by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (5/19/2013) After starting the first 43 games, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond finally received a breather Sunday at San Diego, replaced in the starting lineup by Danny Espinosa. Since homering in back-to-back games May 10-11, Desmond is in a 2-for-24 slump (.083) in his last seven games.
Desmond's batting average has declined from .300 to .268.
Moving around helps Ian Desmond
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (5/12/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond finished with three hits for the second game in a row and drove in both of Washington's runs during an 8-2 loss to the Cubs on Saturday. He went 3 for 4 with a homer and a double, also for the second straight outing, to extend his hitting streak to three games.
Desmond's homer -- a solo blast of former teammate Edwin Jackson in the fifth inning -- gave him home runs in back-to-back games for the first time this season. The 27-year-old credited his power surge to moving up in the batter's box in order to connect on more breaking balls.
"It's just minor adjustments," Desmond told MLB.com on Friday.
Ian Desmond homers in big offensive performance
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (5/10/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond had a big night Friday against the Cubs, going 3 for 4 with three runs, three RBI and his fifth home run of the season. It was the first multi-hit game of May for Desmond, who was a triple short of the cycle.
Desmond boosted his batting average to .287 in the 7-3 win.
Ian Desmond provides entire offense in 2-0 win
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (5/1/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond smacked a two-run home run off Atlanta starter Paul Maholm in the fourth inning to provide the only runs in his team's 2-0 win Wednesday. It was Desmond's only hit in a game that featured just five hits combined between the two teams.
Desmond, who hit cleanup for the first time this season, also extended his hitting streak to eight games. He has four home runs and a .299 average on the season.
Ian Desmond moved to clean up spot
by Chris Cwik | CBSSports.com (5/1/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond has been moved to the fourth spot in the lineup Wednesday.
Desmond has accumulated 10 hits over his last seven games. He's hit safely in each of those games. With Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman sidelined with injuries, Desmond will be relied on as one of the team's main offensive threats. He'll face Braves starter Paul Maholm.
Lineup change suits Ian Desmond
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (4/28/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond was the only Washington player to record multiple hits, finishing 2 for 4 during a 5-2 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. Desmond, who was bumped to the No. 5 spot in the batting order as struggling first baseman Adam LaRoche shifted to the six-hole, tallied a double and a single.
His double in the eighth inning off reliever Jonathan Broxton was his 10th two-base hit of the season, which paces all players in the National League. Desmond is also riding a five-game hitting streak to push his batting average to .295.
Errors not weighing on Ian Desmond
by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com (4/22/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond entered Monday's series opener against the Cardinals having committed seven errors through 15 games. He made just 15 errors all of last season.
Despite his early defensive struggles, the 27-year-old told MLB.com that he's trying not to let the miscues affect him.
"It's just like anything else," Desmond said. "In baseball, it happens. You go into slumps. You go through it. It's part of the game. You've got to push through and keep on grinding. You just keep on playing. Eventually, it's going to get better."
Ian Desmond homers vs. Mets
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (4/20/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond hit his third home run of the season Saturday against the Mets.
Desmond took starter Jeremy Hefner deep in the second inning for a solo home run. He finished 1 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI in a 7-6 victory. The 27-year-old has a hit in his last five games and is batting .308/.324/.585 in 65 at-bats.
Ian Desmond racking up hits
by Ed Gauna | CBSSports.com (4/15/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond recorded his fourth multi-hit performance in the last seven games on Monday night against the Marlins. He went 4 for 5 with two runs scored in a 10-3 win.
Desmond doubled in each of his first two at-bats before singling in the fourth inning. He added another base hit in the ninth.
The 27-year-old is batting .320 (16 for 50) with two homers, three RBI and seven runs scored through 13 contests.
Ian Desmond tries to imitate Kobe Bryant
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (4/11/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond's defense has been a little weak, committing four errors in eight games, but he's certainly happy he has made up for his poor defense at the plate, according to MASNsports.com.
