Todd Walker Wins Arbitration Hearing

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Walker won his arbitration hearing vs the Padres that was held on Tuesday.

 

Link.

 

Walker will make 3.95 million. That's a lot of money considering he is only supposed to be a back-up for the Padres. I wonder if they will look to trading him.

 

Another interesting fact is Walker was represented by his younger brother in the hearing.

[BigbadB]

Good for Todd. Though that might actually be bad for Todd in the big picture. Todd just became harder to deal in a trade, and may be the victim of hard feelings in the front office in San Diego. It's too bad he couldn't land a starting gig somewhere.

 

Interestingly enough, he won his arbitration case, yet still doesn't make as much money as Cesar Izturis.

[otis89]

Walker has to be one of the most underrated players ever. He goes out and does a good job every single day and doesn't get any credit.

[Abe Frohman]

Walker won his arbitration hearing vs the Padres that was held on Tuesday.

 

Link.

 

Walker will make 3.95 million. That's a lot of money considering he is only supposed to be a back-up for the Padres. I wonder if they will look to trading him.

 

Another interesting fact is Walker was represented by his younger brother in the hearing.

 

Wow. Last I had heard his brother was modeling in Europe. Mark was a hell of a soccer player in HS, and was a FG kicker at LSU. Cool.

[Derwood]

now I know I don't understand arbitration. why is a 10+ year vet going to arbitration? I guess I thought it was just for guys who weren't yet unrestricted free agents?

[SouthSideRyan]

now I know I don't understand arbitration. why is a 10+ year vet going to arbitration? I guess I thought it was just for guys who weren't yet unrestricted free agents?

 

You can offer your own free agents arbitration. If they decline, that's where draft pick compensation comes into play and the team who loses that player will get a pick or 2 if the player is rated at a certain level of all MLB players.

[A New Era]

now I know I don't understand arbitration. why is a 10+ year vet going to arbitration? I guess I thought it was just for guys who weren't yet unrestricted free agents?

 

You can offer your own free agents arbitration. If they decline, that's where draft pick compensation comes into play and the team who loses that player will get a pick or 2 if the player is rated at a certain level of all MLB players.

 

huh? :?

[CubColtPacer]

now I know I don't understand arbitration. why is a 10+ year vet going to arbitration? I guess I thought it was just for guys who weren't yet unrestricted free agents?

 

You can offer your own free agents arbitration. If they decline, that's where draft pick compensation comes into play and the team who loses that player will get a pick or 2 if the player is rated at a certain level of all MLB players.

 

huh? :?

 

Think of the draft pick that the Cubs got for Pierre because they offered him arbitration. Any free agent you have the club can offer arbitration-the free agent can decline like Pierre did and sign with another club (Soriano was another one that was offered arbitration) both clubs will get draft picks to make up for their loss from the club they signed with. Clubs don't offer everybody arbitration though because the player controls all the power-if he thinks he can get more money in free agency, he declines arbitration-if he thinks he can get more money in arbitration, the player can just accept and effectively force the club into paying him that amount in arbitation. So usually clubs only offer arbitration to people that either 1) they know are gone anyway or 2)they don't mind keeping or losing.

[Rob]

now I know I don't understand arbitration. why is a 10+ year vet going to arbitration? I guess I thought it was just for guys who weren't yet unrestricted free agents?

 

You can offer your own free agents arbitration. If they decline, that's where draft pick compensation comes into play and the team who loses that player will get a pick or 2 if the player is rated at a certain level of all MLB players.

 

huh? :?

 

Essentially, arbitration applies not only to younger players under club control, but for any player whose contract is about to run out (remember: younger players are given one year contracts each year). You can offer arbitration to any player on your team whose contract has run out after the season. In the case of the guys under club control, they're stuck with accepting it.

 

In the case of older guys, they have the choice to accept or decline. If they accept the offer of arbitration (as Walker did), they are automatically tendered a one-year contract for an amount TBD by an arbitrator if they are unable to settle on an amount. If they decline the offer of arbitration to sign with another team, the team that lost the player will be compensated with extra picks in the next draft.

[Soriano12]

Go Toddly, its ya birthday!

[Sammy Sofa]

I still heart the Todd. In my heart of hearts, he's still at 2B and a healthy Nomar is at SS. Good for him.

[Brian]

I would have loved a full season of

 

1B - DLee

2B - Walker

3B - Ramirez

SS - Nomar

 

Imagine this

 

Murton

Walker

Nomar

Ramirez

Soriano

Lee

Jones

Barrett

 

 

I'm sure there is a better way to construct that but still, that would be pretty sweet.

[b_wiggy_66]

I wouldn't mind taking his salary to play 2B for us. He would be great in the number two hole and a second(and he's lefty). Unfortunately, Jim and the crew had to jack around with him the whole time he was here. Todd was a real class act and a good ballplayer.

[Rob]

I would have loved a full season of

 

1B - DLee

2B - Walker

3B - Ramirez

SS - Nomar

 

Imagine this

 

Murton

Walker

Nomar

Ramirez

Soriano

Lee

Jones

Barrett

 

 

I'm sure there is a better way to construct that but still, that would be pretty sweet.

