Early thoughts on Givens and Walker

[Frobby]

So you are rooting against him making the majors this spring?

Player Development is about improving strengths and weaknesses. Walker has shown improvement year over year. Walker has an opportunity this spring. If he outperforms other players he will likely get a chance to be promoted to the majors. He has options. He can be sent back down if he is not ready for the jump.

There is no guarantee that Walker, Kim, Rickard, Reimold, or Alvarez will perform well in the majors this year. They are all getting opportunities this spring to make the team.

Who knows. Maybe if Walker does well this spring another team will offer a corner outfielder with equal potential for him. It wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen.

Walker has done enough in the minors to be taken seriously in his opportunity to make the majors.

I don't root against players to make the team. But if he does make the team, I think it will be because we had some unexpected injuries or there have been a bunch of very poor performances by other players. So I am certainly not rooting for those outcomes.

I'd be very happy if we could trade Walker for someone of equal potential who plays a position where we have greater need.

[Aristotelian]

So you are rooting against him making the majors this spring?

Player Development is about improving strengths and weaknesses. Walker has shown improvement year over year. Walker has an opportunity this spring. If he outperforms other players he will likely get a chance to be promoted to the majors. He has options. He can be sent back down if he is not ready for the jump.

There is no guarantee that Walker, Kim, Rickard, Reimold, or Alvarez will perform well in the majors this year. They are all getting opportunities this spring to make the team.

Who knows. Maybe if Walker does well this spring another team will offer a corner outfielder with equal potential for him. It wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen.

Walker has done enough in the minors to be taken seriously in his opportunity to make the majors.

The problem is that he is blocked at 1B by a guy making $160M, and at DH by Trumbo, an established MLB bat making $9M. Good thing is that Trumbo is gone after this year so Walker has long term value to us, whether as a trade piece, making other trade pieces expendable (Mancini), or making the 25-man. I still think he would be a massive longshot to make the O's, just because it is in his interest and the Orioles for him to be playing every day.

[wildcard]

The problem is that he is blocked at 1B by a guy making $160M, and at DH by Trumbo, an established MLB bat making $9M. Good thing is that Trumbo is gone after this year so Walker has long term value to us, whether as a trade piece, making other trade pieces expendable (Mancini), or making the 25-man. I still think he would be a massive longshot to make the O's, just because it is in his interest and the Orioles for him to be playing every day.

What if some team offers a corner outfielder of equal offensive capability to Trumbo because they want Trumbo as their 1B?

There are several ways that Walker could make the team if he does well this spring.

[Aristotelian]

What if some team offers a corner outfielder of equal offensive capability to Trumbo because they want Trumbo as their 1B?

There are several ways that Walker could make the team if he does well this spring.

That would be fantastic but I have a hard time seeing someone offer an equivalent OF prospect for a player that was nearly nontendered at his current salary. We'd be getting somebody else's Steve Clevenger. Of course, somebody else's Steve Clevenger may be an upgrade over Reimold et al.

[El Gordo]

What if some team offers a corner outfielder of equal offensive capability to Trumbo because they want Trumbo as their 1B?

There are several ways that Walker could make the team if he does well this spring.

Only if one of Davis or Trumbo is injured or traded. If he could play the OF he could take Reimold's role, but he cant.

[brianod]

If Walker is ready (big if) then we should move Davis to RF. You don't want Walker trying to learn a new position at the same time he tries to adjust to major league hitting.

[weams]

Walker's trade value hasn't moved based on ~10 ST at bats. He's still not much of a prospect. I know we are ready to build his statue at OPACY, but the hyperbole already getting spouted about based on early spring is ridiculous.

Isn't Ryan Flaherty out hitting him?

[wildcard]

So let's list the different ways that Walker can make the majors if he has a good spring.

1) Could be traded

2) Trumbo could be traded

3) Davis or Trumbo could be injured (Boo on that)

4) Buck could decide that Davis is his best option in a corner OF spot

5) I guess a long shot is that Buck starts playing him in the OF and he look good there

[Can_of_corn]

So let's list the different ways that Walker can make the majors if he has a good spring.

1) Could be traded

2) Trumbo could be traded

3) Davis or Trumbo could be injured (Boo on that)

4) Buck could decide that Davis is his best option in a corner OF spot

5) I guess a long shot is that Buck starts playing him in the OF and he look good there

Could learn to pitch.

[wildcard]

Could learn to pitch.

I don't see how that would allow him to hit very often if Trumbo is the DH.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't see how that would allow him to hit very often if Trumbo is the DH.

I think this team needs pitching more than a DH.

[bobmc]

Could learn to pitch.

Could have some photos...:slytf:

[Ripken]

So let's list the different ways that Walker can make the majors if he has a good spring.

1) Could be traded

2) Trumbo could be traded

3) Davis or Trumbo could be injured (Boo on that)

4) Buck could decide that Davis is his best option in a corner OF spot

5) I guess a long shot is that Buck starts playing him in the OF and he look good there

6) Buck could put Trumbo in RF and DH Walker.