Trib Baker Q&A: Walker is starting 2B

[Banedon]

I may have missed this in another thread somewhere, so let me know if this is duplicate info.

 

From a Baker Q and A on Chicagosports.com

 

Q Speaking of trades, who's your starting second baseman, Neifi Perez or Todd Walker?

 

A Right now Todd Walker is our second baseman. He's here. I've heard a lot of speculation [about a trade], but right now we have about 10 weeks before we start. Let us do our thing and we'll be ready by Opening Day.

 

EDIT: As noted throughout this thread, this may not be a direct Baker quote, but rather a supposition of possible answers at the convention.

Edited January 13, 2006 by Banedon

[Burtonbell]

OMG! Dusty making sense?

[daske17]

OMG! Dusty making sense?

 

But wait, it gets better.

 

Regarding Cedeno and Murton in that same article:

 

Hey, man, you have to give them a chance to play sometime. Murton has hit everywhere he has played. And Cedeno really hit the last couple of years. He was the rookie of the year in Venezuela (winter league) and I was proud of him for going to play. He's ready to play for us.

[TB_11]

OMG! Dusty making sense?

 

But wait, it gets better.

 

Regarding Cedeno and Murton in that same article:

 

Hey, man, you have to give them a chance to play sometime. Murton has hit everywhere he has played. And Cedeno really hit the last couple of years. He was the rookie of the year in Venezuela (winter league) and I was proud of him for going to play. He's ready to play for us.

 

Sounds like a complete change for Dusty - let's hope he holds the same attitude in April.

[USSoccer]

OMG! Dusty making sense?

 

But wait, it gets better.

 

Regarding Cedeno and Murton in that same article:

 

Hey, man, you have to give them a chance to play sometime. Murton has hit everywhere he has played. And Cedeno really hit the last couple of years. He was the rookie of the year in Venezuela (winter league) and I was proud of him for going to play. He's ready to play for us.

 

That has to be a ghost written Q & A, unless Dusty is just lying.

[wastra]

I read that article, and I'm not sure that's an actual quote, rather kinda a "I think this is what he'll say based on his attitude this week" article due to this paragraph before the Q&A:

 

For those who can't make the convention this weekend, here is how Baker will answer the tough questions from fans, gleaned from Thursday's gathering:

 

 

Then again, he may have been saying "these are likely the QUESTIONS he'll be asked and he answered them already today"

 

 

Either way, I hope it's true. Walker is the only logical candidate to hit second for us this year. If it's neifi day-in and day-out, I'll scream.

 

 

Neifi is a good BACKUP ss, and Hairston makes a good RH 2b to back up walker. That's the best use of this infield roster, period.

[Kyle]

First time poster, love the site. I sure the hell hope Baker and Hendry stay with Walker at second base, and not Perez. This issue has been driving me crazy. Why in the hell would Hendry want to trade Walker and start Neifi. Also, the fact we couldn't get a big time left-handed hitting right fielder, it would seem that Walker's bat in the lineup everyday will be sorely needed. Neifi having a 298 OBP is horrible, and Walker's 355 OBP isn't good enough to warrant a starting job?

[Bergy92]

First time poster, love the site. I sure the hell hope Baker and Hendry stay with Walker at second base, and not Perez. This issue has been driving me crazy. Why in the hell would Hendry want to trade Walker and start Neifi. Also, the fact we couldn't get a big time left-handed hitting right fielder, it would seem that Walker's bat in the lineup everyday will be sorely needed. Neifi having a 298 OBP is horrible, and Walker's 355 OBP isn't good enough to warrant a starting job?

 

let me be the first to say...welcome!

[Kingmanarama]

Q Speaking of trades, who's your starting second baseman, Neifi Perez or Todd Walker?

 

A Right now Todd Walker is our second baseman. He's here. I've heard a lot of speculation [about a trade], but right now we have about 10 weeks before we start. Let us do our thing and we'll be ready by Opening Day.

