Most of the comments from Rangers fans yesterday about the Ian Desmond news centered around not liking the fact that the Rangers would have to give up the nineteenth pick in the draft.
That got me thinking, what draft pick has Jon Daniels ever made that had similar numbers in career home runs, runs batted in?
Or course there are a lot more numbers one can use to compare player to player to endless minutia. I choose HRs and RBIs because, really, on a one-year deal, all that matters in his offensive production is how many runs he drives in. Home runs are just a bonus.
Desmond’s career average for a 162-game season is 19 home runs. He hit that many last year. His career average RBIs per 162-gamers is 75.
Jon Daniels has had seventeen position player draft picks in ten years that have ended up playing for the Rangers. Only Chris Davis and Mitch Moreland have similar 162-game averages in HRs and RBIs as Ian Desmond.
The point being? The offense the Rangers can get now is as good as than anything they have been able to draft.
It’s not living in the instant gratification world. It’s knowing that Desmond can help this team win now and there is no guarantee that an unknown draft pick will ever make an impact with the Rangers six years down the road, or at all.
History says it won’t happen.
I’d rather take my chances with a known commodity. My bet is, this turns out to be a great move for the Rangers in 2016. They are getting a guy highly motivated to perform. A guy who has misjudged his value and left more than $100 million on the table. He turned down a seven-year, $107 million deal, which is an average annual value of $15.3 million a year. He turned down the qualifying offer from the Nationals at $15.8 million a year.
Never bet against an athlete and his money. With most athletes, that’s all they care about.