Walker Watch: Countdown to May 20
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 8:44 PM EDT
Email
Print
I just re-did the computation on Neil Walker's service time, and by my calculations, May 20 is the date where he will not be able to get 172 days this season.
Told by management before the season that he would be groomed as a utility player, Walker played about equally in left field, second base and first base the first month of the season. This has changed, though, since Walker's excellent offensive numbers have opened eyes both among the Pirate faithful and in the front office.
He has played 2B every day exclusively for a week now, and this has forced Argenis Diaz and Brian Friday into sharing the shortstop position. The only logical explanation for this would be that Walker is being prepped for a call up and second base will be his primary position.
First question to you: Who should be sent down when Walker comes up?
-
Should they designate Delwyn Young for assignment? This would effectively replace DY with Walker in the utility role and allow him some starts to play himself into the position.
-
Should they release Akinori Iwamura? Since Aki is not going to be a long term solution and seems to have no trade value, is it better to try to hold onto whatever value Delwyn Young has to the org instead of risk losing him?
- Should they option Jeff Clement? This would avoid losing DY and still hold out the hope of a return for Aki. Pearce would get the majority of starts at 1B and they could get another long look at him through June or July.
Second question to you: Who should bat lead off if Walker plays second base?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.
85 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Good Question-Wish I had Asked It!
Even thought I voted to demote Clement, maybe Aki would be placed on the DL . It seems his knee is not as good as hoped.
So if he went on the DL, the Bucs coiuld bring up Walker and give him 2B every day for awhiel.
clement
it makes the most sense. they most certainly will not let aki go just yet, and i dont see them putting DY for assisgnment.
they can keep Aki and DY and Clement by simply optioning Clement, so why lose a player when you have the option not to.
Keeping Aki for a while...
If you do keep Aki on the roster, then what happens if he doesn’t get much playing time? Can his value be increased by sitting on the bench?
I guess you could see if Walker looks to be ready first, or take turns playing Walker and Aki. Walker could also play left field, so that could give him more starts if Milledge is still not producing.
Sending Clement down would of course lock you into giving Pearce that long look, and maybe he deserves it. But I somehow feel they would like to give Clement as much opportunity as possible to work on his swing in MLB.
It’s a tough question.
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions
could always
use jones with pearce at first. pearce a majority of the time and everyone once and awhile put jones there and walker in RF
just to clarify
jones is still starting in RF this entire time and walker is at second. to get some use out of aki, put walker in RF and jones at 1B.
Let’s face it. We’re not getting much for Aki. We only had to give up Jesse Chavez to get him, and that was when he seemed like a solid player. That said, I’d keep him around for a little while, just in case Walker is a disaster. If Walker looks like he belongs, then I’d deal Aki for whatever cash I could get.
aki suckie long time
just had to write that, sorry.
by wishiewashie on May 14, 2010 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Cutch should go back to leadoff
With Andy, Neal, Jones, Pearce, and Doumit we have decent power at enough spots for Cutch to hit leadoff. It would also be temporary as Tabata could be up within a few weeks as well to take the role. If we are hellbent on Cutch hitting 3, I guess Laroche would be the best option, as weird as that sounds.
I voted to keep Delwyn, I think he fills his role fine. Either of the other options work for me but I’d lean slightly to cutting Aki since he has no future here and it’s not my money going to him.
We would have to ask someone with direct knowledge of his contract
But unless Aki has a clause in his contract which would override it, he would still have all his minor league options. It seems unlikely that he would have signed a contract that would have allowed him to be sent to the minors, but you never know.
I believe that in the standard MLB contract
a player with at least 5 years service time cannot be sent to the minors without his permission even if he has options remaining.
by WestCoastBuc on May 13, 2010 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Right, but this is only Aki’s 3rd year in the league.
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry - 4th year.
To clarify, in his contract, the Rays had to pick up the option or grant him free agency, but I don’t see anything in Cot’s about the minors.
