How long would you give Walker as a starter?

[st.lewis11]

Cardinals aren't the only team having trouble in developing "star caliber" OF. I noticed this during last season & offseason when I was trying to look for FA & trade possibilities. Last season, in all of MLB, stats show only 11 qualified OF's had OPS of at least .800.......that's 11 !!!
And for batting OPS of .750, only 23 OF's total reached that plateau last season.

[GeddyWrox]

Cardinals aren't the only team having trouble in developing "star caliber" OF. I noticed this during last season & offseason when I was trying to look for FA & trade possibilities. Last season, in all of MLB, stats show only 11 qualified OF's had OPS of at least .800.......that's 11 !!!
And for batting OPS of .750, only 23 OF's total reached that plateau last season.

This is astounding to me.

[Lesson]

But IIRC Rasmus was more like a top-10 (MLB) prospect, and outside of one good season he never really developed as a Cardinal.

I believe the point of the question was that the Cardinals can’t seem to develop a star caliber OF, despite a few chances to do so over the years with top level prospects. But maybe you don’t “develop” that next level through coaching, otherwise everyone would do it.

He wasn't really an OF, though.

They moved him there after Bader was traded, which was fine, but they likely rushed him in 2023 when he wasn't ready yet offensively while still learning a new position.

[ghostrunner]

In retrospect there’s really nothing to suggest he should’ve been hurried up. I’m sure someone here was probably saying so at the time. He’d had one very good season in AA which if I’m not mistaken is a pretty hitter friendly league. I don’t remember now but I guess I assumed this must be a Pujols thing where everyone who saw him play thought he was ready.

[phins]

But IIRC Rasmus was more like a top-10 (MLB) prospect, and outside of one good season he never really developed as a Cardinal.

I believe the point of the question was that the Cardinals can’t seem to develop a star caliber OF, despite a few chances to do so over the years with top level prospects. But maybe you don’t “develop” that next level through coaching, otherwise everyone would do it.

You could be the #1 prospect in all of baseball and if you're a 50, you're a 50.

Prospects weren't really evaluated the same way back in 2008, but he was always seen as a player who would be a nice starting major leaguer. He didn't provide elite defense or baserunning or arm, so he was mostly a bat who played a premium position. Getting 2-WAR over their six years of control is an excellent outcome for any prospect. It just isn't fun. Basically no one is a projected star as a prospect, it's such a unicorn outcome as to not to be the most plausible.

Prospects will jade you, and I certainly have become that way with almost all of them. I expect almost all to bust, get hurt, or fall short of stardom. The successful ones turn into Masyn Winn.

Here is what was said about Colby Rasmus in 2008, just before he moved to the big leagues in 2009. At no point was he ever really expected to be a star. Maybe Springfield juiced his power enough to get people hopeful, but even at AAA he was more of a guy people hoped would hit enough to be good.

It’s not completely fair to list Colby Rasmus in this category. Yes, he had a disappointing season, but the outfielder was playing at Triple-A at the age of 21. He also struggled with injuries that should be fully cleared up by the start of 2009 with no residual affect. Rasmus hit .251/.347/.396 with an ISO of .145 in 331 at-bats. His batting average has dropped each of the last three seasons – from .310 to .275 to .251, which is cause for concern. On the plus side, his rates of 12.9 BB% and 21.8 K% are on par with those during his breakout 2007 campaign – which suggests he was not completely over-matched.

[ghostrunner]

Interesting to read his first call-up thread. TT was the first here to mention this, about a week and a half in after Walker started with a hitting streak.

I haven't watched him, is there anything noteworthy in that everything is getting hit into the ground so far? It strikes me as weird that 11 of those 12 100 mph+ are ground balls and that he's only like 5th percentile for launch angle despite hitting the bejeezus out of the ball so often.

[wart57]

He is going to have an amazing year - tearing the cover off the ball.

He will be great!

Also, I bought a Walker and a Contreras jersey last year - so the wart57 curse is still going strong.

I also got a Winn jersey - I hope I didn't end his career already.

[sighyoung]

He is going to have an amazing year - tearing the cover off the ball.

He will be great!

Also, I bought a Walker and a Contreras jersey last year - so the wart57 curse is still going strong.

I also got a Winn jersey - I hope I didn't end his career already.

Hi wart57. I hope all is well with you and your family.

[heyzeus]

He is going to have an amazing year - tearing the cover off the ball.

He will be great!

Also, I bought a Walker and a Contreras jersey last year - so the wart57 curse is still going strong.

I also got a Winn jersey - I hope I didn't end his career already.

That Walker jersey is gonna be worth big money. Todd Van Poppel money.

[wart57]

He is going to have an amazing year - tearing the cover off the ball.

He will be great!

Also, I bought a Walker and a Contreras jersey last year - so the wart57 curse is still going strong.

I also got a Winn jersey - I hope I didn't end his career already.

That Walker jersey is gonna be worth big money. Todd Van Poppel money.

Don't know if I have ever seen Van Poppel money....