Todd Walker Picked Up By A's

Four days after being released by the San Diego Padres, infielder Todd Walker agreed to a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics.

The addition will give the A's some flexibility with their infield after losing first baseman Dan Johnson to a hip injury this week. The adaptable Walker has played first, second and third during his 11-year major league career.

The 33-year-old has a .289 career average, but struggled at the plate this spring. He was batting .225 when he was released by the Padres, just one month after being awarded a $3.95 million salary in arbitration. The players' association plans to file a grievance as the club owed him only $971,311 termination pay rather than the entire salary.

Were the Padres Up to No Good?

The MLB Players Association is looking into the release of (former) San Diego Padres infielder Todd Walker, his agent said in a statement Tuesday.

The union is questioning the Padres' motives for releasing Walker and are looking into making sure the move had nothing to do with the $3.95 million in arbitration he won last month. Conveniently, by releasing Walker before March 28th, the were responsible only for termination pay in the amount of $987,500.

Walker was hitting .225 this spring, and the Padres claim they released him due to an excess of left-handed infielders that were expected to make the opening day roster. Namely Russell Branyan and Geoff Blum.

"We felt there were better fits on our club than Walker," general manager Kevin Towers said Monday.

The MLBPA could find it rather difficult to prove the Padres had a self-serving, money-saving motive for Walker's release without substantial evidence. It's not like he was hitting lights out this spring...

[MLB]

Padres to Release Todd Walker

The San Diego Padres plan to release utility infielder Todd Walker on Tuesday, a little more than a month after he won his $3.95 million salary arbitration hearing. He will be given $971,311 in termination pay.

Walker, 33, had been struggling with his hitting this spring - batting just .225.

The Padres offered $2.75 million to Walker, who joined them in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on July 31st. Walker said he accepted arbitration for the first time in his career because he wanted to stay with the two-time NL West Champion Padres, and that he settled on his asking price so the Padres would have a tougher time trading him. I guess he never considered being released.

Walker hit .282 with three homers and 13 RBIs with the Padres and batted .278 with nine homers and 53 RBIs overall last season.

[San Diego Union Tribune]

A Good Day For Players

In the second hearing Wednesday afternoon on the final day of arbitration, San Diego Padres second baseman Todd Walker won his case, getting a raise from $2.5 million to $3.95 million.

The Padres offered $2.75 million to Walker, who joined the Padres in a trade with the Chicago Cubs at the end of July. He hit .282 with three home runs and 13 RBI with the San Diego, and .278 with nine homers and 53 RBI overall.

Walker orignally came over to play third, starting 22 games there, but moved to second to replace Josh Barfield, who was traded to Cleveland in October. Marcus Giles, signed in December, is this season's projected starter at second.

In other Padres news, catcher Todd Greene, a non-roster invitee, dislocated his right shoulder during a drill in a freak accident and likely will miss the remainder of spring training. Greene hit .289 with two homers and 17 RBIs in 61 games with the San Francisco Giants last year.

[MLB]