would bet on himself in free agency. He finished the season one home run shy of delivering his fourth consecutive 20-homer campaign, displaying rare power for a shortstop. And while Desmond’s overall batting line was dragged down by a dismal first half, he did rebound with a .262/.331/.446 second half, during which he homered a dozen times and stole eight bases. Desmond’s defense also came under fire in 2015, but an abnormally large number of his errors (nine) came within the first two weeks of the season, and his glovework settled down from that point forward. While he’s not an elite defender at short, consensus on Desmond has been that he could handle the position, and his bat has typically overshadowed any defensive questions.
It’s easy to say that Desmond “should” have accepted the qualifying offer with the benefit of hindsight, but looking at the matter from a more objective standpoint, it’s often difficult to tell which free agents will thrive in spite of a qualifying offer and which will be hamstrung by the associated draft pick compensation. For instance, at the time qualifying offers were extended, there was little questioning whether Desmond should accept or reject. Even coming off a down season, many expected that Desmond would still secure a solid multi-year pact; conversely, there was an enormous amount of discussion as to whether or not right-hander Ian Kennedy should accept. Kennedy, like Desmond, had a dreadful run early in the season before righting the ship, but most felt it was a mistake for him to test the open market. In the end, though, he landed a five-year, $70MM contract with an opt-out clause — a staggering contract and a firm reminder that predicting the manner in which a qualifying offer will impact a player is no easy feat.
Desmond, then, will end up as yet another data point in CBA negotiations when the MLBPA and the league address the qualifying offer system in the upcoming wave of collective bargaining negotiations. This offseason, the likes of Desmond, Dexter Fowler and Howie Kendrick were all undoubtedly impacted by the draft picks attached to their names in free agency. In previous winters, players like Nelson Cruz, Ervin Santana and Kyle Lohse have each seen their stock dragged down by the qualifying offer as well. There’s a common refrain calling for players to simply accept the qualifying offer, but players spend a minimum of six years (usually more) working toward free agency for the right to no longer be beholden to one-year contracts, and the intent of the qualifying offer was never to drive down the stock of players, but rather to provide teams with compensation for losing their best Major League assets. In that light, the adverse impact on players has indeed been a negative (albeit likely unintended) byproduct.
Earlier this month, we heard that the White Sox, Rays, and Rockies all reached out to Desmond’s camp in recent weeks. In January, the Padres were reportedly giving heavy consideration to signing Desmond before inking Alexei Ramirez. Now, as is often the case with free agents that linger on the market, Desmond will end up with a team that didn’t even appear to be a fit, on paper. However, with Josh Hamilton opening the season on the disabled list, the Rangers saw an opportunity to add a bat with some upside at a relatively low price and will take the chance on Desmond’s glove converting to the outfield at an acceptable level as they look to defend their AL West title.
FOX’s Ken Rosenthal first reported the agreement and the terms (links to Rosenthal on Twitter). MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reported (also via Twitter) that Desmond had passed his physical.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rangers Sign Drew Stubbs To Minor League Deal
FEB. 28: Stubbs’ contract comes with a $1.5MM base salary in the Majors, reports Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
FEB. 27: The Rangers have officially announced the signing.
FEB. 26: Outfielder Drew Stubbs will sign a minor league deal with the Rangers, reports ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). The contract contains an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
The 31-year-old Stubbs finished out the 2015 season with the Rangers after having been released by the Rockies, though he went just 2-for-21 in 26 regular season plate appearances (plus another 1-for-4 in the postseason). Crasnick reported over the weekend that Texas was interested in a reunion with Stubbs, which makes sense considering the present uncertainty surrounding Josh Hamilton’s knee. Hamilton is currently slated to open the season on the disabled list.
While the 2015 season, as a whole, represented a poor year for Stubbs, he batted .289/.339/.482 as recently as 2014. The hitters’ haven that is Coors Field undoubtedly contributed to some of that robust production, but Stubbs has proven himself to have a nice blend of power and speed over the years. From 2010-14, Stubbs averaged 144 games, 15 homers and 27 stolen bases per season to go along with a .245/.314/.393 batting line.
West Notes: Rangers, Desmond, Choi, Pence, Marquez
The Rangers have committed about $143MM to their payroll with just three players awaiting contracts, writes Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Pitchers Alex Claudio, Nick Martinez, and Yohander Mendez are expected to sign split contracts soon. Presently, payroll is about $2MM to $3MM more than the club spent in 2015. In my opinion, there is reason to believe the Rangers will have plenty of in-season payroll flexibility since the team unexpectedly made the postseason last year and should contend again in 2016. However, Grant writes (in a separate article) that payroll is expected to remain flat.
