Monday, the Texas Rangers signed shortstop Ian Desmond to a one-year, $8 million contract. The Colorado Rockies had been rumored to be interested in the former Washington National, and at that price, few could argue that it wouldn’t have been worth seeing what his bat could accomplish at Coors Field.
Additionally, the Rockies aren’t exactly set at shortstop. Though, to be fair, some that that isn’t their fault as they wisely wait for both the judicial system and MLB to decide the fate of Jose Reyes.
Whether or not the Rockies failed to sign Desmond, or decided not to sign him, the move — or lack of move — signals confidence in Trevor Story and Cristhian Adames.
Story has long been considered a top prospect in the Rockies system and the team has been incredibly patient with him. His results last season between Double and Triple-A suggest that patience has paid off, but he is still likely to spend at least the first month in Albuquerque and even once he debuts, counting on a rookie is always a dicey proposition.
Adames appears to be the guy at this point. And to his credit, he deserves it. His defense and athleticism have been praised throughout his minor league career and later in said career, the bat has seen remarkable improvement.
Desmond signing with Texas makes it official that Adames will get his shot and Rockies fans may find themselves surprised with what he can do. From Colorado’s perspective, these two players serve as insurance policies on one another. Neither has been fully tested but it’s also possible that neither has yet to reach their ceiling. Both deserve to get an extended opportunity at this stage of their careers.
If the Rockies were closer to contention, a gamble like this would be frustrating business as usual. However, when you already have Story and Adames, you don’t have to take flyers on players like Desmond, and, in fact, doing so could damage the development of both young players.
This is the kind of season to give the kids a shot to prove themselves. And that appears to be the Rockies intention.
