In less than seven weeks, position players will report to the Peoria Sports Complex, the Padres having either addressed their most conspicuous weakness or — well, the alternative is one San Diego fans would rather not contemplate.

Shortstop continues to blink atop the list of needs, and particularly this offseason, it would seem inexcusable for that need to go unfilled.

The most natural fit, free agent Ian Desmond, remains unsigned — but not unnoticed. In November, the Union-Tribune reported that the Padres had reached out to Desmond’s representatives, and even if General Manager A.J. Preller had an uncharacteristically quiet December, he simply may be biding his time. According to sources, the two sides have remained in communication, though, at least for now, no agreement appears imminent.

As the position-player market unfurls, many in baseball think a deal between Desmond and San Diego would make complete sense.


There is the obvious reason: The Padres desperately need talent at a position that produced minus-0.8 wins above replacement last season. According to FanGraphs, Desmond has been worth 15.2 WAR over the last four seasons. (He struggled through much of 2015, finishing with 1.7 WAR, highlighting both the risk of decline and the possibility of a bounceback.)

Then there is what has been a less-publicized reason, perhaps unquantifiable but, for the Padres, possibly quite significant. Preller is said to be an admirer of Desmond, not only because he fits the preferred profile (athletic, high upside, standout tools) but also because, inside a clubhouse, few are as respected as the three-time Silver Slugger.

Desmond, 30, was a third-round draft pick by the Montreal Expos in 2004, reached the majors five years later, developed into an All-Star three years after that and has since been one of baseball’s most durable, productive shortstops. While playing a premium position, the homegrown talent helped build Washington into a perennial contender and became one of its most beloved figures.

In 2014, the Washington Post detailed how Desmond had forged relationships at virtually every level of the Nationals organization. He was lauded for his blue-collar leadership. He made unannounced visits to the minor league clubhouse during spring training. Coaches and teammates held him up as an example of how to conduct oneself on and off the field.


(Desmond’s agents at Sports One Athlete Management represent other players known for high character, including David Ross, former Padres prospect Anthony Rizzo and ex-San Diego infielder David Eckstein.)

This past season, Bryce Harper credited Desmond for helping elevate him to MVP heights. Trea Turner, the highly regarded shortstop prospect the Padres may have traded away too easily, said Desmond had “helped me out a ton.” The Nationals had acquired Turner to eventually replace Desmond.

That the two players might wind up switching organizations could be as practical as it would be ironic. Late last season, looking ahead to 2016, a member of the Padres organization wondered what acquiring Desmond could bring “from a makeup standpoint.”

Now approaching Preller’s second full season in San Diego, the new regime believes it more or less has found the desired mix of front-office personnel and coaching staff. A player like Desmond could prove instrumental in helping rookie manager Andy Green build a bridge to brighter days.


Of course, on-field results come first. One concern: After three consecutive 20-20 seasons, Desmond’s production dropped precipitously in 2015. The right-hander finished the year hitting .233/.290/.384 with a career-worst strikeout rate (29.2 percent) and 27 errors in the field.

Desmond did rebound to more-typical levels in the second half; post All-Star break, he compiled nearly two WAR, hitting 12 home runs with a .777 on-base plus slugging, the kind of shortstop production San Diego has lacked since Khalil Greene in 2007.

In 2015, the Padres went from a platoon of Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes to auditioning both Will Middlebrooks and Jedd Gyorko, out of position, at short. Since the offseason began, Barmes has had a $2 million option declined, Middlebrooks has been non-tendered and Gyorko has been traded. Amarista, who’s been worth minus-0.5 WAR since 2013, seems destined for utility duty.

Working in the Padres’ favor is a landscape in which nearly every other team has no immediate shortstop need. The Chicago White Sox are the next-most logical fit, but they already have added Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie to their infield and may be in play for one of the remaining free-agent outfielders. Presumably, as spring nears, Preller can afford to see if Desmond’s price comes down.


Where that price ends up remains to be seen. Before the 2014 season, Desmond declined a five-year, $89.5 million extension from Washington, though, after his struggles in 2015, he may not command nearly as much.

Meanwhile, the Padres can continue exploring other remaining options, via trade or otherwise. Veteran shortstops Alexei Ramirez and Jimmy Rollins, for instance, are free agents. (As one industry observer noted, San Diego could have signed either player by now if it was truly interested. Then again, both could be fallbacks.)

Aside from all of baseball knowing the Padres need a shortstop, Desmond may not be without leverage of his own. His strong arm and athleticism have prompted some clubs to ask if Desmond would be open to moving to another position. If the ideal situation presents itself, the answer likely would be yes. Second base, third and even left field could be considerations.

Desmond and his agents, however, surely know his value is highest at the position he has always played. From that perspective, San Diego provides the best opportunity. In return, the Padres, who have a protected top-10 draft selection, would have to sacrifice their second-highest pick (Desmond rejected a one-year qualifying offer from the Nationals). Doing so may be deemed worthwhile; assuming departed free agents Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy sign elsewhere, the Padres could have as many as five picks before the third round.


Those close to Desmond say his top priority is a championship. But even while the Padres currently do not look like contenders in the National League West, they also say he would be open to the idea of establishing a winning culture, understanding that pennants do not happen overnight. As with Turner, Desmond would have little hesitation about helping a younger player eventually claim the starting job, especially if he thought it would better his club’s chances.

The Padres recently acquired such a player. Part of the return for trading Craig Kimbrel to Boston was top shortstop prospect Javier Guerra, who might reach the majors in late 2017.

Last month, Preller was asked if Guerra’s addition might make him more reluctant to acquire a major league shortstop for more than a couple seasons.

“Not really,” Preller said. “If we feel like it’s a player we really like and we think is worth the dollars and years, you can never have enough players up the middle, especially talented players. Especially when you sign shortstops, you get guys who can play other positions and have value in the industry.”