Todd Walker to Baltimore?--comment from Sun-times

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

i still say that if it's okay to just screw walker over after picking up his option and saying we wouldn't trade him, we should've benched maddux for the last month so his option didn't vest.

 

Have the Cubs really screwed Walker? I know picking up his option was a security blanket, for the team, but in doing so he has been guaranteed a job next season at 2.5M. Had he been forced into FA, he might have been relegated to NRI status or to take a million or more dollar paycut as a backup. Teams don't seem to be very interested in his services.

 

I believe he would have been better off as a FA. First, while there doesn't seem to be a market for him now, but had he been able to shop his services at the outset of FA, I think he would have found a job...likely for more than 2.5 million.

 

I firmly believe that Hendry held on to him too long while he waited out the Furcal machinations. During that time, teams looking for a second baseman or DH looked elsewhere.

 

I think early on Walker may have landed in K.C., Texas, St. Louis, or with the Mets.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Jerome Williams and Roberto Novoa or Todd Wellemeyer for Julio Lugo.

Todd Walker for Nick Markakis.

 

Pierre, Lugo, Jones, Murton, Lee, Cedeno--six of the eight Cub starters could really run the bases. I'm sure they'd have the post-WWII team record for team SBs, for what that's worth. They'd be exciting to watch at least. Lugo stole 39 last year.

 

Baltimore has given us chump change in trades twice now, it's about time they give us some quality back. If they want Walker, we want Markakis. A 2007 Cub outfield of Murton, Pie and Markakis would be sweet.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

i still say that if it's okay to just screw walker over after picking up his option and saying we wouldn't trade him, we should've benched maddux for the last month so his option didn't vest.

 

Have the Cubs really screwed Walker? I know picking up his option was a security blanket, for the team, but in doing so he has been guaranteed a job next season at 2.5M. Had he been forced into FA, he might have been relegated to NRI status or to take a million or more dollar paycut as a backup. Teams don't seem to be very interested in his services.

 

I believe he would have been better off as a FA. First, while there doesn't seem to be a market for him now, but had he been able to shop his services at the outset of FA, I think he would have found a job...likely for more than 2.5 million.

 

I firmly believe that Hendry held on to him too long while he waited out the Furcal machinations. During that time, teams looking for a second baseman or DH looked elsewhere.

 

I think early on Walker may have landed in K.C., Texas, St. Louis, or with the Mets.

 

I still don't know why the Walker for Mike MacDougal trade never took place. If you need evidence both teams were serious about it, just look at the fact that we ended up signing Howry and Eyre, and KC ended up signing Grudzy. So why didn't the Cubs and Royals close the deal?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

 

I still don't know why the Walker for Mike MacDougal trade never took place. If you need evidence both teams were serious about it, just look at the fact that we ended up signing Howry and Eyre, and KC ended up signing Grudzy. So why didn't the Cubs and Royals close the deal?

 

Personally, I think that Hendry felt Walker would be the chip to acquire an outfield bat. It's well known that Walker was shopped for Ibanez and Bradley.

 

I think Hendry felt he could address relief pitching through FA but wanted to address the outfield in trades and planned on using Walker.

 

When teams didn't bite on those deals, he was left with the option of signing Jones.

[mfische5]

Where would he play?

 

Someone posted a Stark tidbit that they are worried that Roberts won't be healthy(elbow?).

 

Yes, Jayson Stark mentioned this first. Apparently, the Orioles fear that Roberts recovery from a dislocated elbow will be slow.

 

A dislocated elbow is tough. I dislocated mine once. Getting it popped back in to place was the worst pain I've ever felt. Two guys held my should while another doctor grabbed my hand and jerked as hard as he could. On about the 15th yank it finally popped back into place. I immediately passed out. It was a very long time before I could straighten my arm out. That was about 5 yrs. ago and it still bothers me.

 

I can dislocate both my shoulders at will. No pain at all.

 

I dislocated a shoulder once too, but it went back into place on its own. It didn't hurt bad.

 

Me thinks should and elbow dislocation may not be synonymous. I've known others that have popped their shoulder out of place without a lot of pain.

 

I've dislocated an elbow...twice. Worst Pain Ever. I still to this day shudder every time i think about it.

[Andy]

Me thinks should and elbow dislocation may not be synonymous. I've known others that have popped their shoulder out of place without a lot of pain.

 

I've dislocated an elbow...twice. Worst Pain Ever. I still to this day shudder every time i think about it.

