It's not the money that makes the five-year, $70 million deal Ian Desmond agreed to with the Rockies on Wednesday such a surprise—it's everything else. Colorado, which is coming off a 75-87 season, its sixth straight below .500, will have to surrender the 11th pick of the 2017 draft because Desmond received a qualifying offer from the Rangers. What's more, the Rockies will apparently play Desmond at first base, a position he's never played at the major league level and one that his offensive profile may not support.
These pieces don’t fit together.
Desmond spent 2010 to '15 as the Nationals' regular shortstop, maturing into a very solid two-way player.