Neil Walker

[tmwiese55]

I bet MKE had no idea the market would be so weak on Walker. I'd guess they wouldn't have given Sogard a guaranteed deal in that case and would rather have Walker. However, Sogard being able to play adequate SS is a big difference, but Walker is such a better player I'd rather have him and have Villar as backup SS. They might not want that with Villar's D but i'd gamble that Arcia stays healthy in exchange for the better player.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Wow, Walker must now be regretting not accepting the 2/$20M offer by the Brewers at the end of season last year.

Did anyone confirm that they actually did this?

 

The 2/$20M offer was mentioned by KCBrewerfan34 here

 

viewtopic.php?p=1087912#p1087912

 

viewtopic.php?p=1088041#p1088041

 

You're just quoting another poster who appeared to be repeating something he had heard and couldn't confirm it. I have yet to see anybody report that this offer ever existed.

[tigerbrew]

You're just quoting another poster who appeared to be repeating something he had heard and couldn't confirm it. I have yet to see anybody report that this offer ever existed.

 

I respect and trust what he said, and there's no reason not to believe as it made sense for the Brewers to make that offer to Walker at that time.

 

Anyway, personally I would still make that offer of 2/$20 to Walker now, I've absolutely no confidence in Villar bouncing back to his 2016 numbers or even close to it.

[RockCoCougars]

Neil looks to be the Jody Reed Award winner for this off season. Barring an injury, I hope the Brewers pass.

[TURBO]

You're just quoting another poster who appeared to be repeating something he had heard and couldn't confirm it. I have yet to see anybody report that this offer ever existed.

 

I respect and trust what he said, and there's no reason not to believe as it made sense for the Brewers to make that offer to Walker at that time.

 

Anyway, personally I would still make that offer of 2/$20 to Walker now, I've absolutely no confidence in Villar bouncing back to his 2016 numbers or even close to it.

 

Why would we bid against ourselves? Dude isn't getting any interest, and you want to throw 20 Million in his direction? I think he is lucky to get 2 years at 10 Million total at this point.

 

I'd rather roll with Villar and see if he can turn it around.

[badger3034]

You're just quoting another poster who appeared to be repeating something he had heard and couldn't confirm it. I have yet to see anybody report that this offer ever existed.

 

I respect and trust what he said, and there's no reason not to believe as it made sense for the Brewers to make that offer to Walker at that time.

 

Anyway, personally I would still make that offer of 2/$20 to Walker now, I've absolutely no confidence in Villar bouncing back to his 2016 numbers or even close to it.

 

Pretty gross looking offer, especially for an older 2B, no thanks. Much rather spend that money on a position of more need, which would be starting pitching. If Keston is going to be our 2B in the near future, you're shortening the window we have to spend money on free agents in the future with that contract. He isn't going to push the needle to being a contender much, if at all. I think that would be the main point for me on a 2B, are they a significant upgrade to get you deep in the playoffs? Is Walker over a Villar/Sogard, or even Perez? No, probably not

 

I think if I'd spend some money on a position player, I think I'd rather see if there are some decent back up catchers out there, because Bandy was just awful last year

[Warning Track Power]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/the-lack-of-a-market-for-neil-walker-doesnt-make-sense.html

 

Speculation of a Freese-like contract of 1 year @ $3 million. Go sign him Brewers. Please. This seems like a no brainer at this point.

[monty57]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/the-lack-of-a-market-for-neil-walker-doesnt-make-sense.html

 

Speculation of a Freese-like contract of 1 year @ $3 million. Go sign him Brewers. Please. This seems like a no brainer at this point.

 

If the only offers Walker is getting are minor league deals with an invitation to camp, I agree that making a one-year, low value deal seems to be a no-brainer.

[KeithStone53151]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/the-lack-of-a-market-for-neil-walker-doesnt-make-sense.html

 

Speculation of a Freese-like contract of 1 year @ $3 million. Go sign him Brewers. Please. This seems like a no brainer at this point.

