By Mark Madden
November 17, 2017
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Pirates have “some interest in [a] reunion with free agent Neil Walker.” The catalyst: Difficulty with getting infielder/DUI specialist Jung-Ho Kang into the United States.
It’s a crock. It’s a big, steaming pile of fake news.
That doesn’t reflect badly on Morosi, an excellent reporter. Morosi got spoon-fed this garbage by the Pirates to generate good PR: “Bring back the local guy!” Get some Buc talk on the radio in the middle of football and hockey seasons.
But Walker will never play for the Pirates again.
Why would he want to?
The Pirates never seriously entered into talks with Walker regarding a long-term contract prior to trading him to the New York Mets for pitcher Jon Niese on December 9, 2015.
Oh, the Pirates made a cursory offer in ’15: One that Walker called, at the time, “not very realistic.”
Walker, a Pine-Richland High School graduate, wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. The Pirates pointedly did not want him.
Why? Good question. Walker’s performance merited at least seriously discussing a long-term deal, especially with Gerrit Cole, for example, counting the days until he can escape Pittsburgh.
But the organization, especially GM Neal Huntington, considers Walker a flawed player.
Or maybe the Pirates just don’t like Walker. He didn’t always toe the company line when it came to discussing shenanigans.
Walker very likely noticed that the Pirates are a flawed organization.
For Walker to return to Pittsburgh after the way the Pirates treated him would compromise his dignity.
Unless the Pirates are the highest bidder, that is.
But they won’t be. No chance.
Walker made $17.2 million last season, which he split between the Mets and Milwaukee. He won’t get that now. At 33, his stats don’t warrant it.
But Walker still figures to get between $9-11 million per season. He’s going to look for a 2- to 3-year deal.
Does anyone really think the Pirates have “some interest” in paying that when they barely bargained with Walker after some of his best seasons?
It’s just another in a series of Pirate cons designed to make you think they’re trying to win. “We almost got Neil Walker back!”
Walker would help the Pirates. Critics call him injury-prone. Walker only played 111 games this past season, and 113 in 2016. But Josh Harrison only played 128 games last year. Francisco Cervelli played just 81.
Walker has had back surgery, and that’s disturbing. But he’s hardly crippled.
Walker is likely a corner infielder at this point in his career. Who would you rather see as a regular, Walker or David Freese? Kang probably won’t return. But if he does, and the Pirates sign Walker, Harrison returns to his old super-utility role and gets the equivalent at-bats of a starter that way.
Walker hit .265 last season with a .362 on-base percentage, .439 slugging percentage and a .801 OPS. Those figures would have ranked fifth, third, third and second, respectively, on the Pirates.
Walker would make the Pirates stronger. But that’s not a big concern for owner Bob Nutting.
Maintaining profit margin is.
Pirates attendance has dropped over 579K since their 98-win season in 2015. The Pirates’ local TV ratings decreased by 27 percent in 2017.
Besides Morosi’s report about Walker, another rumor is floating: Pirates payroll will be slashed by $15 million before the 2018 season. Last year saw Pirates players earn $109m, the sixth-lowest total in MLB.
Sign Walker, or help the bottom line?
The Pirates can’t do both. So bet on the latter.
Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).
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