The Nationals gave SS Ian Desmond his first major league start last night and he showed some things I’ve seen and some things I have not seen.
Desmond’s first AB saw him drive the second pitch he saw to deep center for an out.
He saw his first play in the field in the top of the fourth, handling a groundball off of the bat of Raul Ibanez.
Desmond got his first major league hit and RBI in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double to right center, scoring Elijah Dukes.
The fifth inning saw Desmond handle a pop out and then I saw something I had never seen from Desmond in all the times I’ve watched him in the minor leagues … a booming three-run homer that nearly cleared the Red Porch. It drew a curtain call from the fans at Nationals Park.
He handled another groundout in the seventh and flew out to left in the bottom of the inning.
And it was in the ninth inning that I saw something I have seen quite a few times. After catching a pop up off the bat of Raul Ibanez, Desmond fielded a routine grounder from Jayson Werth and airmailed a throw to first base. This has always been the knock on him, making the hard plays look easy while committing errors on the routine ones.
Desmond was part of the game-ending double play helping the Nats escape with an 8-7 win.
All in all, a great debut for Desmond. He showed much more power than I expected.
#1 by VladiHondo - September 11th, 2009 at 09:04
Way to go Ian!
Here’s to many more opportunities, savor them all – want to see you in DC permanently!
#2 by John - September 11th, 2009 at 09:28
I was really impressed. He has a quick, short swing that generates a lot of power. I hadn’t seen him play, but he definitely has the tools to be an all-star. I see what the hype was about. We’ll see if he stays consistent and cuts down on the errors. If he can, he’ll be a big time player.
#3 by PNats fan - September 11th, 2009 at 09:39
I totally agree with you Brian, when he airmailed that throw I thought, there’s the Ian Desmond i know from Potomac. Honestly, his bat has got a lot better, but with runners on first and second in Desmond’s 3rd AB he took a long swing and hit a deep fly to LF, I would have preferred a shorter swing and maybe a single. We don’t need a light hitting shortstop swinging for the fences every AB. Overall, I was happy to see him improve, but don’t think he is a everyday MLB player.
#4 by Positively Half St. - September 11th, 2009 at 09:42
Nice debut. Poor Zack Segovia seemed to come undone by Desmond’s error, though.
#5 by John O’Connor - September 11th, 2009 at 09:48
This is not a criticism of Desmond, after all lots of guys miss easy pitches, but that homer ball was the meatiest of meatballs. Seventy-five mph hanging curve right at the top of the strike zone.
#6 by Paul - September 11th, 2009 at 10:12
He looked like a major leaguer to me. He totally crushed that hanger – I love it when guys don’t miss softballs high in the zone. I am interested to see what happens to him when he faces quality pitching.
#7 by peric - September 11th, 2009 at 13:27
A double, a homer and 4 RBI. Basically more in 1 game than Pete Orr, the major league veteran has accomplished since platooning at 2B as a starter with Gonzalez. Desmond looks ready.
#8 by Berndaddy - September 11th, 2009 at 13:30
Pete hasn’t looked that bad.
#9 by Jane - September 11th, 2009 at 13:31
Good job, Ian, for your first game in Washington!!!!!!!!!!!
#10 by nationals fan - September 11th, 2009 at 13:31
Long swing, short swing, hanging curve…what does a guy have to do to impress? He hit a major league curveball in a major league game…most curveballs that get hit out ARE hanging curves! Desmond is having a GREAT year, and I guess when you are playing that well people begin to look for things to critisize. He will “turn the corner” with his defense very soon, just be patient and appreciate it when you see it.
#11 by VladiHondo - September 11th, 2009 at 13:56
According to EVERY announcer on TV for all of time immemorial, no non-hanging curve has ever been hit for a home run!
#12 by peric - September 11th, 2009 at 14:31
Orr looked terrible in AAA SYR. It seems more than a bit doubtful that his current “streak” continues.
#13 by peric - September 11th, 2009 at 14:33
Segovia should be used to Desmond’s errors. They were together in Syracuse for a good bit weren’t they?
No excuse for an 81.00 ERA.
#14 by BinM - September 11th, 2009 at 15:09
Maybe true VladiH, but I’d think that someone like FRobby, Mays or Mantle “back in the day”, or Bonds, Vlad or even Thome haven’t yanked a curve, low & on the outside corner (a perfect pitch) over the wall.
