Class A Clinton makes playoff push without its top pitcher, Taijuan Walker
Friday, August 26, 2011 | 1:27 pm
The Seattle Mariners place tremendous value on having their minor league players experience a late-season division race and the win-or-else nature of playoff baseball.
But that’s not as important as making sure their players, especially pitchers whose arms are developing, remain healthy. That’s why Taijuan Walker, the Mariners’ first-round draft pick last year who’s had a successful season at Class A Clinton (Iowa), is done for the year.
“He hit our innings limit for the year,” said Pedro Grifol, the Mariners’ minor league director. “We don’t just look at the Clinton innings. He was throwing every five days in extended spring (training). He’s done. He’s had a phenomenal year and we’re happy with his progression.”
Walker pitched 96 2/3 innings over 18 starts with Clinton, going 6-5 with a 2.89 earned run average and an impressive 113 strikeouts vs. 39 walks. For a 19-year-old who didn’t start pitching until high school and turned pro with inconsistencies in his delivery, that’s stellar.
Problem is, Clinton is one game behind first-place Quad Cities in the Midwest League Western Division with 11 games remaining (including three at Quad Cities next week) but must carry on without their best pitcher.
Enticing as it is to send Walker out for a few more innings, Grifol insists that he’s done for the year.
“What happened when Tacoma was in playoffs last year and (Michael) Pineda was there? He didn’t participate,” Grifol said. “I love winning more than anybody in the game, but there is a part of this whole thing that’s development. It goes hand-in-hand with winning, and sometimes you lean toward the winning side and sometimes you lean toward the development side. Our goal is to get this kid to the big leagues and keep him there.”
The dilemma now for the Mariners is where they should have Walker pitch next year.
“High-A ball or Double-A? He has definitely forced our hand to make some tough decisions,” Grifol said.
Grifol said Walker was one of the most improved players in the Mariners’ system this year, if not THE most improved.
“The progression between March and now has really been remarkable,” Grifol said. “His delivery has improved tremendously. It’s clean, it’s fluid, it’s got rhythm and it’s got timing. He’s able to repeat his release point, his changeup has improved a full grade and his command has probably improved a full grade. When he throws his breaking ball, he’s able to differentiate between throwing a get-me-over breaking ball and a strikeout breaking ball.”
But that’s not as important as making sure their players, especially pitchers whose arms are developing, remain healthy. That’s why Taijuan Walker, the Mariners’ first-round draft pick last year who’s had a successful season at Class A Clinton (Iowa), is done for the year.
“He hit our innings limit for the year,” said Pedro Grifol, the Mariners’ minor league director. “We don’t just look at the Clinton innings. He was throwing every five days in extended spring (training). He’s done. He’s had a phenomenal year and we’re happy with his progression.”
Walker pitched 96 2/3 innings over 18 starts with Clinton, going 6-5 with a 2.89 earned run average and an impressive 113 strikeouts vs. 39 walks. For a 19-year-old who didn’t start pitching until high school and turned pro with inconsistencies in his delivery, that’s stellar.
Problem is, Clinton is one game behind first-place Quad Cities in the Midwest League Western Division with 11 games remaining (including three at Quad Cities next week) but must carry on without their best pitcher.
Enticing as it is to send Walker out for a few more innings, Grifol insists that he’s done for the year.
“What happened when Tacoma was in playoffs last year and (Michael) Pineda was there? He didn’t participate,” Grifol said. “I love winning more than anybody in the game, but there is a part of this whole thing that’s development. It goes hand-in-hand with winning, and sometimes you lean toward the winning side and sometimes you lean toward the development side. Our goal is to get this kid to the big leagues and keep him there.”
The dilemma now for the Mariners is where they should have Walker pitch next year.
“High-A ball or Double-A? He has definitely forced our hand to make some tough decisions,” Grifol said.
Grifol said Walker was one of the most improved players in the Mariners’ system this year, if not THE most improved.
“The progression between March and now has really been remarkable,” Grifol said. “His delivery has improved tremendously. It’s clean, it’s fluid, it’s got rhythm and it’s got timing. He’s able to repeat his release point, his changeup has improved a full grade and his command has probably improved a full grade. When he throws his breaking ball, he’s able to differentiate between throwing a get-me-over breaking ball and a strikeout breaking ball.”
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