BALTIMORE — Randy Knorr told Ian Desmond to move on. He would have to sever his attachment to his old team, then focus on what he needed to do to succeed. They would be fine when he leaves.
Desmond was 19 years old at the time, leaving the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League for the Potomac Nationals in 2005. It was the second year of an 12-year journey from dusty minor league roads to Silver Slugger awards in the major leagues as Desmond grew entrenched in the Nationals’ organization.