Non Roster Taijuan Walker

[Flipper1a]

From Lavelle:

 

Interest in Walker

The Twins are finalizing their list of nonroster invites to spring training. One pitcher they are interested in bringing in is a former highly touted righthander: Taijuan Walker.

Walker, 27, has thrown just 14 innings over the past two seasons because of Tommy John surgery in April 2018. He was picked 43rd overall by the Mariners in 2010, and touched 98 miles per hour before surgery.

The Twins view him as a bounce-back candidate who could help the rotation while Michael Pineda serves his suspension for taking a banned substance and Rich Hill completes his rehabilitation from elbow surgery. Walker would have to prove his health first, then work on his command and secondary pitches, issues he dealt with before he was injured.

Walker is 31-31 with a 3.95 ERA in 97 career games, 94 of them starts.

[Flipper1a]

I would think he would get a better offer than a non roster but we will see.

[Doctor Gast]

 

I would think he would get a better offer than a non roster but we will see.

So would I. Maybe they could work out an agreement to sign him after Hill goes on IL so that there`d be flexibility in the 40 man roster. Looks like they are in communication w/ him. As long as those who need work in spring training get it, the more the merrier 

[Shaitan]

If he's willing to sign a nonroster spot that's great, as they can stash him in AAA with an opt out date.

[TFRazor]

This feels like a very Pineda-esque move

[Twodogs]

I really like the possibility of a Walker bonce back! I think anyway the Twins could get him would be good for the depth of the team.

[twinkiesfan11]

Would be a nice capper to the offseason to add an upside play on a non guaranteed contract. It seems like a good opportunity for him to join an organization that has 1) a need, 2) is a winner and 3) has developed good reputation for pitcher development.

[twins_89]

The likelihood that the Twins trade for a starter before Spring training is looking pretty remote, so Walker is probably the best case scenario left. We definitely need another capable starter for the first quarter of the season, so Walker would have every opportunity to make the opening day roster. There isn't another playoff caliber team in baseball that has as easy a path to making the rotation.

[Greglw3]

 

From Lavelle:

 

Interest in Walker

The Twins are finalizing their list of nonroster invites to spring training. One pitcher they are interested in bringing in is a former highly touted righthander: Taijuan Walker.

Walker, 27, has thrown just 14 innings over the past two seasons because of Tommy John surgery in April 2018. He was picked 43rd overall by the Mariners in 2010, and touched 98 miles per hour before surgery.

The Twins view him as a bounce-back candidate who could help the rotation while Michael Pineda serves his suspension for taking a banned substance and Rich Hill completes his rehabilitation from elbow surgery. Walker would have to prove his health first, then work on his command and secondary pitches, issues he dealt with before he was injured.

Walker is 31-31 with a 3.95 ERA in 97 career games, 94 of them starts.

I think it’s a great idea! He’s two years out from Tommy John now. If he passes a physical, I’d say sign him quick!  I’m really uncomfortable about starting the season with 2 unproven rookies and they would make a lot of starts. Depth in starting pitching is needed. Best case, he could fill the #4 sport, then Twins would only have to go with one rookie or even have some opener or bullpen games for the #5 spot til Rich Hill is ready. Maybe this just shows how avid a fan I am but this move would actually excite me!

[SomeGuy]

 

The likelihood that the Twins trade for a starter before Spring training is looking pretty remote, so Walker is probably the best case scenario left. We definitely need another capable starter for the first quarter of the season, so Walker would have every opportunity to make the opening day roster. There isn't another playoff caliber team in baseball that has as easy a path to making the rotation.

The trouble with needing him most in the first quarter of the season is that he is likely to show some rust after missing the last 2 seasons. I wouldn't view the Twins as having an easy spot for him to claim especially in the 2nd half of the year. The worst thing for him personally would be to waste another year because he was passed up on the depth chart for a contending team that can't afford to have patience with any rust or an ineffective starter. If he isn't cutting it and we ask him to move to the pen or AAA it would be a blow to him next offseason too.

 

He seems like a great candidate for a rebuilding team. He wants to KNOW that he will have a spot for the full season to rebuild his value. I'm guessing a rebuilding team grabs him with the hopes of flipping him in July.

 

He isn't in the position to pick the team that gives him the best chance at the post season or world series right now.

[twins_89]

 

The trouble with needing him most in the first quarter of the season is that he is likely to show some rust after missing the last 2 seasons. I wouldn't view the Twins as having an easy spot for him to claim especially in the 2nd half of the year. The worst thing for him personally would be to waste another year because he was passed up on the depth chart for a contending team that can't afford to have patience with any rust or an ineffective starter. If he isn't cutting it and we ask him to move to the pen or AAA it would be a blow to him next offseason too.

 

He seems like a great candidate for a rebuilding team. He wants to KNOW that he will have a spot for the full season to rebuild his value. I'm guessing a rebuilding team grabs him with the hopes of flipping him in July.

