Praise For Todd Walker

[GhostRunner]

I think Todd Walker's been doing an outstanding job after being forced into the 1B role since the Lee injury. He's receiving throws well, stretching out for double plays, and digging Ramirez's numerous worm-burners out . . . and he's still hitting .350+, to boot.

 

I say give Walker his props for being a quality team guy and a decent fill-in for Lee thus far.

[BigbadB]

I'd say Todd Walker and I are a lot a like. We are outspoken and we want the Cubs to put the best team on the field that they possibly can.

[JC]

For a guy that has gotten torched (a bit unfairly, IMO) for his defense at 2B, he has been terrific at 1B. Not an ideal offensive 1B from a power standpoint, but he has demonstrated some versatility that has surprised me.

[CubfaninCA]

Walker's been great so far. When your hitting like him, subpar D can be overlooked.

[Andy]

All that ridiculous talk about him not being a team guy can go right out the window. He's gone over to 1B without so much as a peep, and he's hitting over .350 and doing whatever he needs to do. Hats off to him for responding to all the offseason trade talk by playing his ass off rather than spouting off all the time.

[MPrior]

Walker's been great so far. When your hitting like him, subpar D can be overlooked.

 

This implies that he's played poor D. Has he so far this year? I think one of the points of the first post was that he's playing first base very well, and it seems that way to me (although I haven't actually looked at it myself).

 

I'm basically with everyone on this one, though - he's great. And I like that he's outspoken. I mean, it's not like he's outspoken AND a jerk. He's outspoken and he usually has something pretty nice to say. He's occasionally had to put his foot in his mouth, but considering what he's been put through, you'd expect a little bit of that.

[soccer10k]

All that ridiculous talk about him not being a team guy can go right out the window. He's gone over to 1B without so much as a peep, and he's hitting over .350 and doing whatever he needs to do. Hats off to him for responding to all the offseason trade talk by playing his ass off rather than spouting off all the time.

 

Just curious, who was talking about Walker not being a team guy? I know he received more than his fair share of criticism of his defense and people doubted whether he could actually play first base, but I don't remember any talk of him not being a team guy. I'm not saying your wrong, but I would like to be enlightened on this subject.

[Andy]

All that ridiculous talk about him not being a team guy can go right out the window. He's gone over to 1B without so much as a peep, and he's hitting over .350 and doing whatever he needs to do. Hats off to him for responding to all the offseason trade talk by playing his ass off rather than spouting off all the time.

 

Just curious, who was talking about Walker not being a team guy? I know he received more than his fair share of criticism of his defense and people doubted whether he could actually play first base, but I don't remember any talk of him not being a team guy. I'm not saying your wrong, but I would like to be enlightened on this subject.

The whole reason the Cubs were considering trading him to begin with, apart from his perceived lack of defense, was the fact that he is pretty outspoken. Also, many on this board were lighting into him, and somewhat justifiably, after his radio interview in ST where he said that he'd already been named starting 2B even though it hadn't officially happened yet and Dusty refuted his assertion.

[jjgman21]

All that ridiculous talk about him not being a team guy can go right out the window. He's gone over to 1B without so much as a peep, and he's hitting over .350 and doing whatever he needs to do. Hats off to him for responding to all the offseason trade talk by playing his ass off rather than spouting off all the time.

 

Just curious, who was talking about Walker not being a team guy? I know he received more than his fair share of criticism of his defense and people doubted whether he could actually play first base, but I don't remember any talk of him not being a team guy. I'm not saying your wrong, but I would like to be enlightened on this subject.

The whole reason the Cubs were considering trading him to begin with, apart from his perceived lack of defense, was the fact that he is pretty outspoken. Also, many on this board were lighting into him, and somewhat justifiably, after his radio interview in ST where he said that he'd already been named starting 2B even though it hadn't officially happened yet and Dusty refuted his assertion.

 

my guess is he had already been named the starting 2b, but Dusty wanted him to keep it on the down low. we recently saw Dusty get p'd that Barrett told the truth about his finger. my guess is the same thing happened in ST.

 

more on Walker, I hope the Cubs resign him. even if EPatt - or some other secondbaseman - is ready, Walker is an excellent candidate to fill a Mabry type bench role, or to continue starting until a new secondbaseman is ready.