Desmond had a season-high three hits Wednesday against the White Sox, extending his hitting streak to five games. He's batting .381 (8 for 21) with a triple, two homers, two RBI and four doubles in that span. For those counting at home, Desmond is slugging .952 in his last five games.
"(Lakers guard) Kobe (Bryant) has had bad shooting days," Desmond said. "He doesn't stop shooting. That is kind of the way I look at it. I am getting an opportunity and I am going to take it every time. I am not going to shy away. I am not going to pass the ball to somebody else. I am going to keep on shooting because that is my job."
Ian Desmond adds three extra-base hits
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (4/10/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond tripled and doubled twice, all off starter Gavin Floyd, in a 5-2 win over the White Sox Wednesday. Desmond has collected at least one extra-base hit in each of his last five games to boost his line to .290/.313/.677 in 32 plate appearances this season.
Ian Desmond goes yard
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (4/10/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond enjoyed another solid night at the plate as he reached base safely in his fourth straight game and clubbed his second home run of the season Tuesday against the White Sox.
Desmond took starter Jake Peavy deep for a solo home run in the fifth inning. He finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI in an 8-7 victory.
Desmond is hitting .222/.250/.519 through his first seven games.
Ian Desmond not thinking deal
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (4/1/2013) In the wake of Elvis Andrus earning a long-term deal with Texas on Monday, fellow shortstop Ian Desmond is not close to an extension with the Nationals, MLB.com reports. Desmond signed a one-year deal worth $3.8 million before spring training after being arbitration eligible last offseason.
"I'm trying to do everything I can to win a World Series, and talking about that or revisiting that isn't really helping," Desmond said about a deal. "So we'll see where it goes."
Desmond served as the No. 6 hitter in the lineup for Washington's 2-0 season-opening win over Miami and finished 1-for-2 with a walk.
Ian Desmond struggling against righties
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (3/28/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond continued his spring struggles against right-handed pitching Thursday, going hitless in two at-bats against two different right-handed pitchers for the Mets. The oh-fer dropped Desmond's line against righties this spring to .190/.227/.262 in 44 plate appearances. He hit .289/.336/.492 against righties during a breakout 2012 season and will look to get things turned around when the regular season begins.
Desmond looking to strike slower
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (3/12/2013) Despite a season that culminated in an All-Star Game appearance and a handful of MVP votes, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond still found some flaws during his 2012 campaign. Chief among them was swinging at too many first pitches and failing to draw walks. Now, he sees them as improved areas. "I think I’m at a place where I’m trusting my swing and I’ve basically had the same swing for two years now," he told The Washington Post last week. "So I feel much more comfortable and I’m picking up right where I left of last year, which is great. I think it’s just a matter of putting the ball in play, rather than trying to do too much or whatnot."
Desmond aims to cut down Ks
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (1/28/2013) Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond is coming off a career year in 2012 and is out to prove in 2013 it wasn't a fluke. He's always looking to improve and there is one area he feels needs immediate improvement. “Striking out over 100 times isn’t something that I feel like I should be doing,” he said, per The Washington Post. “I’d like to cut down on the strikeouts, works some more walks, be a little more aggressive running the bases, pick up some more stolen bases and just try to help the team in any way that I feel like I can.” Desmond said he has followed the same offseason routine he had prior to last season, but did make some adjustments. “Everything’s good,” he said. “My body feels great. I basically stuck to the same workout program I did last year, but I’ve added some things and try to eliminate the leg injuries and things like that and just really see if I can put one solid year, 162 games, and just go out there and play everyday and see what kind of production we can come up with.”
Desmond earns raise from Nats
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (1/18/2013) The Nationals and shortstop Ian Desmond agreed to a one-year, $3.8 million contract Friday to avoid arbitration, The Washington Times reports. Desmond, who was in his first year of arbitration, is coming off the finest season of his career in which he registered 25 homers and 73 RBI while producing a .292 batting average over 130 games. He also swiped 21 bases, his second straight season with 20-plus steals.