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I could be way off...
but I remember reading something about a common clause for Japanese imports — a sort of compensation for their service time overseas — that nullifies minor league options. I think it was in regards to a relief pitcher that signed with the Mets (maybe?).
How’s that for a definitive post? I’m probably making stuff up again…
Some contracts with NPB players...
…incorporate language to that effect, but I don’t think it’s a standard clause.
Dice-K was sent to the minors, but I don’t remember if that was something he needed to authorize.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't really see the purpose of sending Clement to the minors.
Delwyn Young is a replaceable player. That actually seems like just about the midpoint (most likely option) for Walker.
give Clement ABs
hope he can work some things out there
by BurgherKing on May 13, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
aki isnt part of the long term plan
and i’d venture to say neither is DY. Keep those two around, hope they get hot and increase their trade value (particularly the case for Aki).
I believe Clement is in the long term plans, as long as he shows some semblance of major league competence. Send him down now, get him his stroke and his confidence back and see where he goes from there.
It's also conceivable
that Pedro, Andy, Pearce, Milledge, Tabata, Walker and Jones are up and producing by the next time Clement is ready. We’d only need 4 of those guys actually producing and Clement would have no spot left. I don’t think him hitting AAA pitching is going to increase his trade value.
That would be
a hell of a nice problem to have. Can’t have too much depth.
Changes needed
The way things have been going. There needs to be a shake-up. Let Clement work on his swing at Indy. Dump Aki. Bring up Neal or Pedro. Bring up Tabata. Pedro plays third, LaRoche secoond, or, Neal goes to second. Jones and Pearce cover first. Tabata plays right when Jones is at first, Jones plays right when Pearce is at first.
while i agree
changes are needed, lets not be hasty. lets bring up Walker first and allow him to play second with spot starts in the OF. Then in June we can work our way into bringing up Tabata and Alvarez. The last thing we need now though is to call them all up and then still get no run production. I want to see these guys up here just as much as anyone but im taking the patient approach this time around. Were not destined for much this year anyways.
Walker
Walker went 4-5 today, does he have to get on his knees to get here?
The Indy announcers can’t believe he is still at Indy.
Well, as I’ve said, if he were brought up right now, they would waste 1 year of control. They only have to wait 1 week. Unless he goes completely cold for the next week, I expect we’ll see him very soon.
Would you have them waste a year of control just to bring him up right now?
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Walker
Walker has 1 error this year and has played multiple positions.
Tabata must come up also, this team is starving for a leadoff hitter.
Tabata is a question mark. They may be waiting for Super Two date for him, which would be the beginning of June.
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Carlin
Luke Carlin is hitting around 370 at Indy, Alvarez has 8 HRs, the major league team could use some players with a little pop.
I wouldn’t bring Pedro up just yet. He really looks bad on breaking balls. Just too many holes in his swing still. He’s got to get his Ks down and his average up. Once he can make more contact, he’s going to be a monster, but there are a lot of power hitters that could never make enough contact to be effective.
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions
We've got quite a few guys
that look really bad on breaking balls. One of them plays 1B.
I agree with you. I’m not sure why you would want to suffer through Alvarez if he should have that same problem in MLB.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't know how else to drive this into your head
if it wasn’t for service time issues, these players would have been called up by now.
Well, maybe not Luke Carlin. Kratz is also hitting very well. I’m not sure that either should replace Doumit or JJ.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Having both of our AAA catchers hitting so well...
…might make them more willing to move Doumit at the deadline, though.
That’s true. I still don’t see it happening, but we’ll see.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions
What could we get for Doumit anyway?
I would like to see someone share C with Jaramillo that can actually play the position defensively, something Doumit makes a mockery of.
And if Clement would just hit a bit, his ability to be the 3rd catcher would help him stay around, especially with the numbers game of carrying so many pitchers.
I think Doumit has a lot of swing to his potential return...
…depending on health and productivity in 2010. At a minimum, I’d think he’d bring back a solid B-grade prospect, and if we get lucky and/or he gets hot, maybe more.
