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If you want to compare BB/K than you're right. Not many success stories. If you apply each separately than you're wrong. Adam Jones has a terrible BB% ( http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6368&position=OF ). Especially in his first 2 years of 2006 & 2007. Yet he is an All Star regularly. And he is not an All Star because his K rate is so low compared to his BB rate. I know Jones is in the majors, but what is the acceptable BB rate and what is the acceptable K rate for an individual to be successful at the MLB level. Or is it only when you compare the 2 that you can really assess future talent. Jones OBP during his initial call up year was .237 and yet he came back the following year and posted a .300 OBP and a .311 OBP in his first full season. I guess you can always argue that Mike Trout led the MLB in SO last year and won the MVP, because his BB rate was twice as good as Jones. Valid point - maybe? Doesn't mean I wouldn't take a Jones on my team. And I am never saying that Walker doesn't need work. NO DOUBT. I can live with the rewards while he works on it though. Shout out to Berrios. Well deserved.

Twins are taking it slow with Walker and that is ok. If he becomes a star at 25 as opposed to say, a Buxton at 23. SO WHAT! He star value easily outweighs his age. Besides - dominating in the areas he is dominating at the age of 23 is not a bad thing. (1) If he fixes his faults, he is one of the Best in the game. (2) If he fixes his faults just a tad, he is an Almost an All Star for the mid summer classic (Dozieris - on the outside). (3) If he continues to Do what he does (high Ks / low BB / high production), he will continue to frustrate fans. (4) If his K's and Low BB get worse and he can not adapt to MLB pitching, you have a bust. I can live with 3 of 4

They are all candidates until they prove themselves Boom or Bust to management and / or fans . Definitely needs to push walk rate up and strikeout rate down. Not the only thing that defines him though. Could you live with poor rates if production stayed the same? And Who was the last Twins success story in terms of candidates, based on your peripherals of a Boom prospect? We know what you think in terms of potential Bust (23 HRs & 67 RBI in AA / 109 SO in 71 games). Glass half empty

What does gut tell you?

FUTURES GAME USA OUTFIELDERS COMPLETE INJUSTICE Michael Conforto NYM AA L R 6-1 211 RUNS 39; 2B 20; 3B 2; HR 9; RBI 41; AVG .302; OPS .875 Aaron Judge NYY AAA R R 6-7 275 RUNS 36; 2B 16; 3B 3; HR 12; RBI 46; AVG ..277; OPS .845 Brandon Nimmo NYM AA L R 6-3 205 RUNS 19; 2B 10; 3B 2; HR 2; RBI 13; AVG .300; OPS .782 Kyle Waldrop CIN AA L L 6-2 215 RUNS 21; 2B 13; 3B 3; HR 6; RBI 31; AVG .277; OPS .742 Nick Williams TEX AA L L 6-3 195 RUNS 39; 2B 16; 3B 3; HR 8; RBI 31; AVG .294; OPS .814 Bradley Zimmer CLE A+ L R 6-4 185 RUNS 52; 2B 12; 3B 3; HR 9; RBI 29; AVG .300; OPS .886 NOT SELECTED - 1st or 2nd in every category except AVG. Adam Brett Walker MIN AA R R 6-4 225 RUNS 46; 2B 17; 3B 2; HR 19; RBI 59; AVG .270; OPS 909; He will be the Aaron Rogers of Baseball in 5 years. Overlooked in Draft and now just results! Highest OPS despite K's and OBP. Highest production rate of entire roster USA & WORLD. 5 guys older than him on USA roster. Waldrop is in the same AA League and not close to production of Walker. It is obviously not about results in actual baseball games. WOW BTW - So happy for Kepler and Berrios - Well deserved. Surprised by Sano too and Polanco. No USA Twins Prospects

Age matters at retirement. Plenty of late blooming vets in baseball.

Why is it always about the HRs with Walker. He has hit as many doubles as anyone on the team (17) in addition to his minor league leading 19 HRs. Certain guys hit 17 doubles and it shows their potential for future power, while Walker hits 17 doubles and he is all or nothing based on Ks and HRs. A .312 ISO and .407 wOBA mean nothing either? Not to mention the fact that he has SCORED more than damn near everyone in the entire league. When do we start appreciating the part of his game that actually helps you win games [hrS; SCORING RUNS; DRIVING IN RUNS]. He has put himself in scoring position more times than anyone else in the league based on hits alone (posted before - XBH). Damn a strikeout. What can you do to help me win games? Get on base (BB) and wait for the next guy to help you get around the bases? How's that working for the Twins lately? Every team needs RUN PRODUCERS!!! Walker has 18 more RBI than Sano and that doesn't matter because he strikeouts too much. I said 18 MORE. How many Twins don't even have 18? And for the record - WALKER BATS 7th in the lineup - 7TH!!! It's crazy because the announcers from another Southern League team dubbed ABW as the 1st half MVP in their eyes, but his own organizational fan base sees him as a probable failure. All they talked about was his production while never mentioning his SO once. I'm sure he's working on flaws and I don't want people to turn on him based on my opinion. Just saying............Thought AA was the most difficult transition in minor league ball? I guess that's half right and the only half that matters is SO. Back to the minor league night in baseball - No more Walker talk from me. Sorry Steve