#15 by BinM - September 11th, 2009 at 15:12
Just because the Announcers say it “hung” doesn’t make it so. Even Koufax got stung occaisionally, because a good hitter guessed right on the location.
#16 by Marc - September 11th, 2009 at 15:31
Hanging or not hanging, he hit that ball a TON. Guzman’s been in the league 10 years and has never hit a ball like that. That one was Zimm/Dunn/Hammer like. Plenty of guys have made a career of being “mistake” hitters. That said, he’s not going to be able to swing from his heels all the time – I’d like to see him show some bat control, too, but all in all, it’s hard to imagine how you’d want more froman offensive perspective.
The concentration on the routine play needs to get cleaned up, but he looked good on the game ending DP, too.
#17 by Marcus - September 11th, 2009 at 15:42
Norris recieved some honors from BA in their season hot sheet he ranked 7 out of 20.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2009/268861.html
With that ranking we’ll definitely have 2 in the top 50 but maybe 2 in the top 30!
#18 by Ronny/Daggerrrrrr - September 11th, 2009 at 16:14
Marcus- After next year, we could possibly have 3 in the top 15. Strasburg #1, Harper(if we draft him) #7, and Norris #14.
#19 by dd - September 11th, 2009 at 16:52
peric- Orr is a veteran player who can fill in adequately at several positions. Desmond is a prospect who has untapped potential. Hard to compare or even mention them in the same sentence. It would be a disservice to Orr, a true professional, to criticize his play, especially since he has in no way contributed to the Ntas woes in 2009. Scouting report on Orr: “A gritty player who does the little things well and gives his all, Orr has good speed, puts the ball in play, and is a solid defensive infielder.” Nothing more, nothing less.
#20 by peric - September 11th, 2009 at 22:41
Looks like Mandel and Wilkie to go with Storen and Strasburg in the AFL.
#21 by RD - September 11th, 2009 at 23:09
So Desmond has a great game, and the next day he’s on the bench.
Same with Maxwell before that.
Whats the point of having them up if you aren’t going to play them?
Playing the ‘regulars’ right now is pointless if that regular is not getting the job done. The season is done – Check some things out for next year. Desmond should be our everyday SS, with Guzman at second. It does no harm – It’s ridiculous to start Pete Orr at this point of the season(at any point really, but especially at the end when a kid should get the chance). Same with Maxwell in the OF.
I know Riggleman wants to impress to keep the job, but he’d be better served now by playing the kids, and they will be better prepared next year if he does keep the job.
Whats up with Everts not being promoted? Isn’t he eligible for minor league free agency after the season? Why not see what he’s got and add him to the 40 man to keep him?
#22 by BinM - September 12th, 2009 at 09:15
RD – Everts is 25, had the Tommy John procedure in 2004 & started the year in POT. Maybe the org. just thinks this year was a fluke & wasn’t comfortable using a roster spot.
#23 by RD - September 12th, 2009 at 15:31
Yeah, but he was lights out this year. For a team in need of serious bullpen help, why not give a guy a shot to prove himself? It was no guarantee of future success, but see how he handles himself against big league hitters.
It’s better than having Segovia up …
#24 by Sam - September 12th, 2009 at 22:45
Sigh . . .
#25 by Andrew Stebbins - September 13th, 2009 at 09:21
Wow, extrmely small sample size but still…major league talent.
#26 by Dana Gunnison - September 13th, 2009 at 12:40
Thanks to NFA I’ve been able to periodically monitor Ian Desmond’s progress. Someone has done a good job helping him adjust to major league pitching. Listening on the radio, I can hardly wait until he bats. His adjustment to the bigs came at just the right time what with Guzman peaking last year. Which one gets to play second – or maybe it’s Gonzalez. Dana
#27 by peric - September 13th, 2009 at 13:55
So would someone BinM, dd, Brian …
Explain why Riggleman finds any excuse to put this guy on his lineup card? Riggleman must be the reason Orr found his way to the Nats and Syracuse and finally to the majors.
So, Riggleman rests Ryan Zimmerman, so instead of giving his .333 pinch hitter 3rd baseman Mike Morse a start we find .242 pretty useless in Syracuse Pete Orr at third base? He couldn’t even outhit a Kory Casto in Syracuse.