The Mets have not resumed contract extension talks with second baseman Neil Walker, and it’s doubtful they will before the offseason, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). New York would rather enter the winter with flexibility at various positions than commit to Walker, with whom it discussed a three-year deal in the $40MM range before tabling talks in February. Walker, 31, is on a $17.2MM salary after accepting a qualifying offer last fall, and has returned from a season-ending back injury in 2016 to post a decent .255/.327/.423 line in 168 plate appearances this year.
More from Rosenthal:
- Center fielder Lorenzo Cain might end up as the Royals’ most valuable trade asset in the coming months, posits Rosenthal, who relays that the team isn’t convinced first baseman Eric Hosmer would bring back a “sufficient return.” Hosmer’s hitting a solid .299/.362/.408 in 174 PAs, but that’s not great production relative to his position, and first base typically isn’t an in-demand area around the deadline, notes Rosenthal. The same goes for third base, which could make it difficult for the Royals to move Mike Moustakas – another of their high-profile impending free agents – for a sizable return. Meanwhile, pitchers Jason Vargas, Kelvin Herrera and Mike Minor are also names to watch as the Royals potentially prepare to sell.
- With a 25-18 record and a plus-43 run differential, the Diamondbacks don’t look like sellers in the making, admits Rosenthal. Nevertheless, the D-backs are going to have to replenish their barren farm system at some point, says Rosenthal, who reports they’re likely to entertain offers for center fielder A.J. Pollock and left-hander Patrick Corbin prior to the trade deadline and/or in the offseason. Both players are only signed for another year, putting their futures in question.
- As is the case with Arizona, Milwaukee has easily outperformed expectations thus far. The Brewers entered Saturday having posted the same record as Arizona (25-18, with a plus-34 run differential), and their success is a “potential nightmare” for general manager David Stearns, one executive told Rosenthal. It’s doubtful Stearns believes the franchise’s rebuild is complete, yet owner Mark Attanasio might push to add, not subtract, if Milwaukee hangs around the playoff race in the coming months, per Rosenthal. To their credit, the first-place Brewers currently rank among the majors’ top 10 teams in runs scored (second), wRC+ (eighth) and pitching fWAR (eighth).
Walker could be gone by the deadline. Lets hope he stays hot to increase the return.
As in Taijuan Walker? Not a chance. The new regime just traded for him and gave up a big package to do so
The article mentions Neil Walker. You have to read before you post.
No Cordell Walker
Roundhouse kick to the head
Oh sorry I didnt think the mets had any fans. Sorry for your team bud
baseball10:
Weak attempt to cover up your gaffe.
Walker, Texas Ranger. Is always hot.
The Brewers have the resources in the farm to make any changes necessary if they actually stay in contention. Stearns has Attanazio’s full confidence, and he won’t force anything on him. The most I could see would be Attanazio nixing a proposed deal for Braun.
It is all about pitching. The Brewers do not have enough.
Agreed. The Brewers would need at least two really solid starters in their rotation before making a claim to the playoffs. Currently, I don’t think they have any.
The Brewers have two near the top of the rotation pitchers in Triple A in Hader and Woodruff and one ready in Double A in Ortiz. They’ll be just fine in pitching.
long term absolutely but right now they don’t. if they want to compete now they weighs have to swing a trade. not saying that’s a good idea tho.
Let’s just see how things play out. The Mets were able to compete with a stable of young pitching.
I want whatever you’re smoking bro we have nooooooooo pitching
We haven’t had a successful homegrown pitcher since Yo left
Yup, and haven’t home-grown their own ace since Ben Sheets. 🙁
Man Brewers got a great deal for Lucroy and I’m a Rangers fan.
Huge fan of Brinson and Ortiz, heck even Cordell is a solid prospect. treat brinson and Ortiz well, I’ll be watching them!
*respect*
We wish good luck to Luc’ as well!
TINSTAAPP
The Brewers don’t have very good starting pitching. Very average at best. Garza comes off the books after this year, peralta has been demoted to the pen and Nelson has been very inconsistent last few years. Add journeymen Anderson and Guerra. But they have 2 pitchers at AAA knocking loudly at the door who have performed well.
