Walker peripherals - crazy

[CorneliusWolfe]

Get low kid! You're just too (bleep) big. Umps aren't going to stop calling those low strikes at your calves.

[BMoreCardsFan]

Statcast - it's crazy that he has all this ability and still lacks pitch recognition and has a batting stance that sux. Change to the Pujols stance! What worked before (minors) doesn't translate to the Bigs. (Business axiom: "what got you here won't get you there").

Sprint Speed
1. Scott - 30.1
2. Walker - 28.7

MLB Batting - Average Bat Speed
1. Cruz, Oneil - 78.5
2. Caminero, Junior - 78.1
3. Walker, Jordan - 77.6
4. Adell, Jo - 77.5
5. Judge, Aaron - 76.8

(Note - he and Adell were top-5 prospects, and both have struggled despite the stats.)

He's now a -1 OAA - 2nd to last on the team ahead of now departed Barrero. So the fielding has tumbled as well.

Why did he regress from his first season? Figure that out and you solve everything. My guess is the plugged him into a computer program instead of just letting him do what he had been doing.

Stopped throwing him as many 4-seamers in the zone? The league adjusted to him and he hasn't returned the favor.

[An Old Friend]

Statcast - it's crazy that he has all this ability and still lacks pitch recognition and has a batting stance that sux. Change to the Pujols stance! What worked before (minors) doesn't translate to the Bigs. (Business axiom: "what got you here won't get you there").

Sprint Speed
1. Scott - 30.1
2. Walker - 28.7

MLB Batting - Average Bat Speed
1. Cruz, Oneil - 78.5
2. Caminero, Junior - 78.1
3. Walker, Jordan - 77.6
4. Adell, Jo - 77.5
5. Judge, Aaron - 76.8

(Note - he and Adell were top-5 prospects, and both have struggled despite the stats.)

He's now a -1 OAA - 2nd to last on the team ahead of now departed Barrero. So the fielding has tumbled as well.

Why did he regress from his first season? Figure that out and you solve everything. My guess is the plugged him into a computer program instead of just letting him do what he had been doing.

They gave him a big league job before he was ready and properly developed. They ignored all the warning signs and promoted him because he was ranked highly and they wanted a PR win.

They tried to skip steps in the development process and it bit them in the rear.

Maybe they genuinely thought he was ready and it wasn’t because of his “ranking” or a “PR win”?

They very well may have thought that considering how lost they found themselves in the player development business.

Hard to ignore the “warning signs” when a guy is hitting .300 with patience and power at every level despite being among the youngest player at every level.

Maybe it’s more of the whole Billy Beane thing. He had never failed at any level until the MLB. And he really didn’t “fail” until 2024. He hit better in his rookie year than most around here expected him to hit.

He slashed .239/.348/.398 with an 89 wRC+ in AAA in 2023 and followed that with .263/.326/.427 - 94 wRC+ in AAA in 2024. That isn't ".300 with power at every level"... but they ignored it.

You were saying PR win which was when he was first brought up. And at that point there were no warning signs.

He had a .299 on-base percentage in Spring Training with a 15:2 strikeout to walk ratio. That screams "not ready" but they ignored it.

He started that Spring 9-18 and they got ahead of themselves. He went 4 for his last 33 that Spring. He showed zero signs of being ready for the majors.

So now you’re reading everything into ST games? He was great at every level he had played at and did well in the AFL. They saw how he handled himself at ST and decided he was ready. He even had a .787 OPS his rookie year as a 20/21 year old, which is better than most here expected. I remember most saying if he had a .750 OPS it would be a success and he exceeded that. He has failed to adjust to MLB pitchers.

1. He hadn't played AAA
2. He struggled in Spring Training

They gave him an Opening Day roster spot, anyway... for no good reason... then SENT HIM DOWN.

When in AAA:
1. He wasn't good
2. Developmental gaps were clearly there

Then, rather than working through those, they thought it'd just magically cure itself in the big leagues.

It was stupid - they promoted him when they shouldn't have AND didn't need to... then promoted him AGAIN even while he was struggling in AAA. Made no sense at the time and the repercussions are being felt more acutely, now.

[Basil Shabazz]

He just went on the 10 day IL

[3dender]

He just went on the 10 day IL

appendicitis... back in my day guys would get their appendix out and be back in two days... or if not "guys" than at least Matt Holliday

[ClassicO]

Statcast - it's crazy that he has all this ability and still lacks pitch recognition and has a batting stance that sux. Change to the Pujols stance! What worked before (minors) doesn't translate to the Bigs. (Business axiom: "what got you here won't get you there").

