Colorado Rockies: Even in offseason, Ian Desmond still catching heat

By Kevin Henry | Oct 27, 2018

PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 30: Ian Desmond #20 of the Colorado Rockies on deck during the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 30, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Even in the offseason, Ian Desmond of the Colorado Rockies is still catching heat for two lackluster seasons he has put together since signing a five-year, $70 million deal (all guaranteed) to play his home games at 20thand Blake.

That’s not to say that the heat isn’t deserved. Colorado Rockies fans have let Desmond know many times on social media and at the ballpark that he hasn’t lived up to expectations yet. Last season’s .236/.335/.446 slash line by Desmond while also posting 22 home runs and 86 RBI caught extra attention late last week after a quote by Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Of course, Rockies fans immediately thought of Desmond.

And let’s not forget that Desmond can even be brought into other sports conversations about Denver players who aren’t performing up to their contracts.

This is the point where we have arrived with the 33-year-old Desmond, who is signed with the Rockies through the 2021 season and has a $15 million club option in 2022. Fans are clamoring for Ryan McMahon to finally get his chance at first base and Desmond to be benched. However, that’s unlikely to happen as Bud Black has shown his love for Desmond and his veteran leadership many times over in his two years at the helm. If McMahon is going to get his shot at first base, Desmond will have to move to the outfield, a thought that certainly could happen in 2019. But will it?

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Yes, he’s still going to play … but has the point of no return been reached with Desmond when it comes to producing at a consistent level? Some will point to his 22 homers being the fourth-highest on the team last season and his 88 RBI representing the third-highest mark as cause for hope. Yes, those are solid numbers. However, this excellent article from our friends at Purple Row talk about why those numbers were so high this season … and how they could have been higher.

Honestly, Desmond will continue to draw the ire of Rockies fans until he can hit fewer ground balls. His career average for Ground Outs/Air Outs is 1.58. In two seasons in Colorado (a place where hitting the ball in the air is usually advantageous), Desmond has posted a 2.42 and 2.45, respectively. The highest in his career before that was 1.88 during his rookie season.

His league-leading ground ball percentage of 62.0 last season was just under his all-time high of 62.7 the year before. He also grounded into a team-high 17 double plays last season while posting a -0.6 WAR. That was better than his -1.1 WAR in 2017, marking the only two times in his career with a negative WAR.

So what’s the point of this article? It’s not to pile on Desmond. It really isn’t. It is, however, to show just how much of a thought Desmond’s struggles are to Rockies fans throughout the year, not just the season. They understand that the Rockies have invested heavily in Desmond and he hasn’t lived up to the contract … yet.

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Can that change in 2019? It has to. Entering the midway point of that lofty contract, Desmond simply must find the answers at the plate this offseason in order to not only help the Rockies get back to the postseason for the third consecutive year, but also gain back confidence that he can get the job done any time and in any situation.

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