 

That doesn't exactly sound like a manager committing to player, does it? "Right now Todd Walker is our second baseman." Then, "we have about 10 weeks before we start blah-blah-Opening-Day-blah."

 

Sounds to me like Walker's gone.

[goonys evil twin]

I read this article this morning and did not come away with the idea that the answers were actually Baker's. It seemed pretty clear to me that it was the writer giving his impression of what the Q&A might look/sound like. Maybe I need to go back and read it, but I'm pretty sure Dusty has never said that Walker is his started 2B this offseason. It would completely go against everything they've said all offseason.

[Banedon]

Q Speaking of trades, who's your starting second baseman, Neifi Perez or Todd Walker?

 

A Right now Todd Walker is our second baseman. He's here. I've heard a lot of speculation [about a trade], but right now we have about 10 weeks before we start. Let us do our thing and we'll be ready by Opening Day.

 

That doesn't exactly sound like a manager committing to player, does it? "Right now Todd Walker is our second baseman." Then, "we have about 10 weeks before we start blah-blah-Opening-Day-blah."

 

Sounds to me like Walker's gone.

 

It's the closest thing we've gotten to commitment though. We're grasping at straws here...join us! =P~

[Banedon]

I emailed the author to find out whether those were actually Baker's answers. I'll post any reply I get.

[UK1679666180]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

[goonys evil twin]

I emailed the author to find out whether those were actually Baker's answers. I'll post any reply I get.

 

This is the quote:

 

For those who can't make the convention this weekend, here is how Baker will answer the tough questions from fans, gleaned from Thursday's gathering:

 

Note, he said this "is how Baker will", and he gleaned them from the stuff Dusty talked about yesterday, leading up to the convention. The "right now Todd is here" talk is just this guy's rendition of the Cubs typical "he's on the team right now" talk they've used with Corey Patterson and Sammy Sosa. Note he included the rather unnecessary point that we've got 10 weeks before the start of spring training, likely this writers's version of how the Cubs make it clear they still have time to get rid of guys they want to get rid of.

 

Todd Walker will not be the Cubs starting 2nd baseman this year. In the unlikely scenario where he is even on the team by April, he'll be nothing more than a platoon player.

 

The Cubs have made themselves clear here. He's gone. They've been giving the same message they've given on countless others who they've decided to use as scapegoats. They get focused on getting rid of specific guys instead of just making the team better, and they get worse each time they do it.

[wastra]

The Cubs have made themselves clear here. He's gone. They've been giving the same message they've given on countless others who they've decided to use as scapegoats. They get focused on getting rid of specific guys instead of just making the team better, and they get worse each time they do it.

 

 

That's the absolute perfect explanation of what's wrong with this management team. Instead of working to get better, they always pick out a scapegoat (Alou, Stoney, Walker, Sosa, etc) and their focus is on dumping them, not upgrading anything.

 

So we get these offseasons of "convenience" signings and trades. These things kinda fall in our laps and we take them. We stand fast, trying to dump someone (Burnitz, Walker) and then just wind up signing whomever is left at the end of the day (Jones) instead of focusing at the start of the offseason on ACQUIRING players X and Y and then making room for them by dumping others when necessary.

 

it's asinine.

[Northwoods Fan]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation? I liked what Baker said. I agree that he's thinking Walker is gone. I guess they're concerned about his defense. I personally love Walker batting 2nd, but I am not present every day to see how much his defense hurts us.

 

Right now I'm a lot more concerned about the Packers new coach saying he is delighted to come here and work with Favre. Put a fork in him, he's done.

 

Northwoods Fan

[goonys evil twin]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation?

 

Because like others he is writing what he thinks Baker will say in the Q&A. The Q&A with fans hasn't happened yet, so it's rather impossible to say what Baker's answer to these questions from fans in the Q&A will be.

 

How is this at all paranoid?

[Northwoods Fan]

Scapegoating is a good analysis. What also bothers me is that they devalue the guy before they get rid of him, e.g., Sosa, Patterson.

