Rangers Sign SS Ian Desmond

[Giantmetfan07]

The Rangers have agreed to sign Ian Desmond to a one-year deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The deal is still pending a physical, but there is an agreement in place between the two sides.

Days ago, it was reported that the Rangers were eyeing Desmond as a left fielder and a club source has confirmed to Jim Bowden of ESPN (on Twitter) that he will indeed be moving to the outfield. Desmond, who has spent the overwhelming majority of his career as a shortstop, will be Texas’ starting left fielder in 2016.

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.

DETAILS: It’s a one-year, $8MM deal, per Rosenthal (on Twitter). Desmond turned down a one-year, $15.8MM qualifying offer from the Nationals earlier this offseason. In 2013, The Nationals reportedly made Ian Desmond a seven-year, $107MM extension offer.

Financially, Desmond might have a few regrets about his past decisions. On the flipside, if Desmond can have a strong 2016, he’ll have another opportunity to cash in next offseason.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Absolutely hilarious how much money he's turned down. That's the risk you take, and he bottomed out FAST. Though I could see him bouncing back this year.

 

[JZsportswhiz]

Great deal for the Rangers. Very low risk pickup, many had Desmond getting $80-90mil. Hopefully Desmond can rebuild some of his value

 

[Panic!]

LOL. He turned down a seven-year, $107 million contract.

 

[Cloud 9]

Good, he's a douche

 

[RickD]

I love it when greed bites you in the backside!

 

[A.E]

Desmond is killing it in left. Dude threw an absolute laser to home plate yesterday. And that was after an impressive, running grab at the center-field wall to save a run. Not to mention, Desmond is hitting .387 this Spring.

 

[PWNdroia]

Rangers are the team to beat this year.

 

[Big Papi]

Rangers are the team to beat this year.

Why?

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[PWNdroia]

Why?

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

Hamels + Darvish

 

[A.E]

Hamels + Darvish

But even you said, a SP is once every 5 days. Assuming both remain healthy, the Rangers still have 3 days in the roto where they have to win games. I don't see anything special in Martin, Lewis, and Holland. They're a playoff team in my estimation but that has more to do with their offense and fielding. Bullpen is below average too.

 

[Big Papi]

Hamels + Darvish

The rest of the starting rotation? The bullpen? The lineup? All question marks. This team is good for their divison, maybe, at that they still are not that great of a ball club. Just because you have an ace in Hamels, and an ace coming off huge surgery doesn't make them great.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[PWNdroia]

The rest of the starting rotation? The bullpen? The lineup? All question marks. This team is good for their divison, maybe, at that they still are not that great of a ball club. Just because you have an ace in Hamels, and an ace coming off huge surgery doesn't make them great.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

I realize that, but what other teams have that good of a one-two punch? Lots of question marks, but I'm still picking them for the West.

 

[Big Papi]

Greinke - Miller - Corbin

Felix - Iwakuma

Scherzer - Strasburg

Cole - Liriano

Cardinals.

Bumgarner - Cueto

Sale - Quintana

Keuchel - McHugh

Mets.


And I'm pretty sure I'm missing some, that is just off my head. It isn't so unreal having two big arms leading your staff. The rest of the team is very suspect.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[Big Papi]

I realize that, but what other teams have that good of a one-two punch? Lots of question marks, but I'm still picking them for the West.

Post above. ^

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[PWNdroia]

Greinke - Miller - Corbin

Felix - Iwakuma

Scherzer - Strasburg

Cole - Liriano

Cardinals.

Bumgarner - Cueto

Sale - Quintana

Keuchel - McHugh

Mets.


And I'm pretty sure I'm missing some, that is just off my head. It isn't so unreal having two big arms leading your staff. The rest of the team is very suspect.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

I stopped there. The only comparable two are Scherzer - Strasburg and Bumgarner - Cueto. Everyone else is either overrated or coming off a single good year. And you're out of your mind if you think the Diamondbacks have anyone other than Greinke in a successful 1-2 combo.