Here’s more from out West:
- The Rangers have held preliminary talks with Ian Desmond, per Grant. The content of those talks related to using Desmond as a super-utility player. The most pressing need is in left field, although having flexibility throughout the infield is always in demand.
- Angels Rule 5 pick Ji-Man Choi could factor into the Angels’ left field competition, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry are expected to form a left field platoon. Choi has struggled to stay on the field in recent seasons, but he’s healthy entering Spring Training. Interestingly, Choi taught himself how to switch-hit during a 80 plate appearance 2016 season. He’s naturally a left-handed hitter.
- Giants right fielder Hunter Pence is dealing with Achilles tendinitis, writes Chris Haft of MLB.com. The injury is thought to be minor. Pence spent most of 2015 on the disabled list for three unrelated upper body injuries. San Francisco has solid outfield depth including Angel Pagan, Denard Span, Gregor Blanco, Jarrett Parker, and Mac Williamson. Of course, Pagan and Span are hardly the poster children for good health. Several quality outfielders are still on the free agent market including Desmond, Austin Jackson, and Alex Rios.
- Recent trade acquisition German Marquez is turning heads in Rockies camp, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Marquez, the prospect acquired in the Corey Dickerson trade, throws an easy 95 mph fastball as part of a three pitch repertoire. The 21-year-old former Ray is coming off a 3.56 ERA with 6.73 K/9, and 1.88 BB/9 in 123 High-A innings.
Rangers Reportedly Expressed Interest In Ian Desmond As Left Fielder
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.
Hamilton Could Be Back By May 1; Rangers Have Options In Left Field
- While many Rangers fans are somewhat panicked about the club’s left field situation, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reminds that Texas is in a considerably better spot with regards to left field than it was a year ago at this time. The Rangers entered Spring Training with a wide-open competition in left field last season, but Josh Hamilton “should be back by May 1,” and the Rangers have a solid platoon option in the form of Justin Ruggiano on the roster to help lighten his load. Texas also has a healthy Ryan Rua and non-roster invitee Drew Stubbs as options in left, and top prospects Lewis Brinson and Nomar Mazara are closer to the Majors than they were a year ago. Either of the two could conceivably become an option down the line.
- In a separate piece yesterday, Grant reported that the Rangers have spoken to the agents for David Murphy and Austin Jackson, though that was before the club added Stubbs on a minor league deal this morning.
Josh Hamilton To Begin Season On Disabled List
Josh Hamilton will miss the first month of the regular season after receiving stem cell and PRP injections in his troublesome left knee, the Rangers announced today. (Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News has the details from the team’s briefing with media.) The Rangers’ plan, as outlined by assistant GM Thad Levine, is for Hamilton to play some minor league rehab games in late April and then be activated off the DL in early May.
“We are giving him an eight-week program because we don’t want to cut any corners,” Levine said. “Last year, we may have accelerated things and he suffered the hamstring injury early and it was an issue all year. This way he will get the benefit of a full spring training.”
It’s been an open question as to how much Hamilton will be able to contribute to the Ranger this season, as the 34-year-old has battled continued pain in his left knee despite two operations in the last six months. The former AL MVP has played in just 139 games over the last two seasons due to a variety of injuries and Texas was already planning to use Hamilton in a semi-platoon role in left field to try and keep him healthy.
As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram puts it on Twitter, the Rangers are “taking [a] guarded approach” to Hamilton’s injuries. While the team is still talking to free agent outfielders, Texas could also use internal options like Ryan Rua, Joey Gallo, Justin Ruggiano or perhaps prospects Nomar Mazara or Lewis Brinson. Levine said that Hamilton’s DL status doesn’t greatly change the club’s plans for left field since the Rangers weren’t expecting Hamilton as a full-time option anyway.
Outfield Notes: Holliday, Hamilton, De Aza, Victorino, Pagan
All 1663 of Matt Holliday‘s career games in the majors have come in left field or DH, but the veteran is getting some time at first base, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). Holliday’s offseason workouts at first were initially reported by Heyman in December, as Holliday is hoping to extend his career by adding some positional versatility. Quad injuries limited Holliday to just 73 games in 2015 but he has been an extremely productive and usually durable player over his six-plus years with the Cardinals, and he tells Heyman that he hopes to remain in St. Louis “as long as possible.” The Cards will face a decision in the fall about whether to exercise their $17MM club option on Holliday for 2017 or buy him out for $1MM, though the 36-year-old could cause the option to vest with a top-10 finish in MVP voting. Here’s some more about other prominent outfield names…
- Josh Hamilton is visiting Dr. James Andrews’ clinic to get what is being termed as a second opinion on his left knee, which led Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News to rhetorically and somewhat ominously wonder “what was the first opinion?” Hamilton has undergone two knee surgeries in the last six months and another procedure could be an option to relieve the knee soreness and pain that has continued to plague the outfielder. The Rangers were already known to be looking for outfield depth, but if Hamilton isn’t healthy enough to manage even the platoon role that the team had laid out for him, Grant figures Texas might pursue a regular left fielder rather than a backup center fielder. The Rangers might also be forced to give such a player a Major League contract if he’s getting regular playing time.