Just to be clear: Given Garza’s performance over the last couple of years, the Brewers will have a $5 million option on him for ’18. If he continues to have this kind of success as a re-invented offspeed pitcher, you gotta think that, with THAT kind of cheap price-tag, the Brewers will keep him up to the 2018 trade deadline at least.
No way in hell is Garza with the Brewers next year. Unless he accepts bullpen duty
Go Brewers!!!!
I love that someone views success as “potential nightmare”. Not exactly someone you want in your foxhole.
Agreed. But you can sortof understand what he’s talking about: when players are succeeding who you don’t really perceive to have a high ceiling, it puts the GM into a weird position of trying to decide which overperforming players on which he’s willing to continue investing club resources. For example, Nick Franklin will probably get DFA’d any moment now, and there’s a chance some other team will claim him. His ceiling is arguable, but his failures so far this year are well known. On the other hand, what about Eric Sogard? His ceiling is generally considered lower than Franklin’s, but he’s hitting the crap out of the ball right now.
Stearns (the Brewers’ GM) has the difficult problem of trying to keep as many high-ceiling players as possible (e.g., Jhan Marinez, Nick Franklin, Jonathan Villar) even when they have no options remaining, while balancing the roster with players that are actually helping the team win (Sogard, Hernan Perez, Oliver Drake). Moving Wily Peralta to the bullpen may be the most inventive solution yet to keeping a high-ceiling player on the roster even though he was failing at his role (SP): He looked good on Friday as a RP: 2IP, 5ks, 0ERs, and was throwing 98mph with a wipeout slider.
To be sure, the “potential nightmare” references a good problem to have, but it still requires high-consequence decisions.
My bad: they sent down Tyler Cravy instead, and Franklin will be their 13th position player.
Lol Cravy: got called up for 1 day, and the game was rained out.
Are you kidding? Brewers are in first place with a roster full of controllable players most through 2019 and a top 5 system and you worry about the 25th man being lost because he doesn’t have options? One man’s nightmare is another man’s dream. Stearns is sitting pretty. Opposing executives are the ones having nightmares about the Brewers.
Marinez and Franklin are fringe major leaguers at best. Calling them high ceiling guys is laughable. As for Villar, Brewers are thanking their lucky stars that he turned down a multi-year deal.
The Villar thing is eerily reminiscent of the Segura. I like Villar and while I never expected a repeat of last season, his massive regression to start this season is rather unsettling.
Marinez throws in the mid-90s with a good groundball rate, and Franklin is a former 1st round pick. My point was that these guys are perceived to have untapped potential, so one would prefer to control and develop them, rather than expose them to waivers and potentially lose them.
It’s definitely a tricky situation. Many rebuilding teams, across all sports, have had earlier then expected success and mishandled it, relegating themselves to even more rebuilding. You know, one step forward, two steps back. It will be interesting to see how Stearns
That’s odd…only half my comment posted
…it will be interesting to how Stearns
Wth??? Again with not posting my whole comment. I’m new to this forum. Any suggestions as to why this happens?
It happens periodically. It’s an app glitch. You just have to give it time lol.
The one step forward two step back teams you can directly correlate to the ownership. When Bud Selig owned the Brewers in the 90’s it’s what he did every year. And in todays news Bud Selig ok’d a trade of ______ (future all-star) to (Instert Team) for (undisclosed) Cash Considerations and a player that has no chance of making the majors. Mark Attanasio is not that kind of owner.
Dbacks have a lot of faith placed in Corbin and Pollock both on and off the field, their retooling of their minor league system will come through the draft. If their record was 18-26 I could see them unloading Greinke and Tomas in addition to Pollock/Corbin for prospects, but you don’t break up a team with the type of momentum they have running. They are a smaller market team disguised in a big market and with a new regime they’ll be really careful to not make any brazen moves.
You trade Pollock and Corbin if it nets you an ace. Chapman got a huge haul, I imagine that Pollock will bring in something similar. You gotta play the short and long game for baseball. The Cubs have done this perfectly the last 5 years.