ABW II - 1st half numbers of 19 HRs and 59 RBI are outstanding. Listen to the Southern League 1st Half Recap from Non Lookout personnel / Other Southern League Announcers. Interesting perspective.................Listen from 8:45 mark https://soundcloud.com/jacksonville-suns/eye-on-the-southern-league-june-19-2015

And Just the facts - Lol

Great footage of Walker playing 1st base in NCAA Regionals. He's more athletic than stiff IMO - Start video at 35 seconds and watch thru 2 minutes and 32 seconds

I love the facts as well. These stats are what make Walker, Walker. Why would you not want the good with the bad when the good is sooo... good? I agree 100% Seth Kepler had 21 hits; 10 runs scored and 22 TB thru today and Walker had 22 hits; 13 runs scored and 39 TB. This is a great 1st half of a month (June) for both players. For the record - Walker struck out 40% of the time while doing this. Definitely needs improvement, but what do you have if he ever figures it out just a little better?

What does it say that despite his BB rate being so bad, Walker has gotten on base only 7 times less than Sano this year (85 to 78)& .358 OBP; 5 times less than Harrison & his .367 OBP; and 15 times less than Buxton and his .351 OBP, yet has scored one less run than Buxton on the year. That should not be possible with a 35% K rate? That isn't just this year either. Top 3 in league every year in scoring. Just saying - Maybe just a little success in the majors? Maybe?

I think he's Elite too for all the above reasons.

With Walkers 36 XBH - He places himself in scoring position 46% of the time he reaches base overall (BB or Hit). Where as teammates Sano (29%) or Harrison (24%) or Kepler (31%) are in scoring position slightly less despite reaching base via BB much more. In all - Sano has reached base 8 more times overall (86 to Walkers 78). Walker has 11 more XBH which has helped him score at an equal amount (43) despite his high K rate. The question becomes : Does a slight reduction in his power numbers at the Bigs still translate to the Production? Playing like a poor mans Brian Dozier with all those XBH and Runs Scored. 46% is a CRAZY percentage to be in scoring position at any level, especially AA.

http://puckettspond.com/2015/06/15/minnesota-twins-under-the-radar-prospect-part-two/ In a perfect world (Walker)

17 doubles (team high) and 17 home runs (minor league high) is an impressive stat line. With all of Walker's K's - He has reached base 78 times this year either by BB or Hit. Of those 78 times his XBH have put him in scoring position 46% of the time he reaches base. Sano has reached base 86 times via BB or Hit and his XBH have put him in scoring position 29% of the time he reaches base. Harrison has reached base 85 times via BB or Hit and his XBH have put him in scoring position 24% of the time he reaches base. Kepler has reached base 83 times via BB or Hit and his XBH have put him in scoring position 31% of the time he reaches base. They have all reached base amazingly with similar numbers (78 to 85 times). Walker, Sano, Harrison, and Kepler all have high numbers for the amounts of time they are in scoring position. This is one of the main reasons the Lookouts are so potent offensively in AA this year. Opportunities to score and everyone taking advantage in their own way. By either getting in scoring position or driving in runs when fellow teammates do get in position. or both Walker being in scoring position 46% of the time he reaches base via XBH is probably the reason he ranks so well in Run Scoring over the years. Walker is currently 2nd in the Southern league in runs scored as well, which is good for 3rd in all of AA along with Sano.

Glad to see Walkers OPS up over .902 & his OBP is over .320. Slowly but surely improving. All first half highs for Walker. His average is over .270 as of today as well. Let's hope he and the other Lookouts can stay hot for the rest of the first half and clinch the first half playoff bid.

Walker #17 2B - #2 3B - #17 HR 36 XBH Second in the southern league in 2B shows he's not all HR or Bust .902 OPS - Not bad for 91 SO 43 Runs Scored with a terrible BB/K rate (3rd most runs scored in all of AA) Just a different dude IMO (4 for 5 with 2 2B)

ABW hits #17 and 53rd Ribby http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=164227183&sid=t498

HR #17 and RBI #53 - 7 games left in 1st half of AA season http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=164227183&sid=t498

Hats off to Niko Goodrum in his AA debut as he went 2 - 4 with a stolen base. Glad to see you with your guys again. Easily could have been player of the day too.

I'm finding that there are way more pitchers throwing off speed stuff at the Double A level in a hitters count. Especially from the better prospect pitchers and there are several on each team. You definitely notice the difference from High A ball.

He was doomed as soon as they drafted Buxton and Buxton had his explosive start. Any flaw Hicks had was magnified in discussion. Now he has a better average than last year and his OBP is much worse. I thopught his .347 OBP last year was outstanding (4th best on Twins team) despite his average and showed promise had he stayed at the MLB level. Instead he was sent down to learn how to hit. This year he started in AAA where he improved his BA to .336. He did exactly what everyone wanted and did it very well. Now he is called up again and because he hasn't shown his AAA improvements "YET" - people are starting to loose faith. Brian Dozier had a: .234 BA and .271 OBP his rookie year - 2012 .244 BA and .312 OBP his second year - 2013 .242 BA and .345 OBP his third year - 2014 .262 BA and .344 OBP this year - 2015 Sometimes you have to let them (youngins) find themselves at the MLB level before you define their worth. How we all decide who is worthy of time and who isn't is disturbing. Management yes - Fans generally assume based on bias. Give the man a season to define his worth IMO