Get ready for life without Walker
Ken Rosenthal reports the O’s are close to a three-year deal with Jamie Walker, whose agent predicted this week that he’d get a three-year contract. That means the Tigers are going to have to go looking for another left-handed reliever, but it’s more likely now that they’re going to have to do it through a trade. This is a good market for free-agent lefties, but Walker’s deal sets the price high for everyone else. Justin Speier was already being linked with three-year offers worth potentially $4 million a year, and while the likes of Scott Schoeneweis and Ron Villone aren’t in that same class anymore, they’re going to benefit too. And the Tigers are a team that traditionally hasn’t gone for long-term deals for many relievers. The 3-year, $10 million offer the O’s supposedly made to Walker are the same terms the Tigers reportedly offered Kyle Farnsworth before trading him in 2005.
For all the speculation about talks between the Tigers and Rangers about Mark Teixeira, which isn’t likely to happen, Texas has something for teams to covet with lefty C.J. Wilson, who allowed a .155 average and other stingy numbers from left-handed hitters this year. And they need starting pitching. That’s how the Tigers will probably have to fill the void Walker would leave. It’s not a matter of being stingy. It’s a matter of how to get the best talent for the money, especially for a team that’s going to fill an opening at first base, too.
Jason Beck
That’s a lot of money for a guy to come in about one game in three, and hopefully(I say “hopefully”, because Walker didn’t fare well against the better left handed hitters in the league, in my opinion), get one out.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with Walker leaving. Ledezma is at least as good against lefties, AND can get a right handed hitter out as well.
I’d offer Walker two years to take or leave. If he wants to go into the circus that Orioles baseball has become, he’s welcome to it.
Peter Angelos is not known for his shrewd dealings, at least as far as player personnel is concerned. And he does keep a thumb on all these moves. Think the Matt Millen of baseball.
Is this really going down, or is it just more of Rosenthal’s musings?
Walker is(was)a Tiger. His better days are behind him. He was a moderately lsuccessful “situational” lefty but I agree with Scratch on the number of times he overwhelmed LHB. It was not a lead pipe cinch when he came in and for the amount of dough he is after I think it is best to say thanks for a job well done and give Ledezma, Miller or a farmhand a shot. And this is coming from someone who is not a big Ledezma fan. I like some of what I see Ledezma has but I don’t feel he has learned how to become a team player yet. Jamie was at least that.
I think more highly of walker’s talents than my friends here (or at least I am afaid the process of replacing him could be cumbersome indeed) but that is a surprising contract for a situational player. It never pays, however, to underestimate left-handed relievers who are not easy to come by. I always felt rather confidant when Walker would enter the game; granted it wasn’t as exciting as Roney or Zumaya but that of course, is good as well as bad.
Ledezma is not well respected on this blog and I’ve come to grudging accept most of the criticism of his lack of intensity as valid. In any case, Ledezma does appear to me to be psycologically suited for regular pressure situations. In that old baseball chesnut, “the gamer”, you can find Walker who seemed to me to usually rise to the occasion, perhaps not with a strikeout, but with a pop-up or double-play ball.
I’d sure like to see him stay in Detroit, but if those numbers are true it will be impoosible.
Is this part of the Neifi index? That if you’re willing to pay him 2.5 million dollars to do no one is sure exactly what, then how do you pay Walker less than 3.
As few innings as he throws I don’t see why he couldn’t or shouldn’t get a long term deal (the risk of injury being substantially minimized) but Jason is right, they don’t like to give those in Detroit. Well, unless you’re coming off a major injury or your skills are declining or both.
I’d like to be as sanguine as y’all about him leaving but without some specific names I’m nervous.
The above should read “Ledezma does NOT appear…” sorry
Here’s where I get confused about these inflated baseball contracts. If Neifi is worth 2.5 mil per year and Sheffield is worth 13-14 mil per year, what’s the big deal about Walker getting 3.3 mil average per year? Is he worth it? Probably not that much. Are those other 2 worth it? Not IMO. So if the Tigers let him go with out a decent counter offer, they’ll just have to find somebody else maybe as good, maybe not. I liked Jamie and felt pretty confident with him in there. Did you notice how much more JL used him in the playoffs? I think he could be used a little more often than he was last year. The Oriles will probably use him more. But the Orioles? Jamie don’t you want to pitch for a winner near the end of your career? Mr. Ilitch, give him a decent offer, make him feel as wanted as Perez and Sheffield. I thought he was an important piece of the Tiger puzzle in last year’s success.