- Alejandro De Aza finds himself in the unusual position of having just signed with a new team as a free agent but immediately facing trade speculation, yet the maybe temporary Mets outfielder told reporters (including ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin) that he was just focusing on preparing for the upcoming season. The Mets’ surprising re-signing of Yoenis Cespedes created a surplus in New York’s outfield, and De Aza could already be the odd man out. He cannot be traded without his permission until June 15, though this may not be an issue if De Aza wants more playing time elsewhere. The Rangers have notably been linked to De Aza in trade rumors, pending the Hamilton situation.
- Shane Victorino is yet another name on the Rangers‘ list but Texas is reportedly only interested in signing him to a minor league contract. Victorino is still holding out for a Major League deal, however, and SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets, that the veteran outfielder could find such a contract within the next few days. (Again, Hamilton’s health could be a factor if the Rangers remained interested in Victorino’s services.) On Monday, Yahoo’s Tim Brown tweeted that the Cubs seem like a fit for Victorino, who would fill a reserve role in Chicago.
- Angel Pagan admitted to reporters (including Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle) that he “was a little surprised” by the Giants‘ signing of Denard Span. “It’s not like I was mad, but I had to sit down with my family and explore what was going on and accept it and move on,” Pagan said. With Span on board, Pagan will spend most of his time in left field, and while he admits it’ll be an adjustment not being a regular center fielder, “I’m just being unselfish to make that move. I just want to be able to provide the best I can to this team.” Pagan is a free agent himself this coming offseason, so 2016 will be an important platform for him to rebound from three injury-plagued seasons and potentially earn another lucrative contract.
Rangers Notes: Victorino, Beltre, Daniels
Here’s the latest from the Rangers’ camp…
- The Rangers have considered signing Shane Victorino, but only on a minor league deal, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo reports (Twitter link). Texas is known to be looking for veteran outfield help, with such names as Alejandro De Aza, David Murphy, Will Venable and (as ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported earlier today) Drew Stubbs also receiving some consideration. It’s been rather a quiet offseason for Victorino, who is returning to switch-hitting and looking for a one-year contract to rebuild his value after two injury-plagued seasons. Despite Victorino’s impressive career track record, a minor league contract could be his best option at this late juncture in the offseason; from the Rangers’ perspective, they only seem willing to address their outfield depth need in the form of minor league deals anyway.
- Adrian Beltre told reporters (including MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan) that he thought about undergoing surgery to repair the torn ligament in his left thumb last July. Beltre suffered the injury in May and spent most of June on the DL, though he was still in a great deal of pain even after returning. The veteran third baseman was able to tough it out the rest of the season, however, and only underwent surgery after Texas was out of the playoffs. As he prepares to enter his 19th MLB season, Beltre said he’s certainly aware of his age but overall, “my body feels pretty good….on the field, I don’t think I have any limitations.“
- Beltre and GM Jon Daniels both confirmed that there’s mutual interest in working out a contract extension to keep Beltre in Texas beyond the 2016 season. Despite Beltre’s age, Daniels called him “a unique guy” and said “you want to be cognizant of age — older players have more risk — but there are some guys ahead of the curve and he has proven to be one of those guys in more ways than one. Age is a factor, but it’s less of a factor than other guys.”
- In other Rangers news from the last two days, the team signed Jeremy Guthrie to a minor league deal and learned that Tanner Scheppers will miss at least five months due to surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Tanner Scheppers To Miss Half Of Season
Rangers right-hander Tanner Scheppers has torn cartilage in his left knee and will miss at least the first half of the season, as The Associated Press writes. The veteran is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday.
Scheppers, 29, was a staple in the Rangers’ bullpen in 2013, pitching to a 1.88 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 across 76 appearances. However, injuries have slowed him down ever since. In 2014, Scheppers made only four starts and four relief appearances thanks to right elbow inflammation. In 2015, the reliever was hampered by his knee and a sprained right ankle, limiting him to only 42 outings and production that was not in line with his career best. In total, he posted a 5.63 ERA with 7. 5 K/9 and a sky-high 5.4 BB/9.
Scheppers was drafted by the Rangers in the first round (44th pick) of the 2009 amateur draft. He is not scheduled to reach arbitration until after the 2016 season and will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season.