Sprint Speed
1. Scott - 30.1
2. Walker - 28.7

MLB Batting - Average Bat Speed
1. Cruz, Oneil - 78.5
2. Caminero, Junior - 78.1
3. Walker, Jordan - 77.6
4. Adell, Jo - 77.5
5. Judge, Aaron - 76.8

(Note - he and Adell were top-5 prospects, and both have struggled despite the stats.)

He's now a -1 OAA - 2nd to last on the team ahead of now departed Barrero. So the fielding has tumbled as well.

You lost me at Joe Adell

Ha. Yeah, he's struggled mightily, altho this year he'd be 2nd on this team in RBI (39) and first by far in HR (16). He's also a bad OF and a major disappointment so far. I'd take Caminero (great year) and Judge (monster year)! And Cruz would probably be a starter here.

[ScotchMIrish]

Statcast - it's crazy that he has all this ability and still lacks pitch recognition and has a batting stance that sux. Change to the Pujols stance! What worked before (minors) doesn't translate to the Bigs. (Business axiom: "what got you here won't get you there").

Sprint Speed
1. Scott - 30.1
2. Walker - 28.7

MLB Batting - Average Bat Speed
1. Cruz, Oneil - 78.5
2. Caminero, Junior - 78.1
3. Walker, Jordan - 77.6
4. Adell, Jo - 77.5
5. Judge, Aaron - 76.8

(Note - he and Adell were top-5 prospects, and both have struggled despite the stats.)

He's now a -1 OAA - 2nd to last on the team ahead of now departed Barrero. So the fielding has tumbled as well.

Why did he regress from his first season? Figure that out and you solve everything. My guess is the plugged him into a computer program instead of just letting him do what he had been doing.

They gave him a big league job before he was ready and properly developed. They ignored all the warning signs and promoted him because he was ranked highly and they wanted a PR win.

They tried to skip steps in the development process and it bit them in the rear.

Maybe they genuinely thought he was ready and it wasn’t because of his “ranking” or a “PR win”?

They very well may have thought that considering how lost they found themselves in the player development business.

Hard to ignore the “warning signs” when a guy is hitting .300 with patience and power at every level despite being among the youngest player at every level.

Maybe it’s more of the whole Billy Beane thing. He had never failed at any level until the MLB. And he really didn’t “fail” until 2024. He hit better in his rookie year than most around here expected him to hit.

He slashed .239/.348/.398 with an 89 wRC+ in AAA in 2023 and followed that with .263/.326/.427 - 94 wRC+ in AAA in 2024. That isn't ".300 with power at every level"... but they ignored it.

You were saying PR win which was when he was first brought up. And at that point there were no warning signs.

He had a .299 on-base percentage in Spring Training with a 15:2 strikeout to walk ratio. That screams "not ready" but they ignored it.

He started that Spring 9-18 and they got ahead of themselves. He went 4 for his last 33 that Spring. He showed zero signs of being ready for the majors.

So now you’re reading everything into ST games? He was great at every level he had played at and did well in the AFL. They saw how he handled himself at ST and decided he was ready. He even had a .787 OPS his rookie year as a 20/21 year old, which is better than most here expected. I remember most saying if he had a .750 OPS it would be a success and he exceeded that. He has failed to adjust to MLB pitchers.

1. He hadn't played AAA
2. He struggled in Spring Training

They gave him an Opening Day roster spot, anyway... for no good reason... then SENT HIM DOWN.

When in AAA:
1. He wasn't good
2. Developmental gaps were clearly there

Then, rather than working through those, they thought it'd just magically cure itself in the big leagues.

It was stupid - they promoted him when they shouldn't have AND didn't need to... then promoted him AGAIN even while he was struggling in AAA. Made no sense at the time and the repercussions are being felt more acutely, now.

Prior to being sent down he was very good. They sent him down to get their analytics inside his head. Hasn't been the same player since.

[scoutyjones2]

There’s a reason he was a top prospect, the talent is there. He’s still young and should probably still be in the minors. Let’s just hope he can put it together.

And ignore scouty. His main function here is to criticize other posts. He is compelled to for some reason.

Tell me about his talent...how does a stance change enhance his inability to understand his strike zone/pitch recognition.

No, he performed as a gigantic fish in a small creatures pond...now he's with other big fish and an utter abomination.

What talent does he have? Strong arm. Yay! No position he can hold down...no hitting tools. Solid speed but how's that help when walking back to the dugout after ABs?

