Todd Walker to be released

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Union says grievance will be filed.

[CubColtPacer]

Union says grievance will be filed.

 

Thanks for the report-it will be an interesting case to watch. I think the Padres win this one only because for Walker to win his side has to prove that without contracts being in play, it would not be reasonable to release him. The Padres to refute that can point to:

1) The fact that they didn't release him until the end of ST, which allowed Walker the full time to try to impress the staff and cost the Padres 300k more than if they had released him before March 15th.

2)The fact that the Padres had said in January and February that they were going to take the best 25 players that were with them in ST-they have the discretion to decide if past year numbers are more important or if ST numbers are more important to decide that current year's roster.

3) Then they can point to ST numbers from this year and show that the two backup infielders (Branyan and Blum) had much better numbers during ST than Walker, and that is what made them decide to take those two instead of Walker, not his contract.

 

I'm sure the Padres were at least predisposed to releasing Walker, but I do think they win this case-we will see if that leads to a tightening of the rules in this area or not.

[98navigator]

I think Walker's poor ST helps the Padres case. While it is against the rules to release a player based on economic concerns, they can certainly cite a worry about declined production as a justification for their "baseball decision." That coupled with Walker being one of many LH bats off the bench might be enough to prevent the grievance from going very far.

[BigbadB]

The rumor is that the Padres are looking at Oscar Robles to take Walker's place on the roster. Is Oscar Robles better than Walker? If not, then they weren't taking the best 25 players to Petco next week.

[Bruno7481]

Walker signed a minor league deal with Oakland.

[Post Count Padder]

Todd Walker-2B- Athletics Mar. 30 - 9:27 pm et

 

 

Athletics signed second baseman Todd Walker to a minor league contract.

 

No word yet, but the A's could decide to go with Walker over Erubiel Durazo as their first baseman against right-handers. It'd likely be an upgrade defensively, even though Walker doesn't have a lot of experience at first. On offense, the A's would be losing quite a bit of upside, though since they don't really know what they'd get out of Durazo, they could try it anyway. There probably won't be room for both on the roster.

[J.R.]

Get it done Jim.

[tkenm356]

Todd Walker-2B- Athletics Mar. 30 - 9:27 pm et

 

 

Athletics signed second baseman Todd Walker to a minor league contract.

 

No word yet, but the A's could decide to go with Walker over Erubiel Durazo as their first baseman against right-handers. It'd likely be an upgrade defensively, even though Walker doesn't have a lot of experience at first. On offense, the A's would be losing quite a bit of upside, though since they don't really know what they'd get out of Durazo, they could try it anyway. There probably won't be room for both on the roster.

 

Heh.

[J.R.]

Well hell.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ag5cHW4nw8ni47DO1sWnRGkRvLYF?slug=ap-athletics-walker&prov=ap&type=lgns

[rocket]

BEANE DOES IT AGAIN

[SouthSideRyan]

Walker not getting a major league deal is really going to hurt his grievance. Even though he'll be up in the majors almost immediately.

[brinoch]

Walker not getting a major league deal is really going to hurt his grievance. Even though he'll be up in the majors almost immediately.

 

Not necessarily. After all, it's pretty late in ST to be picked up with another team after being released. He can make the case that it was the only opportunity he had.

[SouthSideRyan]

Walker not getting a major league deal is really going to hurt his grievance. Even though he'll be up in the majors almost immediately.

 

Not necessarily. After all, it's pretty late in ST to be picked up with another team after being released. He can make the case that it was the only opportunity he had.

 

Which is going to hurt his case. There are 29 teams out there he offered his services to and the only opportunity he had was to sign a deal that doesn't even guarantee him a 40 man roster spot, let alone a 25 man. Seems like a cut and dry win for the Padres.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Walker not getting a major league deal is really going to hurt his grievance. Even though he'll be up in the majors almost immediately.

 

Not necessarily. After all, it's pretty late in ST to be picked up with another team after being released. He can make the case that it was the only opportunity he had.

 

Which is going to hurt his case. There are 29 teams out there he offered his services to and the only opportunity he had was to sign a deal that doesn't even guarantee him a 40 man roster spot, let alone a 25 man. Seems like a cut and dry win for the Padres.

 

I think you have to take into account that it's now the eve of the season, most teams have their rosters all but set and their money all but spent.

[brinoch]

Walker not getting a major league deal is really going to hurt his grievance. Even though he'll be up in the majors almost immediately.

 

Not necessarily. After all, it's pretty late in ST to be picked up with another team after being released. He can make the case that it was the only opportunity he had.

 

Which is going to hurt his case. There are 29 teams out there he offered his services to and the only opportunity he had was to sign a deal that doesn't even guarantee him a 40 man roster spot, let alone a 25 man. Seems like a cut and dry win for the Padres.

 

I think you have to take into account that it's now the eve of the season, most teams have their rosters all but set and their money all but spent.

 

Indeed. Most, if not all, teams are going to have their rosters set -- and I believe they've all left town for their respective home cities.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't want to make it look like I think Walker doesn't belong on a 25 man roster, he certainly does. But, when you're trying to prove your case to someone that you were one of the best 25 options on a team, and were cut solely for monetary purpose, and then following that can't latch on as a 25th option on some team who is inferior to the Padres,(Not the A's, just talking generally about bad teams in MLB not signing him) then it seems like what was already a tough case just got a whole lot tougher.