[BigbadB]

my guess is he had already been named the starting 2b, but Dusty wanted him to keep it on the down low. we recently saw Dusty get p'd that Barrett told the truth about his finger. my guess is the same thing happened in ST.

 

more on Walker, I hope the Cubs resign him. even if EPatt - or some other secondbaseman - is ready, Walker is an excellent candidate to fill a Mabry type bench role, or to continue starting until a new secondbaseman is ready.

 

Agreed. Walker, IMO, has always been a tell it like it is kind of guy. I think many of his comments have irked the front office. I'm sure his comments irked a few other front offices as well, which is why he has built somewhat of a reputation as a poor clubhouse guy.

 

Personally, I think he's just passionate about the game, passionate to see everyone around him play well, and he's passionate to win. When some of those things don't happen, he speaks up.

 

Bottom line: What he provides with his bat is worth more than twice what he makes. He never was the problem.

[CoolHandLuke]

All that ridiculous talk about him not being a team guy can go right out the window. He's gone over to 1B without so much as a peep, and he's hitting over .350 and doing whatever he needs to do. Hats off to him for responding to all the offseason trade talk by playing his ass off rather than spouting off all the time.

 

Just curious, who was talking about Walker not being a team guy? I know he received more than his fair share of criticism of his defense and people doubted whether he could actually play first base, but I don't remember any talk of him not being a team guy. I'm not saying your wrong, but I would like to be enlightened on this subject.

The whole reason the Cubs were considering trading him to begin with, apart from his perceived lack of defense, was the fact that he is pretty outspoken. Also, many on this board were lighting into him, and somewhat justifiably, after his radio interview in ST where he said that he'd already been named starting 2B even though it hadn't officially happened yet and Dusty refuted his assertion.

 

my guess is he had already been named the starting 2b, but Dusty wanted him to keep it on the down low. we recently saw Dusty get p'd that Barrett told the truth about his finger. my guess is the same thing happened in ST.

 

more on Walker, I hope the Cubs resign him. even if EPatt - or some other secondbaseman - is ready, Walker is an excellent candidate to fill a Mabry type bench role, or to continue starting until a new secondbaseman is ready.

 

With the way he has been handled I doubt he will take a discount this time, but I agree. EPatt is no sure thing anyways.

[SaorsaDaonnan]

Maybe we can be a bit more specific...

 

Walker has definately made comments which front offices don't like. I remember him saying things about how you can't trust front offices (then, I think the following day, explaining that he hadn't meant the Cubs), and things like this.

 

And like others have just said, he is generally a tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy.

 

But I, for one, have never heard him say anything negative about his teammates, nor have I heard reports of run-ins with them (has anyone else?).

 

I don't think we have any reason to suspect that he's trouble in the clubhouse.

 

But he certainly isn't a "company man," either. And the Cubs like company men.

[Caryatid]

This is one I'd put on Hendry a lot more than Baker. I get the feeling that Baker likes him, but Hendry doesn't. It seems that, in virtually every quote seen about the guy, that Hendry tends to subtly reject Walker's abilities and focuses on other players (Hairston, Perez), while at the same time, word tends to come from "unnamed sources" that say that Walker's on the block. That reeks of the front office not liking him.

 

I could be wrong, but it just seems to me that Hendry has a real problem with Walker and would prefer if he were gone.

[goonys evil twin]

This is one I'd put on Hendry a lot more than Baker. I get the feeling that Baker likes him, but Hendry doesn't. It seems that, in virtually every quote seen about the guy, that Hendry tends to subtly reject Walker's abilities and focuses on other players (Hairston, Perez), while at the same time, word tends to come from "unnamed sources" that say that Walker's on the block. That reeks of the front office not liking him.

 

I could be wrong, but it just seems to me that Hendry has a real problem with Walker and would prefer if he were gone.

 

I get that feeling as well.

[Twiggy]

I'm sure glad Walker is still on the team. He is one of the fan favorites and a great guy to talk to in person.

[Roast]

Walker's been great so far. When your hitting like him, subpar D can be overlooked.

 

*Head explodes*

 

Seriously, WHAT part of his D has been subpar? This ridiculous "Walker is not a good defender" myth needs to be put to rest already. He has made ONE error this year, ONE. And that was at first base, a position he is relativley new at. Now, obviously, errors dont tell the whole story, but please, put this stupid rumor to rest.