ROCKIES: Ian Desmond is only 3- for- 31 at the plate in the Cactus League, but he’s not about to panic.
Presented with his ugly SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.
Cactus League statistics, Ian Desmond didn’t have much of a reaction. Bemused might be the right word for it.
“I’m not concerned, because I don’t think you could tell me what my spring training stats were from last year,” Desmond said Thursday morning in the Rockies’ clubhouse. “I don’t think spring training stats really matter, which is my point.”
This spring, Desmond is batting only .097 ( 3- for- 31) with 16 strikeouts after going 1- for- 3 with two whiffs Thursday against the Angels at Salt River Fields. Last spring, for the record, Desmond hit .240 ( 6- for- 25) with one home run and four RBIs before his Cactus League was ended by a broken left hand March 12.
While his numbers may not matter to Desmond, he’s certainly a player under the spotlight. He signed a five- year, $ 70 million contract after the 2016 season, and his 2017 season was a disappointment. His broken hand cost him the first month of the regular season, and later in the season he went on the disabled list twice because of right calf strains. He ended up hitting .274 with seven homers and 40 RBIs in 95 games. He never became an offensive force, and he hit into a lot of groundouts. In fact, his groundball rate was 62.7 percent.
Desmond, whose $ 22 million salary makes him the Rockies’ highest- paid player this year, made an offseason adjustment to his swing. He lowered his hands during his batting stance in hopes of getting a better extension on his swing. The goal is to barrel up the ball more and take advantage of the big gaps at Coors Field.
Manager Bud Black is on board with Desmond’s changes and has been patiently waiting to see the results. Black also dismisses Desmond’s Cactus League struggles.
“We’ve talked about this for as long as I can remember, even as a player, about spring training numbers and what they mean,” Black said. “These guys are preparing for the regular season, that’s what everybody has to bear in mind.
“The numbers for a great number of the big- league players in big- league camp — those guys on the 40- man roster — don’t mean much. For most players, it’s about getting reps and getting their body ready to play in April. … It’s a little bit of a tough go for ( Desmond) right now, but the end game is ( better) results in the regular season.”
Desmond has had playing time at first base and left field this spring, but it appears that he will break camp as Colorado’s starting first baseman.
“I don’t know what the plan is, to be perfectly honest,” he said. “I’m prepared to play where they want me to play on that day. That’s honestly the best answer I can give you.”
Black hasn’t said what Desmond’s primary position will be, but Black has made it clear that he likes Desmond’s versatility.
“You see a lot of good players around the league move around the diamond,” Black said. “Ian, potentially, could be that player.”