 

If the only offers Walker is getting are minor league deals with an invitation to camp, I agree that making a one-year, low value deal seems to be a no-brainer.

 

Agreed, though I don't think Walker is seriously going to sign for something that low. Such a crazy offseason.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I have no problem is signing Walker to a 1-2 year deal, on the condition that they have trade interest in Villar. He really doesn't fit on this team as a backup, but I think he has too much value to just DFA.

[wallus]

Sign Walker and then go with a bench of Vogt, Perez, Villar/Walker, Sogard, Braun/Santana. There is a ton of versatility in that and should be an above average bench.

[Roderick]

Sign Walker and then go with a bench of Vogt, Perez, Villar/Walker, Sogard, Braun/Santana. There is a ton of versatility in that and should be an above average bench.

 

Yeah, but only going with four man bench.

[adambr2]

You're just quoting another poster who appeared to be repeating something he had heard and couldn't confirm it. I have yet to see anybody report that this offer ever existed.

 

I respect and trust what he said, and there's no reason not to believe as it made sense for the Brewers to make that offer to Walker at that time.

 

Anyway, personally I would still make that offer of 2/$20 to Walker now, I've absolutely no confidence in Villar bouncing back to his 2016 numbers or even close to it.

 

In his original post he was literally asking if such an offer was made almost in passing.

 

This is how rumors spread like wildfire and become myths.

[kfizz]

Yeah. Sogard or Perez would have to go, though I guess you could option Sogard.

[JohnBriggs12]

Villar is signed for $2.55 million. Sogard is signed for $2.4 million. Perez is signed for $1.98 million.

 

There is no way they keep all 3 if they can get Walker for around $5 million which will be likely only a net $3 million to this year's payroll. The competition in camp is to determine who among those 3 get eliminated. I've said all along I believe Villar will be odd man out, and with a week to go in camp he'll be gone and Walker will be signed. We'll see.

[Boomer5]

Walker >>>> Villar.

 

You DFA Villar and sign Walker at these current numbers. Not that complicated.

[pacopete4]

I've wanted Walker pretty much this entire offseason but I do find another negative with this type of signing. We lose speed on the base paths which we do not have a ton of. But maybe it is made up of the fact that he is so consistently on base.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

I've wanted Walker pretty much this entire offseason but I do find another negative with this type of signing. We lose speed on the base paths which we do not have a ton of. But maybe it is made up of the fact that he is so consistently on base.

Eh, Villar has to get on base (and get starts) to use that speed so overall don't really care plus "speed" is a little overrated in todays game (IMO) in terms of base stealing just have to be a good baserunner. Plus Yelich and Cain help make up for any "speed" lost if/when Villar goes.

[pacopete4]

I've wanted Walker pretty much this entire offseason but I do find another negative with this type of signing. We lose speed on the base paths which we do not have a ton of. But maybe it is made up of the fact that he is so consistently on base.

Eh, Villar has to get on base (and get starts) to use that speed so overall don't really care plus "speed" is a little overrated in todays game (IMO) in terms of base stealing just have to be a good baserunner. Plus Yelich and Cain help make up for any "speed" lost if/when Villar goes.

 

Old legs die fast. Walker would join that group of Cain, Sogard, Braun, Thames of oldies as well as Santana, Aguilar, Pina, and whoever our backup catcher is that doesn't run well.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Walker >>>> Villar.

 

You DFA Villar and sign Walker at these current numbers. Not that complicated.

 

I agree on the surface, but it's a little more complicated than that. If the Brewers truly believe that 2016 Villar can be recaptured, that is better than anything Walker is going to give you at this point in his career. But if the 2017 version of Villar is who he is, then it makes sense to cut bait and move on. What Walker provides is consistency ... basically a low ceiling and high floor. Villar obviously has a much lower floor, but that ceiling is much higher, even if the chances of getting to that level aren't that great. Starting him is a calculated risk.

