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MLB: 10 free agents who will likely be overpaid

By Dave Stevenson

Nov 7, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an official baseball during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an official baseball during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond (20) hits a single during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond (20) hits a single during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Ian Desmond

Ian Desmond is a shortstop who is entering free agency at an ideal time. He is the best free agent shortstop on the market by a pretty significant margin. Desmond is entering MLB free agency after a contract year in which he had his worst season since 2011. Despite that, he’s still going to get overpaid.

Desmond has a track record of success. He had a WAR (wins of above replacement) rating of at least 4.0 each season from 2012 to 2014. He proved to be a complete player from 2012 to 2014, being both a great hitter and a great fielder. He has the highest WAR (15.1) of any MLB shortstop since the beginning of the 2012 season. That’s enticing enough for a team looking to upgrade at shortstop to take a chance on him.

There are reasons to be concerned about Desmond moving forward. He’s 30 years old and he took a clear step backward last season. Even if he bounces back to being that excellent player he was from 2012 to 2014, he probably has two to three years of being productive left. He also has a lot of wear and tear on his body, having played 5,276 innings since the beginning of the 2012 season.

Desmond has been tied to the Padres so far. Some other natural fits could include the White Sox and the Mets. MLB Trade Rumors predicts that he’ll get paid $80,000,000 over five years. That’s an overpayment to me.

Next: Daniel Murphy

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