Question About Todd Walker

[brfahey]

Jehrico:

 

Soriano is not an upgrade over Todd Walker!

Please explain.

 

Depends how they're used. Walker's the better 1-2 hitter. Sori the better 4-5-6 hitter.

 

Soriano in the 4 hole? No thanks. Walker is the better hitter. Soriano would be okay in the 6 hole. But he costs 4X as much, while being nowhere near 4X the player.

 

Please say that your argument regarding Walker and Soriano is based solely on money. Because if it isn't and you're saying that flat out Walker is a better player, you are way off. Even in the precious OPS catergory Soriano is 30 point higher over the course of their careers. All Walker does better than Soriano is walk, that's it.

 

He gets on base at a rate 50 points higher. Considering that a point of OBP is worth roughly 1.5 of SLG, I'd say that makes up for the SLG difference. Plus Soriano was garbage outside of his home hitters park.

 

He gets on base more like 30 points higher. And if Soriano is garbage outside his home hitters park, he must really be doing some damage in that park to get his numbers where they have been.

[brfahey]

Jehrico:

 

Soriano is not an upgrade over Todd Walker!

Please explain.

 

Depends how they're used. Walker's the better 1-2 hitter. Sori the better 4-5-6 hitter.

 

Soriano in the 4 hole? No thanks. Walker is the better hitter. Soriano would be okay in the 6 hole. But he costs 4X as much, while being nowhere near 4X the player.

 

Please say that your argument regarding Walker and Soriano is based solely on money. Because if it isn't and you're saying that flat out Walker is a better player, you are way off. Even in the precious OPS catergory Soriano is 30 point higher over the course of their careers. All Walker does better than Soriano is walk, that's it.

 

I won't tell you what you want to hear. Walker and Soriano are different, but overall bring a similar overall production. I prefer a guy like Walker, who has a clue at the plate and gets on base. If more power comes with less patience, I'll take less power. And the money factor is enormous. Walker + a $7.5m player is much better than just Soriano.

 

I think that's a fair answer and it does answer my question. Thanks.

[JeffH]

He gets on base at a rate 50 points higher.

 

I'm not a big Soriano fan, but that's really not a fair statement.

 

It's generally been more like 20-30.

 

I know about the home/away splits. Please don't cover that ground again. That kind of thing is not always predictive.

 

This would be the worst time to acquire Soriano, because next season is probably going to the highest salary he'll ever earn (unless he gets a whole lot better soon - unlikely).

 

Soriano is durable, while Walker isn't (for whatever reason). That's a huge plus in his favor. Games missed by your second baseman will be played by Neifi.

 

Neither one is very good defensively.

 

If the Cubs are dead set on trading Walker (for whatever reason) AND the Rangers get to a point where they're essentially giving him away AND we wind up with $10 million that we can't spend on anyone else, I'd take Soriano.

 

A lot of bad stuff would have to happen for me to want him.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I don't see why Texas wouldn't be willing to send back some money to grease the skids and get a trade done. They've shown a willingness to do it before on multiple occasions. I like Soriano a lot more at $6 to $7MM than I do at 10. If he hits 6 in the order, he could be a real asset.

[fromthestretch]

Soriano is durable, while Walker isn't (for whatever reason). That's a huge plus in his favor. Games missed by your second baseman will be played by Neifi.

 

Soriano might have snapped in half if Carlos Lee had slid into him as hard as he did into Walker.

 

Neither one is very good defensively.

 

Walker is ok...maybe slightly below average, Soriano is absolutely horrible.