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Rockies signing Ian Desmond is baffling

The Rockies gave up a valuable first-round pick for free agent Ian Desmond, who has struggled getting on base in his career. Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS/Getty Images

Ian Desmond's five-year, $70 million contract with Colorado came out of nowhere, and I find it baffling to see this team invest this kind of money and cough up a first-round pick on a player they don't need and who has not performed well over his past three seasons.

It makes zero sense for the Rockies to give up their first-round pick for any free agent right now, much less for a mediocre one like Desmond, who hit all of .237/.283/.347 in the second half of 2016 -- very much in line with how he hit for all of 2015.

Desmond has a career OBP of .316, and his past three seasons were .335 in 2016, .290 in 2015 and .313 in 2014. He's just not a good or patient hitter, and he doesn't have enough power to make up for it. At one point, he appeared to be a playable shortstop, but as the Rangers moved him around the field last year, it became clear that he's not a centerfielder.

The Rockies may play him in left field or at first base, and his bat isn't adequate to either position. To give him a five-year deal for his age 31-35 seasons, when the team isn't contending now and will become contenders as he's declining, is mind-boggling.