About 20 minutes before each game at PNC Park, the scoreboard rolls the player introductions. During the Saturday Night Live themed entrances, it’s no surprise that Andrew McCutchen receives the biggest pop from the fans. It’s only fitting that the first player since Barry Bonds, who was showered with “MVP, MVP” chants last year, would be the fan favorite. There is, however, one player that comes close in rivaling McCutchen for the title of most popular Pirate. No, it isn’t A.J. Burnett, Starling Marte or Jason Grilli, who all great players in their own rights. It’s instead, Neil Walker.
Walker, a Gibsonia, Pa. native, grew up in the surrounding Pittsburgh area with the hopes of one day playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Walker’s father played for the Pirates and as a standout catcher in high school, the Pirates selected Walker in the first round of the 2004 and presented Walker with a $1.95 million signing bonus. You know the story about Walker. This article isn’t about that. He was never given a shot and after converting to many different positions, Walker found a comfortable home at second base for the Pirates.
As part of the young core that included McCutchen, Jose Tabata, Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln, Walker was one of the prospects for the Pirates to build around. After three straight impressive seasons, minus the collapses the last two years, the Pirates have a foundation in place moving forward. They extended McCutchen last spring with a $51 million deal and did the same with Jose Tabata at a club-friendly price. Alvarez, a Scott Boras client, is unlikely to sign an extension before he becomes a free agent.
But what about Walker?
It’s been a topic that has been hot for the past couple of years. If you talk to the fans in Pittsburgh, they’ll tell you that Walker has to stay. Some make him out to be the best second baseman since Rogers Hornsby. He’s a guy that the Pirates have to extend, right?
The truth is, the Pirates need to do continue with the approach that they have taken with Walker. Year-by-year and nothing more than that. Walker is a super two player and has three years of arbitration left before he becomes a free agent. This isn’t a case where you have a true superstar such as McCutchen in your grasp. McCutchen’s deal, a steal looking back at it, will run until 2019 when the All-Star centerfielder is 31 years old. The Pirates will have McCutchen through his prime. Unless the Pirates can sign Walker to a similar deal that they signed Tabata to, it’s preposterous to sign Walker to an extension when he’s going to be in his prime until he’s eligible to be a free agent.
I’m not taking anything away from Walker at all. He’s a stand-up guy and a good ballplayer. Because he’s from the Pittsburgh area, though, fans tend to think he’s a little bit better than he is.
Blasphemy.
I know, right.
Let’s do a comparison, shall we?
2013 numbers:
Player A: 11 R, 108 AB, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .241/.349/.315
Player B: 10 R, 114 AB, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .228/.273/.307
Similar numbers, right? Player A is none other than Walker. Player B is the person who is responsible with all that is wrong with the Pirates (according to the fans), Clint Barmes.
Walker’s WAR (Wins Above Replacement) this year is .4 and since 2010, Walker ranks at No. 13 in WAR among second baseman, behind the likes of Marco Scutaro, Omar Infante, Kelly Johnson and Howie Kendrick. He ranks 11th in AVG, ninth in OBP and 13th in SLG over the same time frame. While he has improved defensively to a position in which he had no experience before, he’s still just average. Since 2010, his UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) is -17.6, 20th among second basemen.
When Walker is set to become a free agent, Alvarez will be set to become a free agent and Marte, Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon should all be in their arbitration years as well, if everything goes to plan. Tying money up in a player that is older than the others, more easily replaceable and shows no signs of improving his defense or sticking at the position as he ages, makes no sense to me.
If he was the Cleveland Kid, California Kid or Florida Kid, you’d agree with me too. Because he’s from Pittsburgh, though, he needs to be a Pirate for life. Sorry, that’s not how this business works.
Photo Credits: ESPN.com