 

Northwoods Fan

[wastra]

Scapegoating is a good analysis. What also bothers me is that they devalue the guy before they get rid of him, e.g., Sosa, Patterson.

 

Northwoods Fan

 

Walker.

[Northwoods Fan]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation?

 

Because like others he is writing what he thinks Baker will say in the Q&A. The Q&A with fans hasn't happened yet, so it's rather impossible to say what Baker's answer to these questions from fans in the Q&A will be.

 

How is this at all paranoid?

 

It's paranoid because you're assuming that Baker's going to say the opposite of what he's here represented as saying. The quotations are in quotation marks. Why assume a responsible journalist would make those up? A journalist knows how to paraphrase.

[GlassCow]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation?

 

Because like others he is writing what he thinks Baker will say in the Q&A. The Q&A with fans hasn't happened yet, so it's rather impossible to say what Baker's answer to these questions from fans in the Q&A will be.

 

How is this at all paranoid?

 

It's paranoid because you're assuming that Baker's going to say the opposite of what he's here represented as saying. The quotations are in quotation marks. Why assume a responsible journalist would make those up? A journalist knows how to paraphrase.

 

Alternatively, why assume that any journalist is a responsible one?

[goonys evil twin]

It's paranoid because you're assuming that Baker's going to say the opposite of what he's here represented as saying. The quotations are in quotation marks. Why assume a responsible journalist would make those up? A journalist knows how to paraphrase.

 

I'm assuming Baker never said those words, and that the Cubs will continue on the path they've made clear all offseason, dumping Walker.

 

He made it clear that he was making up the quotes by saying this is how he will respond to the Q&A, not "this is what Dusty said when asked these questions today."

[wastra]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation?

 

Because like others he is writing what he thinks Baker will say in the Q&A. The Q&A with fans hasn't happened yet, so it's rather impossible to say what Baker's answer to these questions from fans in the Q&A will be.

 

How is this at all paranoid?

 

It's paranoid because you're assuming that Baker's going to say the opposite of what he's here represented as saying. The quotations are in quotation marks. Why assume a responsible journalist would make those up? A journalist knows how to paraphrase.

 

No they are not.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060112cubs,1,7990950.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

[Northwoods Fan]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation?

 

Because like others he is writing what he thinks Baker will say in the Q&A. The Q&A with fans hasn't happened yet, so it's rather impossible to say what Baker's answer to these questions from fans in the Q&A will be.

 

How is this at all paranoid?

 

It's paranoid because you're assuming that Baker's going to say the opposite of what he's here represented as saying. The quotations are in quotation marks. Why assume a responsible journalist would make those up? A journalist knows how to paraphrase.

 

No they are not.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060112cubs,1,7990950.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

 

Okay, I give up. The truth will be in what Baker says in the next days, weeks. I have already conceded that it looks like Walker is gone. I'm basing that on what Baker presumably said in the article. Am I a fool to think so? I'm sorry to see Walker go.

[Northwoods Fan]

I think that was the author assuming answers from the likely questions that will be asked at the convention.

 

Others have done similar today.

 

You guys seem so paranoid. Why would a journalist misrepresent Baker in this situation?

 

Because like others he is writing what he thinks Baker will say in the Q&A. The Q&A with fans hasn't happened yet, so it's rather impossible to say what Baker's answer to these questions from fans in the Q&A will be.

 

How is this at all paranoid?

 

It's paranoid because you're assuming that Baker's going to say the opposite of what he's here represented as saying. The quotations are in quotation marks. Why assume a responsible journalist would make those up? A journalist knows how to paraphrase.

 

No they are not.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060112cubs,1,7990950.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

 

Okay, I give up. The truth will be in what Baker says in the next days, weeks. I have already conceded that it looks like Walker is gone. I'm basing that on what Baker presumably said in the article. Am I a fool to think so? I'm sorry to see Walker go.