Appreciating Jordan Walker's rookie season
As Pacino said, he's just getting warmed up.
Sports fans get way ahead of themselves when it comes to young players. Rookies who drafted high or sit atop an MLB Pipeline list enter the game with more than the regular expectations. Save the ship! Be better than a new kid! If not, the best fans in baseball will grow cold. St. Louis is no different when it comes to patience with players.
They’ve unleashed plenty of disgust on rookie Jordan Walker, the bigtime prospect who flew north with the team out of camp and hasn’t left the lineup for long. The bat is fine. 11 home runs, 13 doubles, and a .412 SLUG in 86 games wouldn’t make a highlight reel, but it’s evidence that more sits in the tank.
The swing is long and the need to dive after a decent breaking pitch heading away from the bat will improve with reps. Every great player was a prisoner to repetition, the endless need to repeat a practice. Walker isn’t getting the normal dose of easy Central opponents to feast on during his first ride through the show; he’s dealing with the new, balanced schedule that features a roundup of the entire league’s pitching arsenal.
Walker’s defense is the area that gathers the most criticism. As in, the radio show text-in line and chat room keyboard warriors aren’t satisfied with the outfield defense. Hint: Walker probably agrees. He doesn’t get the best jumps, and his arm can be Jon Jay double-hop rough at times. But we have a player still getting used to the outfield in general.
The bowtie crew of experts had Walker playing 70 games at third base in 2022. That’s with a Major League corner infielder who hasn’t allowed another soul to own the N.L. Gold Glove award since entering the league back in 2013. Nolan Arenado was a Cardinal with a long-term contract and a desire to finish his career in St. Louis, yet Walker was still at third last year. Eventually, he found 33 games in the outfield.
A year later, he’s guarding right field at Busch Stadium, a place that has eaten better outfielders with a lot more minor league experience alive. Walker’s mishaps are more common than most roasters can find time to believe. He looks out of place, stiff, and without the proper timing whenever a ball is shot his way.
Give it time. This too shall pass. A saying that gives credit to the stumblers can also stab the players doing good at the moment. All moments and streaks do eventually pass through, leading to another adjustment. Walker will get there.
I’ll take the 101 OPS+ and double-digit home runs as a sign that a full year with confidence and less tinkering (his weird Memphis detour in the first month of the season) will yield even bigger results. While there is no need to compare the two when it comes to production and expectations, Arenado’s rookie season wasn’t exactly a gas at the plate. A .701 OPS and 10 HR over 133 games required some patience too, even if the first of ten Gold Gloves helped.
Walker may not turn into the player that the front office thinks he will be, but that’s not a loss. He just needs to be a solid outfielder with some pop and improved defense. That’s it. All the Cardinals need right now are solid players who promise consistency at the plate and in the field. They surely can’t win much with TWO MVP-caliber players.
Walker will help. He’s sticking around.
The Cardinals have been patently unfair to Walker as Dream points out.
No one in baseball is capable of replacing Arenado; thus, why put Walker at 3rd in AA ?
Typical Mozeliak arrogance and ignorance. Reminds me of when Football Cardinals George Boone drafted “the best athlete” instead of a position player they needed. Who can forget “Dr. Doom” Johnny Barefield who got the quarter knocked out of his ear every game.
Maybe they will give Jordan a chance and the necessary help to play an adequate outfield next year?
Good Piece Dream.
Carlin Dead and sick and tired of this lame season
Walker has been underwhelming. As it stands, he’s a below-average major leaguer. However, the tools are all there and there’s hope he’ll fulfill his potential. Or he could be yet another in the long line of overhyped Cards prospects who fail to make the grade.