Ian Desmond to Rockies; 5-years, $70M

[Matt Breen]

Ian Desmond signs with Colorado for 5 years and $70M. There is a sixth option year as well. The Rockies forfeit the 11th pick in the draft to sign Desmond.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/rockies-to-sign-ian-desmond.html

 

The Rockies are loaded in the OF, so someone may be dealt. Or Desmond could slot in at 1B.

[Matt Breen]

I find this kind of a weird signing. It costs a lot of money and a 1st round pick.

 

Colorado is certainly going to score a boatload of runs.

[MillerParkSouth]

the money is fine I guess, but I would be pretty angry if I were a Rockies fan that they gave up the 11th pick in the draft for him.

[jerichoholicninja]

Everything I've read says he's going to play 1B. The money isn't terrible but they gave up a first rounder to sign a guy who graded pretty good as a CF to play 1B on a team that isn't really going anywhere. They will be the 3rd best team in that division for a while. The Rockies are pretty much the most directionless team in baseball right now since the White Sox finally decided to rebuild.

[JohnBriggs12]

Everything I've read says he's going to play 1B. The money isn't terrible but they gave up a first rounder to sign a guy who graded pretty good as a CF to play 1B on a team that isn't really going anywhere. They will be the 3rd best team in that division for a while. The Rockies are pretty much the most directionless team in baseball right now since the White Sox finally decided to rebuild.

 

I expect them to deal Blackmon to bolster their pitching and play Desmond in CF. Kind of surprised they haven't been all over Carter. He'd be a monster there.

[MillerParkSouth]

exactly. If I were them, I would have signed Carter to play 1B for a fraction of the cost of Desmond and kept my draft pick.

[Matt Breen]

It just seems like an odd signing. The team could be interesting. They have a lot of young pitching, and if things come together, you never know. But why not spend $5-6 on Carter and retain financial flexibility? If you're doing well this summer, you can make some trades and take on some salary. Instead they'll be signing retreads and end up struggling. It just killed the Brewers to keep bringing in guys like Overbay and Betancourt because our payroll was always pushed to the maximum.

 

Oh well, better them than us.

[AdvantageSchneider]

The Rockies won two more games than we did last year. Can you imagine giving up our top pick to sign Thames? I don't know what they are thinking. Is a 35 and 36 year old CF going to be worth $14M?

[Matt Breen]

The Rockies won two more games than we did last year. Can you imagine giving up our top pick to sign Thames? I don't know what they are thinking. Is a 35 and 36 year old CF going to be worth $14M?

Here's a guess:

 

- Sign Trumbo to play 1B. They lose their 2nd pick for that - not as hefty a price

- Trade Blackmon, put Desmond in CF

- CarGo only has two years on his contract left. After that, Shift Desmond over to a corner spot for the rest of his deal.

[AdvantageSchneider]

The Rockies won two more games than we did last year. Can you imagine giving up our top pick to sign Thames? I don't know what they are thinking. Is a 35 and 36 year old CF going to be worth $14M?

Here's a guess:

 

- Sign Trumbo to play 1B. They lose their 2nd pick for that - not as hefty a price

- Trade Blackmon, put Desmond in CF

- CarGo only has two years on his contract left. After that, Shift Desmond over to a corner spot for the rest of his deal.

 

I guess they can do that, but does that get them to the playoffs? Again they were two games better than us. Does anyone think we could add two non-all star caliber players and suddenly become playoff contenders? Obviously they didn't sell off their veteran pieces like we did, but maybe they should have. Just glad I'm not a rockies fan for multiple reasons.

[Point Beer Is Best]

I thought if your pick was in the first 15, if you signed a player who had a QO compensation attached, that club would forfeit their 2nd round pick instead. Or am I thinking of the old Elias Sports Type A/B tier system and those rules?

[Matt Breen]

I thought if your pick was in the first 15, if you signed a player who had a QO compensation attached, that club would forfeit their 2nd round pick instead. Or am I thinking of the old Elias Sports Type A/B tier system and those rules?

It's now the Top 10. That changed a few years ago. It used to be the Top 15.

[Matt Breen]

I read one assessment that said this signing is a year too early. The Rockies were just getting interesting, and they go and try to make a move a little bit before they are ready.

 

Perhaps it's a disease going through the NL West. San Diego to Arizona to Colorado.