Or LaRoche
The glare of the spotlight is harsh, and the pressure that success breeds immense. We revere our heroes, but expect much. And criticism can come as easily as praise.
and Doumit is not doing terribly either, although both Doumit and LaRoche have not been stellar for the last week.
by MarkInDallas on May 13, 2010 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Leadoff...
we are probably wasting our breath. Outside of McCutchen and Jones…the Pirates MO has been to bring someone up from AAA…and promptly sit them on the bench until they cool off. Then…when they are no longer producing…management can say “He isn’t showing he can play every day”. Of course not…when you aren’t playing him every day.
I’d dump DY. I think he’s a good hitter, but he has no role now and probably won’t in the future. Never going to be a secord or third basemen on a championship caliber team and it doesn’t seem he’ll hit enough to be a corner outfielder. We got our money’s worth out of him, but it’s probably time to part company.
and promptly sit them on the bench until they cool off
I think that depends on who it is, Alvarez and Tabata won’t sit, Walker probably will, the Pirates have him as a utility player and they don’t change their minds very often.
Why are they playing him only at 2B right now then? It’s obvious that coming into the season they had the idea that Pedro would take 3B and Andy would move to 2B or they would keep Aki. Now, they are looking at a different world than they (or probably any of us) expected. Alvarez is clearly not ready to come up and Aki sucks bad. Walker is also opening eyes.
Walker indeed has had an attitude during the past years that you would not want to see from a guy working towards being an MLB player. I don’t think that’s just been imagined. He has not worked his tail off like he should and he has just expected to get promoted because he felt that was his entitlement due a first rounder.
I think he’s finally gotten the message and has really applied himself this year.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 1:23 AM EDT up reply actions
just sayin
Remember the days I predicted Walker would be our starting 2b for 2011, and everyone bashed me?
I think I’m owed a few apologies for not being so far off after all….
I remember...
I’ll give you the pat on the back when he makes the team. But yeah you were a lot closer to right than I was. I certainly didn’t see this resurgence a year ago.
Fair's fair
Let’s see what happens, but you might have called this one.
Here's an idea that will get me slapped
LaRoche is hot, trade him for some high end prospects, send Walker to 2nd, send Aki to third. When Pedro is ready to come up deal with Aki from there. I also want to watch competitive Pirate baseball this season, but we all know this season is a wash. Strike while the iron is hot and get something big off of LaRoche.
Free Pedro
by Bruce A. Ketcham on May 14, 2010 5:47 AM EDT reply actions
Not against trading Laroche...
but the time isn’t now. We need him to perform consistenly for a few months and gain some value. Right now I don’t see us getting enough of a return to make it worth our while.
I don’t see LaRoche bringing a great enough return to move him. More than likely it would be A Ram mistake Part Deux.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I think DY would pass through waivers at this point. If not, he probably wouldn’t be that big of a loss.
Not so sure
The guy is a legit PH with better pop than most straight pinch hitters. He’ll never be a starter (or probably even a platoon guy), but as a bench guy who can emergency fill at 2-4 positions, he’ll find a taker. Trouble is, I don’t think we get much back for him: he’s easy to pick up cheap (as we did), but hard to justify more than a C-grade A-level prospect unless your team has a very specific hole.
DY a DH?
Have you SEEN what happens to his average when he gets regular AB’s?
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on May 16, 2010 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Giving up on Iwamura is premature
Its only 1/5 of the way through the season, and I honestly don’t believe that he can stay this unproductive. Drop Clement, bench Iwamura for now, and start Walker. I hope Walker works out at 2B, but if he can’t, Iwamura deserves a second chance.
This "unproductive"?
Probably not, but below-average production at best at the plate and in the field = a failed acquisition and someone after a few more weeks that we won’t need.
If he was serious about playing well for the Pirates for the $4.8 million he’s being paid, he would’ve shown up in much better shape, instead of adding a bunch of kilos on top of a bum knee. He didn’t so we can see his commitment is lacking.