 

He isn't in the position to pick the team that gives him the best chance at the post season or world series right now.

 

I'd put the odds of Pineda, Bailey, and Hill all being healthy and effective in the second half as very low. If Walker demonstrates he can be productive, I have little doubt there will be a place for him in the rotation.

[SomeGuy]

 

I'd put the odds of Pineda, Bailey, and Hill all being healthy and effective in the second half as very low. If Walker demonstrates he can be productive, I have little doubt there will be a place for him in the rotation.

But there are many other teams with much clearer paths to the rotation where he doesn't have 5 veterans and 2-4 other candidates to compete with. He shouldn't pick a destination where he is banking on injuries or a short suspension to open a spot for him. He needs to pitch as much as possible to reestablish himself and he will want a rotation spot that is all but guaranteed. The Twins can't offer that.

 

 

[Thegrin]

Walker might become an effective pitcher again, but I wouldn't look for him to do it before June, the same time that we get Pineda back.  Still, it would be a good signing.  

[Flipper1a]

I think it is the reverse (for pressure) he would be counted as a 4th or 5th starter and they can ease him in early in innings if needed also.  There will be some experienced pitchers helping him out too (Hill, Pineda, Odorizzi, Bailey, and Berrios).  Cleveland started with 7 guys who could start at the beginning of last year and Kluber and Carrasco ended up with injuries.....

 

We have Berrios, Bailey, and Odorizzi.....Maybes of Romero, Smeltzer, Dobnak, and Thorpe.  Graterol will be on an innings limit.  Plenty of innings for him.  Hill is June; Pineda May.  9 rotation starts until Pineda.  Maybe give him (Walker) a little break at that point (DL/Sore Arm for 15 days)?

[bunsen82]

I tried to post this earlier.  The Twins would obviously be the best choice if all he has are non roster offers, however you would have to think he can get a deal even for 2-3 million from a cheap organization looking for a bargain.  Even Martin Perez was able to get that deal out of us last year, and then have a 6 million deal this year.  Makes you question if his arm is cooked. 

[twins_89]

 

I tried to post this earlier.  The Twins would obviously be the best choice if all he has are non roster offers, however you would have to think he can get a deal even for 2-3 million from a cheap organization looking for a bargain.  Even Martin Perez was able to get that deal out of us last year, and then have a 6 million deal this year.  Makes you question if his arm is cooked. 

 

That's had me somewhat puzzled as well. He's a guy who has demonstrated he can succeed and at 27 there's no age issue to worry about. The fact that he hasn't gotten even a minimal major league deal is concerning. I'd suspect if teams thought there was even a modest chance he could return to his previous level of performance he would have multiple offers for a few million plus heavy incentives.

[ashbury]

It's not a question only of guaranteed MLB contract (taking a 40-man spot) versus minor league contract. Also pertinent to a minor league invite will be the opt-out date he is granted. If one team will allow him to depart if he's not added to the 40-man before the last week of Spring Training, versus Opening Day, versus a week into the season, versus no opt-out at all, the player will take what's most favorable. And a team with championship aspirations will be averse to offering the most generous opt-out, because they may view it as about the same as not inviting the player at all, if they don't think they will be able to add him.

 

Also, the player will likely weigh the amount of competition for the final roster spot of each team.

 

All in all, I'll be surprised if the Twins are able to make an attractive offer to one of the more desirable non-roster types still out there.

[howieramone2]

Our desperation ended when we quickly signed Odorizzi and Pineda. No doubt we will sign a #3 before we deal with the Yankees.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I'd put the odds of Pineda, Bailey, and Hill all being healthy and effective in the second half as very low. If Walker demonstrates he can be productive, I have little doubt there will be a place for him in the rotation.

isn’t that more reason to trade for a front to mid rotation starter you can count on? How many 40 man spots are you going to throw at starting pitcher?

[twins_89]

 

isn’t that more reason to trade for a front to mid rotation starter you can count on? How many 40 man spots are you going to throw at starting pitcher?

 

That would be by far the preferred path, it just looks fairly unlikely to happen at this point in the off-season. I would guess there is a high probability that the Twins will go hard after available starters at the trade deadline.

[SomeGuy]

 

That's had me somewhat puzzled as well. He's a guy who has demonstrated he can succeed and at 27 there's no age issue to worry about. The fact that he hasn't gotten even a minimal major league deal is concerning. I'd suspect if teams thought there was even a modest chance he could return to his previous level of performance he would have multiple offers for a few million plus heavy incentives.

We don't know for sure what levels of interest he has received.  Maybe he is sitting on major league contract offers. The rumor mill is running on very little information here. I wouldn't take the Twins interest in a non roster invite as the entire market's mindset.

 

It is likely that he is taking a lot more into consideration than just accepting any offer thrown his way. He is probably looking at teams training staffs, what pitching plan they would think is best (innings limit, planned skipped starts), best path to a rotation spot, etc.