 

Off the top of my head, the highest theoretical value would come from something like this...

 

Lee

Ramirez

Nomar

Soriano

Murton

Barrett

Jones

Walker

 

Might want to adjust that if we're facing a team with a Bradford type pitcher that destroys righties, though. A better conventional-style one would probably look like this though.

 

Murton

Walker

Lee

Ramirez

Soriano

Nomar

Jones

Barrett

 

I really like the idea of Nomar behind Soriano. A high contact guy like him would help to maximize the value of Soriano's SB. And I really like the idea of a lineup where Barrett could be batted 8th without too much of a fight from the board.

[Backtobanks]

Walker has to be one of the most underrated players ever. He goes out and does a good job every single day and doesn't get any credit.

 

He not only is one of the most underrated players, but until this season he was one of the most underpaid. Every so often one of these players comes around and I can never figure out why all of the GMs can't see his value.

[Tracer Bullet]

I wouldn't mind taking his salary to play 2B for us. He would be great in the number two hole and a second(and he's lefty). Unfortunately, Jim and the crew had to jack around with him the whole time he was here. Todd was a real class act and a good ballplayer.

 

Maybe we can trade Izturis to SD for Walker...(I realize this isn't a realistic possibility)

[baseball7897]

Never was a big Todd Walker fan. I would have rather seen the Cubs keep Grudz than let Todd play 2B. Edited February 22, 2007 by baseball7897

[Bull]

now I know I don't understand arbitration. why is a 10+ year vet going to arbitration? I guess I thought it was just for guys who weren't yet unrestricted free agents?

 

You can offer your own free agents arbitration. If they decline, that's where draft pick compensation comes into play and the team who loses that player will get a pick or 2 if the player is rated at a certain level of all MLB players.

 

huh? :?

 

The difference is players under the team's control have two choices: sign or they must go to arby. A potential free agent can: sign, go to arbitration, or decline arbitration, thus becoming a free agent.

 

Teams have choices too. For a guy with more than 3 years service time, but less than 6 years (Carlos Z for example) they can: agree to a deal, mandate arbitration, DFA him if he's out of "options", (I've tried to avoid the word till now). For a potential FA they can: agree to a deal, offer him arby (if he declines, they get compensation) or ignore him (Ala Grace a few years back) basically forcing him into FA.

[Bull]

Never was a big fan of Walker.

 

how did I guess that?

[CubColtPacer]

I liked Todd Walker, but there was no way that I was giving up a draft pick to acquire him this offseason due to his being a type A free agent-you have to wonder if there was any consideration in Hendry's mind that DeRosa out of all the potential second baseman was a little more valuable also because he was listed as an outfielder and therefore a "B" who the Cubs wouldn't have to give up anything for-it certainly would be an interesting question.

[Balsa]

I miss Todd Walker, and I'll always have a soft spot for him, but his power was waning and his defense left something to be desired.

 

And before everyone jumps on me, I don't mean errors defense, but the balls that got by him because didn't have much range.

 

And I know that offense is probably more towards helping a team, but up the middle, you do want better defense than Walker was able to give.

 

In conclusion, <3 Todd Walker, but glad he's not starting on my team.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Walker is a good complimentary player. You can't build an offense around him and he's not going to carry a team. However, if he's put in the right place he's a good hitter that can help a team win. He's not going to be a drag on a team offensively.

[Soul]

Good for Todd. Though that might actually be bad for Todd in the big picture. Todd just became harder to deal in a trade, and may be the victim of hard feelings in the front office in San Diego. It's too bad he couldn't land a starting gig somewhere.

 

Interestingly enough, he won his arbitration case, yet still doesn't make as much money as Cesar Izturis.

 

Really? That would be unfair to Todd, IMO. Arbitration is a process the owners agreed to have in place. Doesn't seem right that a team would harbor ill will when a player wins.

[Tracer Bullet]

Good for Todd. Though that might actually be bad for Todd in the big picture. Todd just became harder to deal in a trade, and may be the victim of hard feelings in the front office in San Diego. It's too bad he couldn't land a starting gig somewhere.

 

Interestingly enough, he won his arbitration case, yet still doesn't make as much money as Cesar Izturis.

 

Really? That would be unfair to Todd, IMO. Arbitration is a process the owners agreed to have in place. Doesn't seem right that a team would harbor ill will when a player wins.

 

Agree, but I'm sure there are some people in front office positions that get bent out of shape about it. How that might impact a guy's playing time, I don't know.

 

On the other hand, I'm sure there are some players who get a bit upset about listening to their team point out all the reasons they shouldn't be paid what they're asking (if you were SD and wanted Walker to get paid less, wouldn't you bring up his age and the fact that he's likely to decline and his rep for bad defense?).

[BigbadB]

I don't recall the timeline of the Barfield/Kouzmanoff trade, but Walker was in line for a starting gig in 2007. It's quite possible that the Padres would have picked up another 2b if Giles wasn't nontendered, but now they have a very expensive back up infielder. Very expensive at least in the eyes of the Padres front office.

 

Walker has been ridiculously underpaid. In his 3 seasons in Chicago, he never made more than 2.5m to be the everyday, top of the order hitting 2b.

 

Neifi Perez made 2.5m last year.