His knee obviously adversely affects his range in the field and his swing at the plate.
He should be home in Japan to enjoy the Obon holidays, at the latest.
Nice work, Mark.
I’m tired of seeing Iwamura and we discussed with others repeatedly the pros and cons of keeping him around or ditching him.
But I like your idea of optioning Clement because it could result in some good to get his bat going, work some more on 1B defense, and make him a more useful player upon return.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head for the arrival dates of both Walker and Tabata. This ‘10 team is lousy, so there’s no need to waste service years for them by moving each up a few weeks early.
What is the value in keeping Delwyn Young?
He’s not a good defender and his best skill is pinch-hitting. Is he part of the future? And while Aki has had good seasons that might lead someone to trade for him if he gets hot, Delwyn doesn’t have that same pedigree, nor is there any situation where he gets enough playing time to accrue much value.
http://www.rakesofmallow.com
I don't see much of a role for him going forward.
But I’ve always liked him less than most of the other people on the site, so who knows?
To say he has no value is a bit strong. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that every commodity has SOME value. It is just a matter of determining the value that it has, and then not overpaying for said commodity. DY has some value, and it seems to be as a PH. The question is does this value meet the need that a bench player seems to fulfill? I think not, because we all know defensively he is as good as a sieve for a water bottle, and you need to be able to play defense to be a MLB bench player. They certainly received more from DY’s production than they paid for him (a PTBNL), but going forward, I don’t see it being an intelligent decision when you look at the value of the commodity
The glare of the spotlight is harsh, and the pressure that success breeds immense. We revere our heroes, but expect much. And criticism can come as easily as praise.
Tough call!
If I had to pick one of the three I would let Young go. I think Aki’s value will increase and I think its still too early to give up on Clement. I do want to see Walker come up soon, but I’d like to see him get a good run of playing time to see if he can carry over his hot bat, not have him ride pine all but one or two days a week. Maybe a Walker/Aki platoon at 2nd to give Aki some rest and work Walker into right field some too. Too many players not enough at bats right now.
so uh
pearce got hurt today, if he happens to do on the DL who do we call up for a week since may 20th is another week away
Brandon Moss?
It really doesn’t matter as we should just put Clement back in full time til Walker or Tabata gets here
well it kind of matters
cuz whoever we call up would most likely be sent back down a week later. which would mean that we use an option on someone, brandon moss seems like a good choice though.
Will Moss have to clear waivers if he is sent down? Anyway, he isn’t very good in AAA. Better to keep the roster spot open. Maybe bring up Tabata and then send him down after a few days.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Kratz and Carlin are also mashing down there, so maybe one of them could come up and pinch hit.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions
i could see us just not placing pearce on the DL and just use him in “emergency” situations for the next week or so if we decide not to call anyone up. just give clement/jones the duties of 1B i guess
hmm
Moss would have to clear waivers again, but he already did it once and I doubt a .240 AAA performance has changed anyone’s opinion around.
The trouble is we’d need a 40 man spot. If they’re serious about not bringing up Walker yet, the easiest solution would be to call up Diaz and let him ride pine and be a late defensive sub for aki/pinch runner for a week or so.
I think the other option would be to DFA either Burress, Delwyn, or Gorkys.
Yeah, I don’t see them screwing with the 40 man roster just to have someone sit on the bench.
by MarkInDallas on May 14, 2010 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions
no idea
he would be better than aki though, thats for sure, people will probably say he doesnt get on base enoguh but like i said its better than aki
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bucs Dugout
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Baseball Nation Recent Stories
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Baltimore’s tradition of fans shouting ‘O!’ during national anthem sparks interleague feud
- Chris Perez follows rant against Cleveland fans with even better rant against Cleveland fans
- Pitcher Clayton Richard gets key pinch single in 13th after coming in 0 for 16
- Livan Hernandez welcomes ball boy to the bigs with shower of sunflower seeds (VIDEO)
- Man beaten by four others in Dodger Stadium parking lot
