Colorado’s OF Desmond opts out for second straight season
Strasburg opens up about nerve issue that ended his 2020 season
DENVER — Ian Desmond provided a calming voice to help the Colorado Rockies stick together soon after losing star third baseman Nolan Arenado in a blockbuster trade.
That just may be the veteran outfielder’s biggest contribution this season.
Desmond decided Sunday to opt out for a second straight season. He announced on his Instagram account that his “desire to be with my family is greater than my desire to go back and play baseball under these circumstances.”
No amount of lobbying by Rockies manager Bud Black could persuade the 35-year-old Desmond, who was scheduled to make $8 million this season after walking away from a prorated salary of $5,555,556 last season.
“This was a decision not about money,” said Black, whose team will begin fullsquad workouts Tuesday in Arizona. “This was from the heart, and from the stomach. This was hard. This was agonizing for him.”
Desmond did leave the door open for a possible return by adding “for now” in his post. He vowed to “continue to train and watch how things unfold.”
NATIONALS: The nerve issue in Stephen Strasburg’s right wrist that ended his 2020 season after five innings would get aggravated every time he threw a baseball, he said Sunday, and “basically would go from numbness in my thumb to numbness in my whole hand.”
Speaking to reporters for the first time since before he was shut down in August, the
Washington Nationals ace said the problem went away immediately after the 15-minute carpal tunnel surgery.
“I haven’t had any residual effects from it. … I think, if anything, all the work I’ve done strengthening it has only improved the movement of my pitches,” Strasburg said.
The 2019 World Series MVP began preparing for this season much earlier than usual, doing a light catch on Nov. 1 instead of mid-December, and throwing bullpens early in January instead of late in the month.
“Endurance-wise, stamina-wise, I feel like I’m a lot further along than I have (been) in years past,” he said. “I wanted to give myself some extra time to work through some mechanical things and be ready to go on Day One.”
WILLIAMS DIES: Stan Williams, the fearsome All-Star pitcher who helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the 1959 World Series, has died. He was 84.
Williams died Saturday at his home in Laughlin, Nevada. He was hospitalized on Feb. 11 and had been in hospice care due to the effects of cardio-pulmonary illness, the Dodgers said Sunday and son Stan Jr. confirmed.
Williams also won a World Series title in 1990 as pitching coach with the Cincinnati Reds.
The two-time All-Star righthander was part of a powerhouse Los Angeles rotation that included Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Johnny Podres from 1960-62.
Williams, known as the “Big Hurt” because of his penchant for pitching inside, had a record of 109-94 and a 3.48 ERA during his 14-year career in the majors. He was named to the NL All-Star team in 1960.
He played for the Dodgers, the New York Yankees, Cleveland, Minnesota, St. Louis and Boston.