My best friend went over a year with a dislocated shoulder and he said it hurt every time he tried to throw a football. It actually led to me playing QB at our annual Thanksgiving Day football game.

[Blueheart05]

i still say that if it's okay to just screw walker over after picking up his option and saying we wouldn't trade him, we should've benched maddux for the last month so his option didn't vest.

 

Have the Cubs really screwed Walker? I know picking up his option was a security blanket, for the team, but in doing so he has been guaranteed a job next season at 2.5M. Had he been forced into FA, he might have been relegated to NRI status or to take a million or more dollar paycut as a backup. Teams don't seem to be very interested in his services.

 

I believe he would have been better off as a FA. First, while there doesn't seem to be a market for him now, but had he been able to shop his services at the outset of FA, I think he would have found a job...likely for more than 2.5 million.

 

I firmly believe that Hendry held on to him too long while he waited out the Furcal machinations. During that time, teams looking for a second baseman or DH looked elsewhere.

 

I think early on Walker may have landed in K.C., Texas, St. Louis, or with the Mets.

 

I think Walker would still be looking for a job if he were a FA. Grudz was exiled to the Royals (after the Mets turned him down) and I get the impression that teams value him more than Walker.

 

Also, if Hendry held on too long it wasn't by choice. Walker's name surfaced in a few trade rumors (that coincided with the Furcal saga) for outfielders. In the end, it takes two to tango and teams weren't willing to take Walker. I've read at least a couple of times this offseason about how a deal fell through because the other team was disinterested in Walker. His trade value is low.

[Omar]

We better get Brian Roberts in return.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think Walker would still be looking for a job if he were a FA. Grudz was exiled to the Royals (after the Mets turned him down) and I get the impression that teams value him more than Walker.

 

Also, if Hendry held on too long it wasn't by choice. Walker's name surfaced in a few trade rumors (that coincided with the Furcal saga) for outfielders. In the end, it takes two to tango and teams weren't willing to take Walker. I've read at least a couple of times this offseason about how a deal fell through because the other team was disinterested in Walker. His trade value is low.

 

I think teams' reluctance to trade for Walker has more to do with the fact that they didn't want to give up the players that the Cubs were asking for. For example, I think Seattle wouldn't mind having Walker, but weren't going to trade Ibanez to get him. K.C. might have chosen him over Grudzielanek. I'm fairly certain the Cardinals would have taken him over Spivey.

 

Walker would have a job.

[Blueheart05]

I think Walker would still be looking for a job if he were a FA. Grudz was exiled to the Royals (after the Mets turned him down) and I get the impression that teams value him more than Walker.

 

Also, if Hendry held on too long it wasn't by choice. Walker's name surfaced in a few trade rumors (that coincided with the Furcal saga) for outfielders. In the end, it takes two to tango and teams weren't willing to take Walker. I've read at least a couple of times this offseason about how a deal fell through because the other team was disinterested in Walker. His trade value is low.

 

I think teams' reluctance to trade for Walker has more to do with the fact that they didn't want to give up the players that the Cubs were asking for. For example, I think Seattle wouldn't mind having Walker, but weren't going to trade Ibanez to get him. K.C. might have chosen him over Grudzielanek. I'm fairly certain the Cardinals would have taken him over Spivey.

 

Walker would have a job.

 

 

I'm not so sure Walker would have a job right now. Teams know that the Cubs are, essentially, trying to dump him so his current price in a trade is not very high. Why aren't more teams (other than the O's) inquring about him? It's not like a lot of 2B spots have been filled this offseason so if teams were in need of using Walker they still haven't filled that void. I suspect it's for all the reasons I've already mentioned.

 

I also disagree that the Cardinals would have taken Walker over Spivey. The League realizes that Walker is a defensive liability and the Cardinals are more defensively focused than most teams (especially when you consider their plethora of groundball pitchers). They also don't need his offense.

 

Edit: Upon closer inspection, it appears that almost every pitcher on the Cardinal's staff depends heavily on ground balls. Walker's talents would not be appreciated there and he would easily become the staff's least liked defender (even if they didn't say it publically).

[badger1679666666]

I think Cubs fans/NSBB.com posters value Walker alot more than the rest of the entire Majors.

 

I love him too, but it appears his marketability/trade value is worthless. No one wants him.

[stitchface]

Me thinks should and elbow dislocation may not be synonymous. I've known others that have popped their shoulder out of place without a lot of pain.

 

I've dislocated an elbow...twice. Worst Pain Ever. I still to this day shudder every time i think about it.