Liriano is a career NL pitcher, as is most of these. I'd even argue Cueto is an NL pitcher, making that 1-2 combo look a little less generous as well.

Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish are the best 1-2 combo (if Darvish is healthy) because they are both legit #1 pitchers when healthy. Miller is a #3 at best, I don't even know about Corbin. Iwakuma is probably closest to a #1, but still a #2, but that combo has existed for two to three years now and Mariners have done nothing with it. Cole/Liriano is laughable because Liriano is only an NL pitcher, Cardinals are great, I'll give you that, Cueto is far from an ace, Sale/Qunitana is pretty good, but Quintana is still inexperienced and only on the brink of a #1, Keuchel still has a lot to prove only after one successful year, and the Mets have a great rotation but no offense. Nats I'll give you. The only really comparable ones are all NL teams. White Sox and Mariners are next closest and they're questionable everywhere else.

 

[PWNdroia]

Greinke - Miller - Corbin

Felix - Iwakuma

Scherzer - Strasburg

Cole - Liriano

Cardinals.

Bumgarner - Cueto

Sale - Quintana

Keuchel - McHugh

Mets.


And I'm pretty sure I'm missing some, that is just off my head. It isn't so unreal having two big arms leading your staff. The rest of the team is very suspect.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

Let's look at it statistically by FIPs.

Hamels and Darvish (career 3.48 FIP + career 3.17 FIP, pending Darvish comes back healthy from TJS; an average of 3.33 FIP)
Greinke and Miller and Corbin (career 3.31 FIP + career 3.82 FIP + career 3.57 FIP; an average of 3.57 FIP)
Felix and Iwakuma (career 3.20 FIP + 3.62 FIP; averages to 3.41 FIP) {Just thought I'd note that this duo has been together for 4 years and Mariners still have not had a winning season}
Cole and Liriano (2.89 FIP + 3.55 FIP; averages to 3.22 FIP) {note: Liriano struggles in the AL}
Cardinals- too many for me to count, but I agree with you here
Bumgarner and Cueto (3.10 + 3.82; averages to 3.46)
Sale and Quintana (2.96 FIP + 3.45 FIP; averages to 3.21)
Keuchel and McHugh (3.67 FIP + 3.67 FIP; averages to 3.67 FIP)
Mets- You're right, but there's little offense to back the team up

So the only ones who really compare to Hamels/Darvish is Liriano/Cole (amazingly surpass them) and Sale/Quintana. I may have easily overlooked Sale/Quintana, so they are probably a legit comparable duo, but they also have less years of experience compared to Hamels. Liriano/Cole is an NL team and while Cole looks to be the real deal, Liriano is basically only successful in the NL as a pitcher (except for two years in the AL). Hamels/Darvish pitch in a hitter friendly park in the AL, specifically Darvish who has been there the past two or three years. My only concern is how Hamels adapts to the AL, but he can't be worse than Liriano. I'd still take Hamels/Darvish over any combo because of their combined longevity, experience in the AL (mostly Darvish, but it eliminates Cole/Liriano, Mets, Cards), and pitching success at a hitter friendly ballpark.

It starts with having two aces. The reason the Red Sox will be horrible at pitching this year is because they have no one else good but Price. Even one ace-like pitcher with Price puts them over the top, especially with the offense they have. Without that other pitcher, forget about it. Hamels/Darvish is like having two aces. You can easily build around that. If you have Darvish/Hamels and the #4 guy in the rotation has a career year (or what I like to call a Liriano year, because Liriano basically got his fame off one year of success in the AL) then you're in for a winning team. It starts with two great pitchers and at least a decent offense to complement them.

The White Sox surprised me, I'll admit that. I never knew they had a very good 1/2 punch until you showed me. Let's see how that one pans out. Another reason I picked the Rangers is because of Lewis and Holland. Both of these are completely inconsistent pitchers, but they've had Liriano years in the past and have been very spotty. If one of them has a good year, they will make that rotation A LOT better. I can't say the same about the White Sox's 3 through 5. We shall see. But it all starts with the 1/2 and the White Sox and Rangers both have that.