Neil Walker

[Darkstone42]

Neil Walker has not been good this season, and I have to wonder if, closing in on 30, his injuries are starting to catch up to him, or if he's just in a weirdly prolonged slump.

His walk rate is down, his strikeout rate is up, and he's just not hitting for any power. He's been a below-average hitter, and as an already below-average defender, and as a player the Pirates count on to produce runs, it's kind of holding the team back a bit.

Since he's also hitting in the 2 or 4 hole every night, his struggles are a big problem. I hope it's just a funk, and he'll break out of it, because with Marte and McCutchen hitting much better, Polanco and Harrison gradually coming around, and Kang continuing to adjust to the Majors, we need Walker to produce in the middle of all of them to get the offense going more consistently.

 

[thecrow124]

It is getting to the point where if he doesn't start hitting, there is no way he will be extended. Not that I think he will be or should be, but he has to hit if he even wants the chance. Actually, if he wants a shot at the WS in Pittsburgh, it will have to be this year, Hanson is close, Kang looks like he will be better than Walker, so I am not sure Walker will play another game for the Pirates after this year.

 

[steelparrot]

Yep, Hanson's time is next year.

This offseason might be the time to trade Walker and Alvarez. The big problem with this is obvious, they are 2 of our 3 lhh.

Get a veteran lhh 2nd baseman/utility guy to share 2nd with Kang/Harrison until June and see what is going on then.

Trading Alvarez is harder, as we dont have an internal option unless you count Lambo. I guess look around and see what is available through trade/fa and then decide on him after seeing the replacement options and costs.

 

[Darkstone42]

Yep, Hanson's time is next year.

This offseason might be the time to trade Walker and Alvarez. The big problem with this is obvious, they are 2 of our 3 lhh.

Get a veteran lhh 2nd baseman/utility guy to share 2nd with Kang/Harrison until June and see what is going on then.

Trading Alvarez is harder, as we dont have an internal option unless you count Lambo. I guess look around and see what is available through trade/fa and then decide on him after seeing the replacement options and costs.

Hanson's a switch hitter, so if he takes over for Walker, it will basically be trading Walker's power and patience for Hanson's speed and explosiveness, and Walker's sure-handedness for Hanson's absurd range.

First base is a little tougher, but we might be able to find a reasonable bat in free agency, especially since that bat will only have to last about half a year before we presumably call up Bell to take over the spot.

 

[Darkstone42]

It is getting to the point where if he doesn't start hitting, there is no way he will be extended. Not that I think he will be or should be, but he has to hit if he even wants the chance. Actually, if he wants a shot at the WS in Pittsburgh, it will have to be this year, Hanson is close, Kang looks like he will be better than Walker, so I am not sure Walker will play another game for the Pirates after this year.

I don't think it would have been wise to extend him before he stopped hitting. Now, he's not only probably not going to get extended, but he's really hurting the Bucs' chances of turning him into something useful in the trade market. I thought they would surely get a few nice prospects back for him this winter, but I'm not so sure now.

 

[steelparrot]

I don't think it would have been wise to extend him before he stopped hitting. Now, he's not only probably not going to get extended, but he's really hurting the Bucs' chances of turning him into something useful in the trade market. I thought they would surely get a few nice prospects back for him this winter, but I'm not so sure now.

Ya, we might have to just release him...

I just looked and Josh Bell is opsing .850 in AA, so he is closer than I thought.

 

[Darkstone42]

Ya, we might have to just release him...

I just looked and Josh Bell is opsing .850 in AA, so he is closer than I thought.

The bat will move right along. But the home run power hasn't come yet, and the defense is what's really going to hold him back. He's gradually (very gradually, as I understand it) adjusting to the new position, so he'll certainly not be up until mid 2016 at the earliest, I think.

 

[thecrow124]

I have no first hand knowledge, but I would think that Bell defensively right now is probably on par with Pedro at first. The lack of pure power numbers is what is most problematic to me. Cutch didn't really show much power in the minors, but he still had more power at a younger age than what Bell has showed to this point. However, if Bell is going to continue to hit .330 and get onbase at a .400 clip, I can live with the lower than expected power numbers.
Hanson should be up no later than September, there isn't much reason to keep him down until next June. I don't believe that he will be a player than generates big enough numbers to break the bank through arb. Therefore Super Two status won't hurt nearly as much with him as it would has with Walker.

 

[Darkstone42]

I have no first hand knowledge, but I would think that Bell defensively right now is probably on par with Pedro at first. The lack of pure power numbers is what is most problematic to me. Cutch didn't really show much power in the minors, but he still had more power at a younger age than what Bell has showed to this point. However, if Bell is going to continue to hit .330 and get onbase at a .400 clip, I can live with the lower than expected power numbers.
Hanson should be up no later than September, there isn't much reason to keep him down until next June. I don't believe that he will be a player than generates big enough numbers to break the bank through arb. Therefore Super Two status won't hurt nearly as much with him as it would has with Walker.

He's awkward fielding grounders and his footwork is bad, I think. Pedro's just got that third-base-go-after-everything mentality screwing him up. Bell at least doesn't have to deal with that adjustment, but he does have to adjust to being closer to the ball off the bat, which is why outfielders so often just stay outfielders even when they're old and slow if their bats can keep them in the league, I imagine.

 

[element1286]

I was in favor of Walker moving to first, but the bat has to be there. Last year's version of NW, the bat would play at first, sis career numbers are borderline, this year's numbers are an obvious no.

 

[Darkstone42]

Neil didn't get any favors last night from the umpire.


Might have been the worst strike call I've ever seen.

 

[element1286]

There were a few he was unhappy with. That twitter account is awesome by the way.

 

[Darkstone42]

There were a few he was unhappy with. That twitter account is awesome by the way.

Hurdle was fuming in both games over the strike calls. And it really has continued that the Pirates have faced large strike zones as hitters this season. I thought that would wash out by now, but it doesn't seem to have done so, at least not yet.

 

[psaboy]

Walker is certainly playing better lately, hope he can keep it going. Is his contract in its last year?

 

[element1286]

He has been better for sure, pretty close to his career numbers overall now. He has one more year of arbitration. If I had to pick, it would be Walker who comes back next year to play first, and move on from Alvarez.

 

[Darkstone42]

Walker or neither, for sure.