Free-agent signee Ian Desmond bringing talent, passion and goodwill to Colorado.
Newest Rockie a big hit away from baseball too
Words, flowing like testimonies, are often uttered in tribute to Ian Desmond — the man, not just the baseball player.
Washington Nationals superstar Bryce Harper once said of his former teammate: “I respect Desi more than anyone in baseball.”
Last summer, Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister called Desmond “a complete stud, and a true leader.”
Rangers batting coach Anthony Iapoce described Desmond as “the best pupil I have ever had.”
Last week, hours after Desmond officially signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Rockies as a free agent, general manager Jeff Bridich joined the chorus.
“Let me put it this way. Ian is a complete ballplayer, and if he’s not a five-tool player, he’s pretty darn close,” Bridich said. “To be able to top that off with the person he is, and the person he’s been in the clubhouse, it’s a huge, huge addition for us. I’m thrilled to get him.”
Yet none of those glowing accolades say as much about Desmond as the story about the tattoo he has branded on his left forearm.
Desmond, it must first be understood, is a creature of social media. He has gained legions of fans and made multiple friends through Twitter. One man become a very special friend.
He is 23-year-old Ethan Brown of South Carolina. At age 16, Brown was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF), a sometimes crippling disorder that makes its victims highly susceptible to tumors. In 2012, after seeing Brown’s prayer request on the Christian website Unashamed Athletes, Desmond began interacting with Brown via Twitter. The two then began corresponding and talking on the phone, becoming close. In a 2014 story in The Washington Post, Brown called Desmond “the big brother I never had.”
Then they became “blood brothers” by getting nearly identical tattoos. The man who designed the tattoo was a longtime Nationals fan named Allan Petersen, who grew up in Washington but now lives in Massachusetts. Petersen was another person who became Desmond’s pal via Twitter.
Petersen had won a baseball bat signed by Desmond after winning an online contest for Quilts of Honor, a charity that supports military veterans.
“If you can believe it, Ian started following me on Twitter right after that and we became friends,” Petersen said. “I guess you could say it’s a 21st-century friendship.”
Eventually, Petersen manned an online Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to combat neurofibromatosis. In May 2014, the “End NF” campaign raised nearly $33,000.
“Then Ian asked me if I would design a tattoo for him and Ethan Brown,” Petersen said. “I was thrilled to do it.”
It was at a Nationals vs. Braves game in 2013 that Brown asked Desmond about his tattoos. Desmond asked Brown if he had any, and Brown told him he did not. According to The Washington Post, Desmond asked: “Would you get one if I got one?” So Brown did.
“The tattoo is very symbolic of both men,” Petersen said. “And it ties them together through their fight against NF.”
Taking Desmond’s ideas, Petersen created a coat-of-arms design. It features a blue-andgreen shield consisting of four puzzle pieces, the symbol for NF research. Deer antlers represent Brown’s love of hunting, while baseball bats symbolize Desmond’s passion. The motto of the tattoo reads: “End NF.”
“What I want to say about Ian, and what I would sum up as his core, is his authenticity,” Petersen said. “What you see is what you get. He’s the same way with his teammates in the clubhouse as he is with his relationships with people off the field.
“Ian won’t be a rah-rah guy in Colorado. He won’t be out there giving out high-fives all over the place. But he will get to know people, he’ll pay attention and he’ll treat you right.”
Great debate has raged among Rockies fans about the team giving a five-year, $70 million contract to a 31-year-old former shortstop turned outfielder who is now expected to turn himself into a first baseman. Desmond simply sees it as a challenge, and he vows to give his new team every ounce of will and energy in his body.
Desmond’s natural father died at age 46 when Desmond was only 18 months old. His mother grew up in a family of eight and began working at an early age. Desmond carries that family history with him whenever he goes to the ballpark.
“Playing baseball every day is a fight,” he said. “You wake up in the morning sometimes in the season and you don’t feel good, but you suck it up and go out there because that’s what you are paid to do.
“That’s the way I see it. I try to keep as much of a blue-collar attitude toward my job, this life, as I can. I love baseball, and it’s what I get to do for a living. I’m blessed.”
By all accounts, Desmond’s teammates are blessed too. This is what Harper told the MidAtlantic Sports Network after being named National League MVP following the 2015 season: “Ian is such a great teammate. He’s such a great person on and off the field, has a great family, and I enjoy playing side by side with him every single night.
“At the end of the day, whether you’re 0for-4 or 4-for-4, you have to have the same mentality coming into that next day. And that’s what I tried to do the whole year this year. That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to help my team win on a daily basis and that’s all I wanted to do. I respect Desi more than anybody. This guy is somebody that I truly look up to as a person, and I can’t thank him enough for everything he did for me this year.”