3. Ian Desmond: Shortstop
Desmond might be a bit more of a risk than Jackson and Alvarez. His 2015 in Washington D.C. was not smooth, but he still was more productive than many shortstops in the league.
The 30-year-old right-handed hitter belted 19 home runs and drove in 63 runs last season. He has hit at least 19 home runs in four straight seasons. He hit 27 doubles in 2015, as well.
19 home runs compared to the 2015 Tribe would have made him a candidate for clean up hitter. The question is where would there be room for Desmond on the roster with rising star Francisco Lindor already starting every day at shortstop?
The Tribe lost clubhouse veteran and all-around good guy, Mike Aviles to free-agency. He was a fixture at Progressive Field last season, but didn’t play much during a rough time for his family, but thankfully his daughter is cancer-free now.
On the baseball side of things, Aviles was a utility infielder with a proven track record. Perhaps, Desmond could fill that role. If he could play some second base, third base and backup shortstop, he could find playing time. That is contigent upon how much Francona trusts Ramirez in that role already.
Desmond’s .233 batting average from 2015 is obviously not encouraging, but he has hit .280 or higher in three of his seven seasons. Granted, his best season was 2012, when he hit .295 with 25 homers and 73 RBI.
It won’t be a surprise if Desmond finds a job before the season starts and it’s entirely possible he can recapture some of the productivity he showed in recent years. Even 2015, a down year, he made an impact in the Nationals’ lineup.
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