My best friend went over a year with a dislocated shoulder and he said it hurt every time he tried to throw a football. It actually led to me playing QB at our annual Thanksgiving Day football game.

 

 

are you thinking of shoulder separation? that's different than dislocation.

[sporrer17]

Dislocating a shoulder can be pretty bad...

 

I just did it in early December, had to go to the ER to get it back in place :cry:

 

I did it once before that, but it popped back in on its own, and didn't hurt at all. They said they think I tore my labrum and that may be why it dislocated so easy. Actually I'm still supposed to be in a sling, and not doing any activity with it...uhhh can i tell my doc i started doing PE before i went back for my 2nd appointment when he again told me no physical activity and to keep it in the sling. lol

[YearofDaCubs]

I think Cubs fans/NSBB.com posters value Walker alot more than the rest of the entire Majors.

 

I love him too, but it appears his marketability/trade value is worthless. No one wants him.

Agreed. Walker for Nick Markakis? Come on.

[frostwyrm]

How embarrassing would it be to get stuck with a $2.5M player you don't even want, whom you only re-signed to use as trade bait? Jim really should have done a little more research before starting down this road.

[sporrer17]

How embarrassing would it be to get stuck with a $2.5M player you don't even want, whom you only re-signed to use as trade bait? Jim really should have done a little more research before starting down this road.

 

I could think of worse things...like being stuck with Hundley...again.

 

Walker will start if he's here, because he's the best hitter and we really don't have a lot at 2b (Hairston, Neifi) behind Walker.

[LeftCoastCubFan]

Todd Walker has limited value.

 

First, he is almost worthless as a bench player. He can only play second base (I don’t put much value in a few first base games with the Cubs). He is a career .311 OBP and .592 OPS as a pinch hitter in his career (to put that in perspective Macias is a career .604 OPS as a pinch hitter). He’s not fast as a base runner. He is a career .310 OBP and .687 OPS against lefties in his career. He is below average defender. So no major league team is going see much value in him as a bench player.

 

If you want to utilize him, it would be as a platoon second baseman. He has a career .789 OPS for his career (.777 translated for park factors) which is above average for a middle infielder; but the question is the extra walk or two a week make up for the one ball he misplay/the ball he can’t get to/the double play he doesn’t turn each week. Hendry and Dusty don’t think so. The pitchers may not think so (Bruce Miles referred to this in one of his posts and I’m assuming it means more then Z). Most GM’s don’t seem to think so.

 

He has been on the trading block since last July, and I’m guessing no more then a mid-level prospect(s) have been offered or he would have been gone by now. And there don’t seem to be many teams interested, even after a career offensive year.

 

At NSBB he’s valued for his plate discipline and OBP, not as much that he is such a great hitter but the lack of plate discipline for the team. If we had an outfield capable of raising our team OBP, Todd wouldn’t hold as much value here. Whether it’s Walker, Perez, Lugo, or whoever; the difference will not matter to the overall offense until the outfield produces at least league average numbers.

[Careless]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Trading Walker for anything that doesn't upgrade the talent on this team is an assinine and defenseless move.

just for the record, the word is "indefensible"a

And I'll bet against hendry knowing that.

Actually, I'd bet against hendry being able to beat me at any gameshow ever made, but I'm a notorious smartass

[Derwood]

How embarrassing would it be to get stuck with a $2.5M player you don't even want, whom you only re-signed to use as trade bait? Jim really should have done a little more research before starting down this road.

 

no worse than spending $2.5 mil on a player no one but Dusty wants and being stuck with him as a starting middle infielder....

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I'm starting my own ML team, and I'm naming Walker my starting 2B. I'll worry about finding some prospects to trade later.

[HoopsCubs]

i still say that if it's okay to just screw walker over after picking up his option and saying we wouldn't trade him, we should've benched maddux for the last month so his option didn't vest.

 

Have the Cubs really screwed Walker? I know picking up his option was a security blanket, for the team, but in doing so he has been guaranteed a job next season at 2.5M. Had he been forced into FA, he might have been relegated to NRI status or to take a million or more dollar paycut as a backup. Teams don't seem to be very interested in his services.

