Padres Release Walker
March 27, 2007 by Geoff Young
Filed under Transactions
The San Diego Padres are set to release second baseman Todd Walker, who lost his starting job when the club signed Marcus Giles last December. By releasing Walker now, the Padres theoretically save about $3 million. However, the players union is expected to file a grievance on behalf of Walker, who won his arbitration case last month.
I analyze the situation in excruciating detail over at Ducksnorts for those so inclined. Here I’ll just say that sometimes the arbitration process really stinks. In this case, it benefits neither player nor team. It creates a problem for Walker in that he’s out of a job and a good chunk of change; it creates a problem for the Padres in that they are likely to take a PR hit from the local media and fans, and possibly future free agents who might be considering a move to San Diego.