He has elite bat speed and EVs. He has a strong arm. And he has good speed. On top of all of that he’s also extremely likable. If he had even remotely solid pitch recognition he would be a very good player to have. But a las, he hasn’t gotten to that point yet. He’s still young enough though that he could figure it out. Until then he’ll be an enigma.

How the [fork] do you know he's extremely likable? And who cares? So he hits hard worm burner when and if he ever makes contact. His numbers get worse each year and his fielding is garbage.

Put him in the minors and let him prove himself.

-1.0 WAR, 51 OPS+, 6' 6" linebacker slugging a pathetic 295.

He's an abomination.

Just Worthless

[scoutyjones2]

Brilliant! Change to the "Pujols stance" even though your baseball pitch recognition sucks... that will do it!

You're a riot, Mr. Negative. You must be a blast at a party, telling everyone how dumb they are, especially when they realize the source of the criticism is a curmudgeon who offers nothing positive but criticizes things he doesn't understand.
Oh yeah, that can't happen because you don't get invited to parties (or anywhere).

PS - a stance that isn't straight up and open makes it hard, even with poor pitch recognition, to reach any outside breaking ball, or allow you to compensate once you do recognize it. Watch and see if he doesn't adjust - or fail.

If you can't recognize what's being thrown, your stance doesn't matter.

I offer plenty of positive. I want Just Worthless in AA to get any assemblence of being an MLB prospect back

He's horrible.

[Clubmaker2]

how come that 6 ft 6 or maybe even 6 ft 7 on his mlb.com listing, guy for the yankees has it all figured out?

[scoutyjones2]

how come that 6 ft 6 guy for the yankees has it figured out?

Must be the Pujols Stance!

[Clubmaker2]

I still say help fix bad low strike calls by wearing the old fashioned high stirrups ala rick ankiel so they know for sure how high your knees are.

[ClassicO]

how come that 6 ft 6 guy for the yankees has it figured out?

Must be the Pujols Stance!

Sigh. If you only had a clue.
Judge has a far less straight-up stance than Walker and even more so his full swing as he drops and bends his knees a lot. Kinda like another guy...

Screenshot 2025-06-26 at 10.50.28 AM.png (174.9 KiB) Viewed 119 times

Screenshot 2025-06-26 at 10.59.18 AM.png (191.39 KiB) Viewed 119 times

And again - if you're far less ready to adjust to outside pitch - even if you don't recognize it - you aren't going to hit it.

[scoutyjones2]

how come that 6 ft 6 guy for the yankees has it figured out?

Must be the Pujols Stance!

Sigh. If you only had a clue.
Judge has a far less straight-up stance than Walker and even more so his full swing as he drops and bends his knees a lot. Kinda like another guy...


Screenshot 2025-06-26 at 10.50.28 AM.png

Screenshot 2025-06-26 at 10.59.18 AM.png

And again - if you're far less ready to adjust to outside pitch - even if you don't recognize it - you aren't going to hit it.

He can't hit spin and has no launch angle

[ClassicO]

how come that 6 ft 6 guy for the yankees has it figured out?

Must be the Pujols Stance!

Sigh. If you only had a clue.
Judge has a far less straight-up stance than Walker and even more so his full swing as he drops and bends his knees a lot. Kinda like another guy...


Screenshot 2025-06-26 at 10.50.28 AM.png

Screenshot 2025-06-26 at 10.59.18 AM.png

And again - if you're far less ready to adjust to outside pitch - even if you don't recognize it - you aren't going to hit it.

You’ve never played baseball. That’s clear.

[Melville]

Statcast - it's crazy that he has all this ability and still lacks pitch recognition and has a batting stance that sux. Change to the Pujols stance! What worked before (minors) doesn't translate to the Bigs. (Business axiom: "what got you here won't get you there").

Sprint Speed
1. Scott - 30.1
2. Walker - 28.7

MLB Batting - Average Bat Speed
1. Cruz, Oneil - 78.5
2. Caminero, Junior - 78.1
3. Walker, Jordan - 77.6
4. Adell, Jo - 77.5
5. Judge, Aaron - 76.8

(Note - he and Adell were top-5 prospects, and both have struggled despite the stats.)

He's now a -1 OAA - 2nd to last on the team ahead of now departed Barrero. So the fielding has tumbled as well.

Strawberry
Hendricks
Sexson
O' Neill Cruz
Many, many more.
Tall hitters do not need to "sit" like Pujols did.
On the other hand, some tall and erect hitters - such as Heyward and Walker - do struggle with an upright stance.
But the stance is not the issue - it is other factors.
Walker simply appears to always be "looking in" for pitches he can turn on - and that comes at the cost of being over exposed away.
His mentality, not his stance, is the problem.