 

 

I agree with you. Financially speaking, I think Hendry did Walker a favor by picking up his option. I didn't see any team giving Walker $2.5M. I think Hendry assessed that while Walker is a fine hitter, his fielding and mouth would not get him more than $2.0M from most teams. Hendry did himself a favor with picking up that option too - the last thing Hendry wants to see is Walker go to St. Louis or the Mets, two post-season threats. By locking his rights for 2006, Hendry can now trade him safely to an AL team or a non-NL contender. It's a good financial and baseball move to pick up his option. I just don't buy that there was any handshake deal. What I buy is that by Walker agreeing to the option clause in the agreement he signed before the 2005 season, he was basically giving the Cubs the right to choose his fate for 2006. They did (or better put, they will soon).

[RynoRules]

i still say that if it's okay to just screw walker over after picking up his option and saying we wouldn't trade him, we should've benched maddux for the last month so his option didn't vest.

 

Have the Cubs really screwed Walker? I know picking up his option was a security blanket, for the team, but in doing so he has been guaranteed a job next season at 2.5M. Had he been forced into FA, he might have been relegated to NRI status or to take a million or more dollar paycut as a backup. Teams don't seem to be very interested in his services.

 

 

I agree with you. Financially speaking, I think Hendry did Walker a favor by picking up his option. I didn't see any team giving Walker $2.5M. I think Hendry assessed that while Walker is a fine hitter, his fielding and mouth would not get him more than $2.0M from most teams. Hendry did himself a favor with picking up that option too - the last thing Hendry wants to see is Walker go to St. Louis or the Mets, two post-season threats. By locking his rights for 2006, Hendry can now trade him safely to an AL team or a non-NL contender. It's a good financial and baseball move to pick up his option. I just don't buy that there was any handshake deal. What I buy is that by Walker agreeing to the option clause in the agreement he signed before the 2005 season, he was basically giving the Cubs the right to choose his fate for 2006. They did (or better put, they will soon).

 

Sound reasoning. My problem with this whole deal isn't the notion that Walker is a good hitter (he is) or that he is our best option at 2B (likely he is, but I think Hairson deserves a shot now that he is healthy again), its that if Walker is so undervalued by the Cubs relative to his salary, how come people aren't lining up with a nice deal to take him off of our hands? It just does not make sense.

 

EDIT: And I don't see how Hendry "screwed" him over. He signed the deal; he knew this was a possibility; he's clearly an intelligent guy; now live with it.

[HoopsCubs]

EDIT: And I don't see how Hendry "screwed" him over. He signed the deal; he knew this was a possibility; he's clearly an intelligent guy; now live with it.

 

Amen. Walker put his 2006 fate into the Cubs hands, now "deal" with it.

[jtownie]

Hoops, you seem to be alluding to Walker deal soon. If/when that happens are the Cubs going to make a trade for a guy like Lugo or are they going to give hairston a shot?

[YearofDaCubs]

i still say that if it's okay to just screw walker over after picking up his option and saying we wouldn't trade him, we should've benched maddux for the last month so his option didn't vest.

 

Have the Cubs really screwed Walker? I know picking up his option was a security blanket, for the team, but in doing so he has been guaranteed a job next season at 2.5M. Had he been forced into FA, he might have been relegated to NRI status or to take a million or more dollar paycut as a backup. Teams don't seem to be very interested in his services.

 

 

I agree with you. Financially speaking, I think Hendry did Walker a favor by picking up his option. I didn't see any team giving Walker $2.5M. I think Hendry assessed that while Walker is a fine hitter, his fielding and mouth would not get him more than $2.0M from most teams. Hendry did himself a favor with picking up that option too - the last thing Hendry wants to see is Walker go to St. Louis or the Mets, two post-season threats. By locking his rights for 2006, Hendry can now trade him safely to an AL team or a non-NL contender. It's a good financial and baseball move to pick up his option. I just don't buy that there was any handshake deal. What I buy is that by Walker agreeing to the option clause in the agreement he signed before the 2005 season, he was basically giving the Cubs the right to choose his fate for 2006. They did (or better put, they will soon).

 

Sound reasoning. My problem with this whole deal isn't the notion that Walker is a good hitter (he is) or that he is our best option at 2B (likely he is, but I think Hairson deserves a shot now that he is healthy again), its that if Walker is so undervalued by the Cubs relative to his salary, how come people aren't lining up with a nice deal to take him off of our hands? It just does not make sense.

 

EDIT: And I don't see how Hendry "screwed" him over. He signed the deal; he knew this was a possibility; he's clearly an intelligent guy; now live with it.

I will say this about Hairston. I will really excited when he came over through trade to us and I thought he would be a perfect fit. His base-running is terrible and I don't know why his defense was so bad but to me at least he was a dissapoinment. I would rather have Walker at 2B over Hairston.