Why not get something of value?
I hope this helps us keep Junior, but I thought TW would have more trade value. He is no CHUMP.
Oh well.
Maybe Vidro is coming with Colon?
Why not get something of value?
I hope this helps us keep Junior, but I thought TW would have more trade value. He is no CHUMP.
Oh well.
Maybe Vidro is coming with Colon?
Vidro with Colon? Wow.. to the Expos that is like saying Kearns and Dunn in return. If any deal is possible for two of their players to be moved. It would be Vazquez and a Vidro. I still don't see how the Reds could make the money fit. Casey and White would surely have to be moved.
Last edited by Neo; 12-12-2002 at 07:37 PM.
"As long as I have fun playing, the stats will take care of themselves." - Ken Griffey Jr.
BOSTON -- Todd Walker became Boston's regular second baseman Thursday when he was obtained from the Cincinnati Reds in Theo Epstein's first trade as general manager of the Red Sox.
Walker, only seven months older than the 28-year-old Epstein, replaces Rey Sanchez, who became a free agent after not being offered arbitration.
Boston gave up two minor leaguers for Walker, who has a .292 batting average in seven seasons with Minnesota, Colorado and Cincinnati. The players going to the Reds will be identified within six months and do not depend on Walker's performance in Boston, Epstein said.
Walker hit .299 with 11 homers in 155 games last season. An average fielder much of his career, he led NL second basemen with a .989 fielding percentage last season. He has one year left on his contract at $3.4 million in addition to $450,000 in incentive bonuses and $475,000 in award bonuses.
Epstein made the deal the day before baseball's winter meetings in Nashville and said he joked with Walker that "it's my first trade. He's got to make me look good."
"I don't look at it as my first trade," Epstein said. "That would be really selfish. I just look at it as a chance for the organization to get better."
Walker has hit leadoff, but Epstein said center fielder Johnny Damon likely would continue in that spot, although the decision will be made by manager Grady Little.
Walker is "a very good everyday player at a position of need at a reasonable cost," Epstein said.
Epstein was named general manager Nov. 25, replacing interim GM Mike Port. His first acquisition was pitcher Ryan Rupe, claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay.
Walker is expected to play a bigger role than Rupe with Boston after batting .290 or better in each of his last three seasons.
Last season "was the best season that I've had in the big leagues to this point," Walker said. "It kind of catapulted me to the point that I'm at now."
He was comfortable in Cincinnati and surprised by the trade, but said it was "a step forward in my career."
The Reds acquired Walker in July 2001 from Colorado with outfielder Robin Jennings for Alex Ochoa. His career high batting average is .316 in 1998 with Minnesota. He hit. 296 in 2001 and totaled 77 doubles the past two years.
The lefthanded hitter thinks his ability to hit to the opposite field should result in hits off Fenway Park's left field wall.
"I think that's going to make a huge difference in my average and how many doubles I hit," Walker said.
Sanchez, 35, spent one season with Boston, hitting .286 and fielding well.
The trade means infielder Freddy Sanchez, one of Boston's top prospects, will likely spend next season in the minors rather than be rushed to the majors.
Epstein said he expects to talk with all major league clubs in Nashville and still has payroll flexibility after obtaining Walker.
"His acquisition is not going to limit us in any way in fulfilling our offseason game plan," Epstein said. "If Todd goes out and does this year what we think he's going to do, he'd be a bargain at almost any price.
Epstein said he still wants to help the bullpen, add a starting pitcher, improve at first base and designated hitter and obtain an extra outfielder who can back up in center field.
"People that frequent Internet forums resemble the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest!" - C. J. Cregg, The West Wing
I'm sorry to see Walker go. And I agree with others who have said he will not be easily replaced. He proved himself to be a quality player both at the plate and in the field, and I don't see a 2B on the Reds waiting to take his place. The other thing that bothers me about the trade is that it confirms what was suspected - the Reds are all about dumping salary while moving into GAB. No way does this makes the Red better in 2003.
The Red Sox message boards are fairly confident that the minor leaguers are Josh Thigpen and Tony Blanco. And they are not happy.
Only reason you don't announce now is because at least one of these guys is on the 28 man roster for Boston. Freddy sanchez becomes an obvious candidate.
Sanchez is an unproven commodity. Walker is proven, solid and cheap for Boston.
Sanchez and Blanco for Walker would make complete sense and be a good deal for both teams. Sanchez and Fossum for Walker would be a fleecing. Anything else, we will see.
I think the reason they haven't been named now is because they're both eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft. It would be a real kick in the pants to trade for a guy and then have him selected in the Rule 5 draft off of your roster. Better to have him picked off of the BoSox roster and to get a replacement for him in the trade.Only reason you don't announce now is because at least one of these guys is on the 28 man roster for Boston. Freddy sanchez becomes an obvious candidate.
It makes no sense if the guy is on the BoSox 28-man roster. The Reds have to make room for him somehow. The Reds aren't going to lose anyone off of their 40-man roster in the Rule 5 draft. A player on the BoSox 40-man roster isn't going to be selected in Rule 5. If the Reds need to make room on the 40-man roster, it really doesn't matter if that spot is created before or after the Rule 5 draft because to remove a player will require that he clear waivers.
I'm more and more convinced the Reds are not getting Freddy Sanchez in this trade.
"People that frequent Internet forums resemble the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest!" - C. J. Cregg, The West Wing
Couldn't be that the Reds wanted to have an open spot, or two on the 40 man until after Monday. Thus leaving the Red Sox to protect one or both of the players until then?
And if they select a player in Rule 5, they have to waive someone immediately when the player acquired from the BoSox is announced.
