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Ian Desmond

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Ian Desmond
Washington Nationals – No. 20
Shortstop
Born: (1985-09-20) September 20, 1985 (age 38)
Sarasota, Florida
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
September 10, 2009, for the Washington Nationals
Career statistics
(through May 24, 2014)
Batting average.271
Hits675
Home runs76
Runs batted in306
Stolen Bases88
Runs304
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Ian M. Desmond (born September 20, 1985) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He was selected by the Montreal Expos in the third round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft (84th overall) and signed on June 16.

Desmond was named the 19th best prospect and the best defensive shortstop in the South Atlantic League by Baseball America at the end of 2005.

Professional career

Minor Leagues

Desmond batted .227 with one home run and 27 RBIs for the Gulf Coast League Expos in 2004. He was second in the Gulf Coast League with 216 at-bats and fifth in stolen bases with 13. He had a .250 batting average with one home run and one RBI in four games for Class-A Short-Season Vermont Expos.

In 2005 Desmond batted .247 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 73 games for Class-A Savannah Sand Gnats. He added a career-high 20 stolen bases. Desmond had a .256 batting average with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 55 games for the Class-A Advanced Potomac Nationals. At seasons end was named the best defensive shortstop in the South Atlantic League in Baseball America's top tools survey of league managers. He ranked 19th best prospect in the SAL by Baseball America.

Desmond batted .244 with a career-high nine home runs and 45 RBIs for Class-A Advanced Potomac. He scored 50 runs and had 20 doubles in 92 games. He had a .182 batting average with no home runs and three RBIs for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators.

He spent the 2007 season with Class A Advanced Potomac in the Carolina League and set career highs in home runs with 14, average with a .264 clip, on-base percentage with .357 and doubles with 30. Desmond slugged his first homer of the season on April 17. He went 3-for-5 with a home run, double, three RBIs and scored twice on April 20. He homered in consecutive games on July 28 and 29 and August 12 and 13.

In 2008 he played for Double-A Harrisburg, and started the year there in 2009. In his three months there he batted .306 and, in June, was promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, and in 55 games batted .354.[1] After the minor league season ended, he was called up to the Nationals.

Major Leagues

He played his first major league game on September 10, 2009. He had his first hit, a double, and RBI during his second at bat. He later went on to hit his first home run during the same game.[2] He followed that up with a 4-for-4 game, and become only the second player ever (along with Guy Sturdy of the 1927 St. Louis Browns) to record at least six hits and four RBI in his first two games as a major leaguer.[3]

On March 28, 2010, after a solid spring training in which he led the team in RBIs, Desmond was awarded the Nationals' starting shortstop job, beating out incumbent Cristian Guzmán.[4][5] His first full year was a bit erratic. He booted the first ball that came to him, and in the next game hit the first home run of the season for the Nationals. Desmond ended up having a very good rookie season, batting .269 with 10 home runs and 65 runs batted in, while stealing 17 bases.[6]

2012

On Opening Day, 2012, Desmond started at shortstop and hit leadoff for the Nationals, who played at the Cubs. Desmond went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run. After scoring the game-tying run in the top of the 8th, Desmond hit a go-ahead single to right field, plating pinch-runner Brett Carroll, which gave the Nationals the lead. They would hold on to win 2–1.[7]

Desmond was selected[8] for the 2012 All Star Game, his first such selection. However, on Saturday, July 7, it was announced that Desmond was withdrawing from the game due to a sore oblique and would be replaced by Michael Bourn.[9] The oblique injury persisted, forcing the Nationals to place Desmond on the 15-day disabled list on July 23.[10]

With his 18th home run of the season on August 20, Desmond set a franchise record for homers by a shortstop.[11]

At the encouragement of manager Davey Johnson,[12] Desmond has become a very aggressive hitter. He was second in the National League, and seventh in the majors, in percent of pitches swung at in the 2012 season (55%).[13]

On September 24, Desmond became the first Nationals player since 2006 to join the 20 home run – 20 steal club when he stole his 20th base. He had already hit 24 home runs.[14]

Desmond was awarded a Silver Slugger for his offensive prowess in the 2012 season.[15]

2013

In 2013, Desmond repeated both his 20 home run - 20 steal season[16] and his Silver Slugger Award.[17] He batted .280 with 20 home runs, 80 runs batted in, and 21 stolen bases in 158 games played.[18]

Personal life

Desmond and fellow major league player Josh Roenicke are brothers-in-law; Roenicke, a pitcher who played for the Minnesota Twins through 2013 and signed a minor league deal with the Nationals for 2014,[19] married Desmond's sister Nikki in 2010.[20] In January 2010, Ian married Chelsey. The couple have 2 children together. The family lives in Sarasota, Florida.

References

  1. ^ "Ian Desmond Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MiLB.com. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  2. ^ Sheinin, Dave (2009-09-11). "Desmond Shines in Big League Debut as Nats Beat Phillies". The Washington Post. ISSN 0740-5421. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  3. ^ Zuckerman, Mark (2009-09-15). "Nats' Desmond making most of his call-up: Infielder's start rates among best ever in majors". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  4. ^ Ladson, Bill (2010-03-28). "Desmond awarded starting shortstop job". MLB.com. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
  5. ^ Kilgore, Adam (March 29, 2010). "Ian Desmond will start at shortstop for Washington Nationals". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  6. ^ Kilgore, Adam (April 8, 2010). "Fast times at shortstop for Ian Desmond". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  7. ^ Ladson, Bill (April 5, 2012). "Desmond leads things off with big day in win". MLB.com.
  8. ^ Nowak, Joey (July 1, 2012). "Stras, Desmond, Gio selected as NL All-Stars". MLB.com. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  9. ^ Wagner, James (July 7, 2012). "Ian Desmond to miss all-star game because of sore oblique". Washington Post. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  10. ^ "Nationals put SS Desmond on DL, promote OF Brown". Yahoo!. Associated Press. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  11. ^ Comak, Amanda (August 21, 2012). "Edwin Jackson's notable warm-up and Ian Desmond's notable home run". The Washington Times. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Nationals Buzz: Wrapping up the Nats' 3-2 win over Miami". MASN Sports. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  13. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2012 » Batters » Plate Discipline Statistics". Fangraphs. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  14. ^ Comak, Amanda (September 24, 2012). "Ian Desmond becomes Nationals' first 20-20 player since Alfonso Soriano". The Washington Times. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  15. ^ Wagner, James (November 8, 2012). "Ian Desmond, Adam LaRoche, Stephen Strasburg win Silver Slugger Awards". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  16. ^ Wagner, James (September 23, 2013). "Ian Desmond records back-to-back 20-20 seasons". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  17. ^ Kilgore, Adam (November 6, 2013). "Ian Desmond wins second consecutive Silver Slugger award". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  18. ^ "Ian Desmond Stats, News, Picture, Bio, Videos". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  19. ^ Wagner, James (February 14, 2014). "Nationals ink reliever Josh Roenicke, Ian Desmond's brother-in-law, to minor league deal". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  20. ^ Rosecrans, C. Trent. "Nats' Ian Desmond takes brother-in-law deep". Retrieved July 7, 2012.
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