The Tigers had nothing to do with the contract for Neifi Perez. It was the Cubs who signed him to that contract.
Well-let’s hope the Tigers don’t give him (Perez) a similar one.
I like Walker and agree he was under-utilized. There were times I thought he could have been left in instead of yanking him in favor of Jones.
But-there were many times he did fail to get that one left-handed batter. And he is getting near the end of his career. I doubt he will be able to match his numbers from last year.
Anyway- what the Tigers are going to absolutely need this year is a closer. Jones is another fellow who is nearing the end and he is not a dominating pitcher that you can bring in and blow people down. The truth is the opposition likes the idea Jones is in the game because they know they can get their bat on the ball and that it means they don’t have to face Rodney or Zumaya anymore.
A closer has to be intimidating and be of the type that has the opposition psychologically troubled just stepping up to the plate.
(Will be interesting to se if that is what Whelan or Clagget becomes.)
My wish list also includes an impact LHB. Preferably at 1B
Dan, ya got your LHP first sacker…..I’ll let you decide whether he is an “impact” player or not.
Beyond the contact attached to Neifi, I don’t like his clogging a roster spot.
I have a feeling, though, that with this pitching staff, we might as well get used to this type of thing. Remember the Braves during their run? Their money went towards their home-grown pitchers, and then they took on players who could probably be described as level “B” types(think: Sid Bream, Otis Nixon, Fred McGriff, Marquis Grissom, Brian Jordan), always looking for a championship.
To me, the problem with having Neifi and Casey on the squad(and I DON’T compare the two as ballplayers, trust me), is the stifle the progress of others in our system that I would like to see grow(Shelton and Infante, to name only two).
I can only hope that the recent aquisition of Sheffield, and the signing of Casey, are stop-gap measures to get us through the next year or so, and our farm hands are allowed to show us if they have anything.
Looks like Rosenthal was on it this time. Way to go, Ken.
The Orioles must be nuts. Three years at 12 mil for a “situational” lefty? What is this situational stuff, anyway? Can you pitch or not? If the hitter is that bad against lefties, bring any southpaw in there. I also agree that I’ve seen too many times when “Cat” Walker allowed his inherited runners to score while not damaging his own ERA. I hate to sound like I’m turning on the guy, but you know this is true, you’ve seen it. The Orioles have just raised the bar for every half talented lefty pitcher in baseball to ask for long term deals. Situational lefty………let Ledezma do it. Bring Mike Stanton out of retirement. Mickey Lolich.
Can you tell I’m not impressed with this relatively new piece of baseball strategy?
Jason, I know that Dombroski did not create Neifi’s deal but he did tacitly approve it by making the nefaious transaction. If I were an agent negotiating with the Tigers I’d bring it up.
Rich, believe or not Stanton is still playing (sort of) and is being mentioned as a possibility for the Tigers. That is what I was afaid of. I think the spot is filled only through trade at this point.
Jason, do you have any inside scoop on Shelton or Thame’s situation that you could be at liberty to share? I’m assuming that Casey is the first baseman Dombroski was saying he needed so that the Huff etc talk is over, which might bode well for Big Red, no?
Walker is definitely a loss and if I was a ballplayer, Baltimore is the last place I’d want to go right now. I’ll never understand why guys jump ship for a few dollars when, honestly, they are already making crazy money. It is a part of the game today that leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.
Brad Radke, who was flat out heroic this year in my opinion, is a perfect example of an old scholl ballplayer who resisted the siren calls to New York and Boston though he could have there for more money and notoriety. He stayed in Minnesota and if you saw the ovations he got at the end of the year you can imagine that Radke is awful glad he stayed.
With all due respect to O’s fans, who are terrific, they ain’t never gonna give walker a heartfelt standing ovation. We’ll miss you Jamie, but it’s your own **** fault.