I guess it works in the Reds favor if they don't select a Rule 5 guy. That was they won't have waived a player just to have the option of selecting in the Rule 5 draft.
But I'll stick to my prediction that it isn't Freddy Sanchez coming to the Reds.
"People that frequent Internet forums resemble the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest!" - C. J. Cregg, The West Wing
I also doubt it will be Sanchez. But if it isn't, it doesn't leave much young available talent on the Red Sox 40 man roster anyhow.
I really can't imagine any scenario under which Freddy Sanchez would come to Cincinnati as part of the deal. Even setting aside the Boston message board talk -- which I tend to credit in this instsance -- GMs just don't make many one-for-one type deals. And that would hold doubly true where Epstein would be wagering $4 million plus a prospect that Walker would outperform Sanchez. Plus, Walker is the kind of player who could draw a prospect with upside, but that prospect would have to be a low-minors/high risk guy, not a high-minors one.
Red Sox get Walker, Reds get savings
By Jim Callis
December 12, 2002
After ending the Jose Offerman debacle, the Red Sox went with a defensive-minded second baseman in Rey Sanchez in 2002. On Thursday, they switched gears and focused on offense for 2003, acquiring Todd Walker from the Reds for two minor league players to be named sometime after Monday's Rule 5 draft.
Walker, 29, was one of the best second baseman in college history and led Louisiana State to the 1993 College World Series championship before the Twins drafted him in 1994's first round. He never fit in with Minnesota manager Tom Kelly, and was traded to the Rockies in 2000 and the Reds in 2001. Walker batted .299-11-64 in 155 games with Cincinnati this year, production in line with his career totals of .292-58-313 in 749 games. He's a line-drive hitter who makes consistent contact, capable of amassing plenty of doubles (42 in 2002) and occasional home runs. Walker is an average runner on the basepaths and has worked to make himself into a competent second baseman. A lefthanded hitter, he has improved his performance against southpaws dramatically, batting .269 and .278 the last two seasons, compared to .237 before that.
The main reason Cincinnati traded Walker is that he'll make $3.4 million in 2003, with another $925,000 possible in bonuses. With Rey Sanchez a free agent, Red Sox prospect Freddy Sanchez (no relation) was a leading contender for the second-base job before the addition of Walker. Sanchez now likely will get some more time in Triple-A, where he can work on his plate discipline and get more time at second base after playing shortstop for most of his pro career.
Once the players to be named are identified, we'll analyze them as well.
"People that frequent Internet forums resemble the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest!" - C. J. Cregg, The West Wing
Red Sox acquire Todd Walker
By Brita Meng Outzen / MLB.com
BOSTON -- Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein hasn't even left for the Winter Meetings yet and he's already checked off one item on his holiday shopping list: a starting second baseman.
The Red Sox acquired 29-year-old Todd Walker from the Cincinnati Reds Thursday in exchange for two minor league players to be named.
"We're acquiring Todd to be our everyday second baseman," Epstein said. "He is a solid hitter and has pop and hits to all fields."
The left-handed hitter batted .299 with 11 home runs and 64 RBIs in 155 games for Cincinnati last season, establishing career highs in hits (183), doubles (42) and RBIs. In seven years in the Majors, Walker has a .292 average with a .349 on-base percentage and .435 slugging percentage.
Walker committed just eight errors in 2002 for a .989 fielding percentage and led all National League second basemen with 314 putouts. He enters the 2003 season with a 41-game errorless streak, six games short of his career high.
"I feel very blessed to all of a sudden be a member of the Boston Red Sox," said Walker. "A move from the Reds to the Boston Red Sox is a step forward in my career and I'm real excited about it."
Walker succeeds Rey Sanchez, now a free agent, as Boston's regular second baseman. Although he had made only four errors in the field, Rey Sanchez hit .286 with 12 doubles, three triples and just one homer last season.
"The way baseball has evolved, the good teams have good offensive second basemen," Epstein said. "It takes the load off the rest of your lineup."
Rookie Freddy Sanchez, who was viewed as a possible replacement at second, will likely spend the entire 2003 season at Triple-A Pawtucket, according to Epstein. Sanchez is still learning the second base position after rising through the Boston organization as a shortstop. The Red Sox GM called the young infielder personally to inform him of the Walker trade.
Walker, who admitted he was a little surprised by the trade, doesn't expect to have any difficulties making the adjustment to his new ballpark.
"I hit a lot of balls to left," the second baseman said, "so I'm going to be pinning that wall pretty good."
If anything, Walker is happy he no longer has to face anybody on the Red Sox pitching staff.
"I have some very ugly memories of facing Pedro Martinez, so that's a bonus that I don't have to do that any more," said Walker, who played with Minnesota from 1996 through 1999. "And I faced Derek Lowe during Spring Training, and he's no picnic either."
Walker, who is signed through 2003, is due to earn $3.4 million next year with $450,000 in incentive bonuses and $475,000 in award bonuses. But Epstein emphasized that Walker's salary would not affect Boston's offseason game plan.
"We have some payroll flexibility -- not unlimited, but enough to meet our goals," said Epstein, who still has a shopping list as he leaves for the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday morning. The Red Sox are still looking to solidify the bullpen, perhaps add a starter, make improvements at first base and designated hitter and add another outfielder who can play center.
"People that frequent Internet forums resemble the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest!" - C. J. Cregg, The West Wing
This must be Carl's way of getting back at the fans for tricking him into re-signing Barry Larkin. Besides, he can make a down payment on a good republican congressman for what he was paying Walker
Does anyone have a link to the Red Sox 40 man roster?
With only 28 guys on it I think we should be able to narrow it down quit a bit.
No comment on the trade til monday.
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