Christian Walker ranked among the top 10 first basemen in wins above replacement

[Ronin]

The Diamondbacks might have traded Paul Goldschmidt over the winter, but they ended up receiving very similar production from the first baseman who eventually replaced him.

After hitting a pair of home runs on Saturday night, rookie Christian Walker finished with 29 homers and an .824 OPS. In his first year with the Cardinals, Goldschmidt hit 34 homers with an .822 OPS. The two also had similar batting averages and on-base percentages.

Granted, it was a down year for Goldschmidt, given his standards, but Walker still ranked among the Top 10 first basemen in wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.

“It’s amazing,” Walker said. “I definitely proved a lot to myself this year. A long season, my first full season in the big leagues. Obviously, there’s some room to grow and get better and adjust some things in the offseason, but I do feel like I need to take a sec and appreciate the year I’ve had and where I’ve come and the past few years. Being here is awesome right now.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...goldschmidt/3815719002/?cid=twitter_azcsports

 

[Dback Jon]

Congrats to Christian. A very good season. And a whole lot cheaper than Goldy

Top 10 in Position WAR proves that he belongs.

 

[Bobster]

Considering the guy was waived three times over a five week period in 2017, you have to feel good for him.

 

[WildBB]

What a great success story for the year. There were stretches he was bad, but overall if he can maintain his power and hit around .270 and keep his OBP, then he'll be a primary starter here.

What to do with Cron now?

 

[overseascardfan]

What a great success story for the year. There were stretches he was bad, but overall if he can maintain his power and hit around .270 and keep his OBP, then he'll be a primary starter here.

What to do with Cron now?

Can Walker play LF or can Cron play 3B?

 

[Shaggy]

Considering the guy was waived three times over a five week period in 2017, you have to feel good for him.

Waived? You mean sent back to the minors?

 

[BC867]

Can Walker play LF or can Cron play 3B?

Cron has played 3B as well as 1B in the Minors. But we have our RBI leader at 3B, Escobar. And, of
course, Lovullo trying to find time for Lamb (and his sub-.200 batting average) there, too.

I believe that Cron could adapt to LF. He'd certainly do better than the other infielder who was given
the job, Rojas, who was weak both at-bat and in the field. Steve and BB said he doesn't belong in the
outfield.

As I've posted recently, what is it that Torey has against Cron? He never game him a chance.

If next season is planned to be the same, I hope they trade him to a team that will. He was
the top power hitter in the Minor Leagues this season in far less than a full season.

 

[Brian]

Don't need to worry about Lamb. He won't be back.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Waived? You mean sent back to the minors?

The Orioles waived him, the Braves tried to claim him, but lost out to the Reds.

The Reds waived him.

I only see where he was waived twice, but he was definitely waived and not sent back down.

 

[overseascardfan]

Cron has played 3B as well as 1B in the Minors. But we have our RBI leader at 3B, Escobar. And, of
course, Lovullo trying to find time for Lamb (and his sub-.200 batting average) there, too.

I believe that Cron could adapt to LF. He'd certainly do better than the other infielder who was given
the job, Rojas, who was weak both at-bat and in the field. Steve and BB said he doesn't belong in the
outfield.

As I've posted recently, what is it that Torey has against Cron? He never game him a chance.

If next season is planned to be the same, I hope they trade him to a team that will. He was
the top power hitter in the Minor Leagues this season in far less than a full season.

Well the team may have a spot open at 2B where Escobar could play.

 

[BC867]

Well the team may have a spot open at 2B where Escobar could play.

True. But I thought I read somewhere that they'll want Marte to be full-time 2B, but I have no idea where I read it.

Or if Torey is done with his in-game triple-switches. If not, Cron could take the Lamb role of playing 1B
and 3B as Marte plays 2B and CF again. All of which I'd rather not see.

I believe, as I've posted, that Cron would work his way into a permanent starting spot with his RBI history
if given the chance.

Or, he would certainly be a better alternative than the weak bat of Rojas in LF. Which would depend on
whether Peralta's days as a starting LF are behind him.

And, as I've also posted, if Lovullo would be willing to finally give Cron a chance.

A lot of variables on a team that has not seemed to believe in having a starting unit and backup players.

Everybody is a starter. Everybody, except a few, is a backup. Infielders are outfielders.

If it got the D-backs into the post-season, Torre would be called an innovator. But it didn't. It just caused
confusion, collisions, errors and slumps. And not being a legitimate Wild Card contender. That's the fact!

And not replacing a pitching coach with whom the manager had issues until after the season. Finding
scapegoats is an weak explanation of failure. Not a formula for success.

 

[overseascardfan]

Hopefully Walker doesn’t have a Lamb type back to reality year following his breakout year.

 

[Bobster]

The Orioles waived him, the Braves tried to claim him, but lost out to the Reds.

The Reds waived him.

I only see where he was waived twice, but he was definitely waived and not sent back down.

2/25/17 - Atlanta claimed him off waivers from Baltimore
3/6/17 - Cincinnati claimed him off waivers from Atlanta
3/28/17 - Arizona claimed him off waivers from Cincinnati