 

[nicksaviking]

Walker made one start at the end of the year and his velocity was back to his normal range. I think it would be hard for teams to evaluate his comeback on anything other than the velocity as far as on-field performance goes.

 

So because he was back to his normal velocity range and no teams appear willing to give him a guaranteed contract, I might think there have been other red flags that teams see when checking out his medical reports.

 

I'd still be more than happy to give him a roll though.

[ewen21]

Would be a nice capper to the offseason to add an upside play on a non guaranteed contract. It seems like a good opportunity for him to join an organization that has 1) a need, 2) is a winner and 3) has developed good reputation for pitcher development.

The Twins have a good reputation for pitcher development? Where are all the great pitchers we’ve developed over the last 20 seasons?

 

I think pitcher development has been a major weakness for us. In between Liriano (who we traded for) and Berrios we have had a terrible run for developing starting pitching.

[twinkiesfan11]

 

The Twins have a good reputation for pitcher development? Where are all the great pitchers we’ve developed over the last 20 seasons?

I think pitcher development has been a major weakness for us. In between Liriano (who we traded for) and Berrios we have had a terrible run for developing starting pitching.

 

How many of the scouts and player development people from the past 20 seasons still work in the organization? 

 

Derek Falvey, Wes Johnson, Josh Kalk, Pete Maki and Justin Willard are all frequently mentioned as highly respected within the industry for pitching development. Several teams couldn't wait to take Jeremy Hefner off the Twins hands this offseason. I'm sure there are others who are doing excellent jobs that don't get mentioned in the press. I think you can count placing 2-3 pitchers (none of which were high draft picks or major international signings) in most of the major publications top 100 prospect lists and the dramatic improvement of the 2019 bullpen as positive development stories. 

[ewen21]

How long have these guys been around?  THe answer is not even four years.  If we are to ask fan bases around the league which are the franchises that have a strong reputation and track record for raising pitching our Twins wouldn't crack the 10 or even he top 20, to be quite honest with you.   I think maybe we should wait awhile and see some arms actually come through the system before such a claim can be made.  

[Thrylos]

 

It's not a question only of guaranteed MLB contract (taking a 40-man spot) versus minor league contract. Also pertinent to a minor league invite will be the opt-out date he is granted. If one team will allow him to depart if he's not added to the 40-man before the last week of Spring Training, versus Opening Day, versus a week into the season, versus no opt-out at all, the player will take what's most favorable. And a team with championship aspirations will be averse to offering the most generous opt-out, because they may view it as about the same as not inviting the player at all, if they don't think they will be able to add him.

 

Also, the player will likely weigh the amount of competition for the final roster spot of each team.

 

All in all, I'll be surprised if the Twins are able to make an attractive offer to one of the more desirable non-roster types still out there.

I agree with most of this, but a team with championship aspirations would have its eyes set higher than hoping that a guy who has last pitched (mostly) a full season in 2017, has a career 4.21 FIP (That's Kyle Gibson territory) and never pitched 170 innings in a season (Dobnak pitched 163-1/3 last season), will be what will make them reach their aspirations when their best pitcher is a three at best in any other contender's rotation.

 

That's the reason that Walker really does not make sense for the Twins.

[jud6312]

 

How long have these guys been around?  THe answer is not even four years.  If we are to ask fan bases around the league which are the franchises that have a strong reputation and track record for raising pitching our Twins wouldn't crack the 10 or even he top 20, to be quite honest with you.   I think maybe we should wait awhile and see some arms actually come through the system before such a claim can be made.  

 

I'm so glad someone else had the same thought on this as I did.

 

Eventually, Favine, Wes and the boys might have a proven track record, but it's certainly not there yet. Not even close.

 

Everyone keeps saying "but Wes" when explaining why reclamation projects will work here. Why is that a given? Did Marty Perez get better under him? Did Berrios? Gibson? Sure, there were some successes, but there were plenty of guys that didn't pan out under the gurus, too.

 

Mixed bag at best, certainly not a track record.

 

 

[Mr. Brooks]

I'm so glad someone else had the same thought on this as I did.

 

Eventually, Favine, Wes and the boys might have a proven track record, but it's certainly not there yet. Not even close.

 

Everyone keeps saying "but Wes" when explaining why reclamation projects will work here. Why is that a given? Did Marty Perez get better under him? Did Berrios? Gibson? Sure, there were some successes, but there were plenty of guys that didn't pan out under the gurus, too.

 

Mixed bag at best, certainly not a track record.

Given the offensive environment last year, yes, Berrios most certainly improved, a lot.

[jud6312]

 

Given the offensive environment last year, yes, Berrios most certainly improved, a lot.

 

If anything he stayed the same - Ks down, walks down, HRs identical, hits up, innings up slightly, WHIP up.

[Mr. Brooks]

If anything he stayed the same - Ks down, walks down, HRs identical, hits up, innings up slightly, WHIP up.

Right, but given the absurd offensive environment last year, he had to improve considerably to keep his numbers the same.

His ERA+ went up from 113 to 124.