 

But I agree that if Walker is signed, it means that the team is giving up on Villar, and one way or another, he'll be gone.

[wallus]

Neil would be a great 6 hole hitter in our lineup against righties. If the rumors are true of him accepting an >5 million deal, it is a no brainer to improve the team.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

Neil would be a great 6 hole hitter in our lineup against righties. If the rumors are true of him accepting an >5 million deal, it is a no brainer to improve the team.

Overall don’t care about lineup construction as long as like Yelich isn’t hitting 8th or whatever but vs RHP I would actually like Walker as a leadoff hitter. He had better OBP than Cain. I also like the idea of a contact hitter like Cain hitting behind the OBP/slugging guys.

 

Vs RHP

Walker 2B

Yelich RF

Braun LF

Shaw 3B

Cain CF

Thames 1B

Arcia SS

Vogt/Pina C

P

[Fear The Chorizo]

I get that Perez is super versatile defensively (although he plays many positions 'meh', not well), but why wouldn't he be the odd man out of the trio being discussed should Walker get signed? Perez is much more allergic to taking a walk than Villar, and I think this roster wouldn't consider Perez extra valuable just because he can wear alot of gloves - they already have more than enough and better OF options without him.

 

I really feel that if the Brewers wanted Walker over the options they have now, he'd be in their camp. If they do opt to bring him in as the predominant starting 2B, I'd rather have either a combination of Sogard + Villar, or Villar + Perez to round out the IF portion of the roster. Looking at Villar, something between his 2017 and 2016 seasons is still better than any of the other options, including Walker.

[Boomer5]

Walker >>>> Villar.

 

You DFA Villar and sign Walker at these current numbers. Not that complicated.

 

I agree on the surface, but it's a little more complicated than that. If the Brewers truly believe that 2016 Villar can be recaptured, that is better than anything Walker is going to give you at this point in his career. But if the 2017 version of Villar is who he is, then it makes sense to cut bait and move on. What Walker provides is consistency ... basically a low ceiling and high floor. Villar obviously has a much lower floor, but that ceiling is much higher, even if the chances of getting to that level aren't that great. Starting him is a calculated risk.

 

But I agree that if Walker is signed, it means that the team is giving up on Villar, and one way or another, he'll be gone.

 

I guess Villar could come back to 2016 but the team doesn't really want even that Villar based on their moves. They seem to want professional hitters and Villar even at his limited best is the type of guy to pop up on the first pitch after their starter just loaded the bases.

 

Walker does have a bad back or at least it was last year. If it can last one year though that's not that big a deal because Hiura is on the way.

[KeithStone53151]

Walker >>>> Villar.

 

You DFA Villar and sign Walker at these current numbers. Not that complicated.

 

I agree on the surface, but it's a little more complicated than that. If the Brewers truly believe that 2016 Villar can be recaptured, that is better than anything Walker is going to give you at this point in his career. But if the 2017 version of Villar is who he is, then it makes sense to cut bait and move on. What Walker provides is consistency ... basically a low ceiling and high floor. Villar obviously has a much lower floor, but that ceiling is much higher, even if the chances of getting to that level aren't that great. Starting him is a calculated risk.

 

But I agree that if Walker is signed, it means that the team is giving up on Villar, and one way or another, he'll be gone.

 

I guess Villar could come back to 2016 but the team doesn't really want even that Villar based on their moves. They seem to want professional hitters and Villar even at his limited best is the type of guy to pop up on the first pitch after their starter just loaded the bases.

 

Walker does have a bad back or at least it was last year. If it can last one year though that's not that big a deal because Hiura is on the way.

 

Villar has his shortcomings, no doubt...but that's an odd argument. Villar was one of the better players in baseball at working counts and seeing pitches. Last year, he averaged over 4 pitchers per PA...and was in the top 20% in all of baseball in that category. This is like arguing that Chris Carter is a bad 1b because he lacks power...