[brinoch]

I don't want to make it look like I think Walker doesn't belong on a 25 man roster, he certainly does. But, when you're trying to prove your case to someone that you were one of the best 25 options on a team, and were cut solely for monetary purpose, and then following that can't latch on as a 25th option on some team who is inferior to the Padres,(Not the A's, just talking generally about bad teams in MLB not signing him) then it seems like what was already a tough case just got a whole lot tougher.

 

That might be true. But on the other hand Walker can make the case that all the other rosters were set, and once that happens its hard to just pick up with a team. Why is it so hard to understand that once rosters are set at the end of ST, teams are reluctant to make changes?

[CubColtPacer]

I don't want to make it look like I think Walker doesn't belong on a 25 man roster, he certainly does. But, when you're trying to prove your case to someone that you were one of the best 25 options on a team, and were cut solely for monetary purpose, and then following that can't latch on as a 25th option on some team who is inferior to the Padres,(Not the A's, just talking generally about bad teams in MLB not signing him) then it seems like what was already a tough case just got a whole lot tougher.

 

That might be true. But on the other hand Walker can make the case that all the other rosters were set, and once that happens its hard to just pick up with a team. Why is it so hard to understand that once rosters are set at the end of ST, teams are reluctant to make changes?

 

That's certainly true. But Walker has to prove that he is no ordinary person being released. He has to prove that he is better than that, that if not for the contract he would have been a clear upgrade over the Padres other options. If so, he should be a clear upgrade for some other teams as well.

Rosters are not completely set in stone anyway- teams do make moves to acquire players in this time period to fill out their bench. Freddie Bynum and Brandon Phillips are just two examples off the top of my head last year of players acquired for the major league roster either just before the start of the season or just after. Both those players were traded for very little, but the fact that Walker was a free agent should have made it easier than those two players to make his way onto a roster this late than ST, not harder.

[Rob]

Erubiel Durazo just got released due to the Walker signing.

 

I wouldn't mind him instead of Ward.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Erubiel Durazo just got released due to the Walker signing.

 

I wouldn't mind him instead of Ward.

 

Why?

[Rob]

Erubiel Durazo just got released due to the Walker signing.

 

I wouldn't mind him instead of Ward.

 

Why?

 

Cheaper and much higher upside?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Erubiel Durazo just got released due to the Walker signing.

 

I wouldn't mind him instead of Ward.

 

Why?

 

Cheaper and much higher upside?

 

It's not going to be cheaper unless we trade Ward. Durazo probably has a higher offensive ceiling, but his skillset ages quickly, he was beyond awful last season, and he can't do anything with the glove at all anywhere.

[Rob]

Erubiel Durazo just got released due to the Walker signing.

 

I wouldn't mind him instead of Ward.

 

Why?

 

Cheaper and much higher upside?

 

It's not going to be cheaper unless we trade Ward. Durazo probably has a higher offensive ceiling, but his skillset ages quickly, he was beyond awful last season, and he can't do anything with the glove at all anywhere.

 

He didn't play at the major league level last season, IIRC. Recovering from an injury.

 

Ward's mobility hasn't impressed me much either... and his bat is looking putrid to this point. I'd honest rather pinch hit Cedeno in a crucial situation, and I think that's enough of an indictment of his abilities.

 

Durazo has at least shown a sustained ability to hit at the major league level. If we're going to be attempting to catch lightning in a bottle with a bench player, I'd rather do it with the one that has a better chance.

[Tracer Bullet]

I don't want to make it look like I think Walker doesn't belong on a 25 man roster, he certainly does. But, when you're trying to prove your case to someone that you were one of the best 25 options on a team, and were cut solely for monetary purpose, and then following that can't latch on as a 25th option on some team who is inferior to the Padres,(Not the A's, just talking generally about bad teams in MLB not signing him) then it seems like what was already a tough case just got a whole lot tougher.

 

That might be true. But on the other hand Walker can make the case that all the other rosters were set, and once that happens its hard to just pick up with a team. Why is it so hard to understand that once rosters are set at the end of ST, teams are reluctant to make changes?

 

That's certainly true. But Walker has to prove that he is no ordinary person being released. He has to prove that he is better than that, that if not for the contract he would have been a clear upgrade over the Padres other options. If so, he should be a clear upgrade for some other teams as well.

Rosters are not completely set in stone anyway- teams do make moves to acquire players in this time period to fill out their bench. Freddie Bynum and Brandon Phillips are just two examples off the top of my head last year of players acquired for the major league roster either just before the start of the season or just after. Both those players were traded for very little, but the fact that Walker was a free agent should have made it easier than those two players to make his way onto a roster this late than ST, not harder.

 

Maybe his argument is that signing a MiL contract with Oakland (with the chance to prove quickly that he's good enough to be on the 25-man roster) was better than signing a ML contract with some other team (like the Royals or some other terrible team).

 

This might have been his only offer, but maybe not. I don't think the fact that he signed a MiL deal means he couldn't get a ML one. Maybe Beane told him: prove you can play 1B and still hit RHP and you'll be in a platoon at first. If that was his option, signing this deal wasn't that bad of a move. Maybe at this point, having a chance to be a role-player on a good team looked better to him than being a starter on a crap team.

[OBPMatters]

Walker was DFA by the A's today.