Jordan Walden

Jordan Craig Walden (born November 16, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Atlanta Braves, and St. Louis Cardinals.

Jordan Walden
Walden with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Pitcher
Born: (1987-11-16) November 16, 1987
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 22, 2010, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Last MLB appearance
April 29, 2015, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
Win–loss record12–14
Earned run average3.00
Strikeouts266
Saves39
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Walden was born November 16, 1987, in Fort Worth, Texas, and graduated in 2006 from Mansfield High School. While playing for the amateur league team D-BAT Mustangs of Carrollton, Texas, he was teammates with future fellow MLB pitcher Clayton Kershaw.[1] After attending Grayson County Community College, Walden was drafted in the 12th round of the 2006 draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim he did not sign until a year later in May 2007.

Professional career

Minor league career

Walden was drafted by the Angels in the 12th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft,[2][3] and began his professional career the next season.

Walden pitched for the Orem Owlz in 2007, going 1–1 with a 3.08 ERA in 15 starts. In 64+1⁄3 innings, he allowed 49 hits and three home runs while striking out 63 batters. Prior to the 2008 season, Baseball America named Walden the 81st best prospect in minor league baseball. He split that season between the Cedar Rapids Kernels (with whom he went 4–6 with a 2.18 ERA in 18 starts) and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (5–2, 4.04 ERA in nine starts), going a combined 9–8 with a 2.76 ERA in 27 starts. He pitched 1561⁄3 innings, allowing 122 hits and seven home runs while striking out 141 batters.[4]

Before the 2009 season, Walden was named the 70th best prospect in baseball. He pitched for the Arkansas Travelers and went 1–5 with a 5.25 ERA in 13 starts that season. In 2010, he converted to relief pitching, spending 38 games with the Travelers and six games with the Salt Lake City Bees without making a start.

Walden was the California League Pitcher Of The Week for the week of August 11, 2008 with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He also was named Texas League Mid-season All-Star from the Arkansas Travelers in 2010.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels promoted Walden to the major league roster on August 22, 2010, by purchasing his contract from their AAA affiliate, the Salt Lake Bees.[5] Within the first week of his major league career, Walden's fastball had been recorded at speeds up to 101 miles per hour (163 km/h).[6]

When the Angels traded Brian Fuentes to the Minnesota Twins on August 27, 2010, they began to use Walden as their setup pitcher in his place in the eighth inning.[7] Walden recorded his first MLB save on September 19, 2010, against Tampa Bay.[8]

The Angels named Walden their full-time closer on April 5, 2011,[9][10][11] replacing Fernando Rodney.[12] On July 7, Walden was selected to appear in the MLB All-Star Game for the first time, taking the place of an injured Mariano Rivera.[13][14][15] He recorded his 30th save for the first time on September 13 against the Oakland Athletics,[16] and finished the season with 32.[17]

In 2012, Walden struggled with his command early in the season. The Angels demoted him from the closer role on April 27, replacing him with Scott Downs.[18][19][20]

Atlanta Braves
Walden pitching in 2013 NLDS game.

On November 30, 2012, the Angels traded Walden to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Tommy Hanson.[21][22] He pitched 47 innings, with a 4–3 win–loss record, 3.45 ERA, and 54 strikeouts during the 2013 season. Walden agreed to a one-year contract for the 2014 season, worth $1.49 million.[23]

St. Louis Cardinals

On November 17, 2014, the Braves traded Walden and Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins.[24][25][26][27] Walden and the Cardinals signed a two-year extension on December 23, 2014, worth $6.6 million.[28] Through April 29, 2015, he made 12 appearances with 12 strikeouts and one run allowed in 10+1⁄3 IP for a 0.87 ERA. However, he was unable to pitch after that due to shoulder stiffness. On May 6, he was diagnosed with a right shoulder strain.[29] The Cardinals initially estimated a timetable of six to ten weeks before he could return to pitching,[30] but recovery took much longer than expected.[31] Instead, his shoulder did not recover, leaving the possibility of surgery to repair the rotator cuff. On September 6, the Cardinals ruled out his return for the remainder of the season.[32] Walden rehabilitated the shoulder the following off-season in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, adopting a program that was five days a week, four hours per day. He worked with former teammate Matt Belisle.[33]

After sustaining a grade 2 latissimus dorsi muscle strain, the Cardinals placed Walden back on the DL to start the 2016 season.[34]

Second stint with the Atlanta Braves

On November 12, 2016, Walden signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves.[35] The Braves and Walden mutually agreed to void his contract on February 9, 2017, after discovering that his rehab had not been progressing as expected.[36]

Pitching style

Walden was a hard thrower, with a four-seam fastball ranging from 96 to 99 mph. His off-speed pitch to right-handed hitters was a slider in the mid 80s. He also threw the slider to lefties, but in 2011 he developed a changeup at 86–89 mph that he used more often. His off-speed pitches worked extremely well in tandem with his fastball, with whiff rates of about 48% on his changeup and 61% on his slider — each well above the league averages. He also experimented with a two-seam fastball.[37] The high whiff rates have contributed to a 10.9 K/9 ratio through mid-2012.[38]

Walden had an unusual pitching motion. He hopped in the middle of his windup, and actually had both feet in the air for a split second, before returning to the ground and throwing the ball.[39]

References
  1. Brown, Allison (March 8, 2010). "North Texans on opposite All-Star teams". NBCDFW.com. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  2. "Kimbrel and Walden are newest rookie closers". Yahoo! Sports. April 19, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  3. "Alaniz and Boone chosen on second day of 2006 MLB Draft". University of Texas Longhorns. June 7, 2006. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  4. "Jordan Walden Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  5. DiGiovanna, Mike (August 22, 2010). "Angels reliever Jordan Walden's whirlwind weekend takes him to big leagues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  6. Saxon, Mark (August 28, 2010). "Angels experimenting with youth". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023. Then there's Jordan Walden, a strapping 6-foot-5 Texan who arrived a week ago and has been clocked throwing 101 mph a few times. After a week in the big leagues, Walden was already being mentioned by Scioscia as a setup candidate after the team traded Brian Fuentes to Minnesota on Friday. Walden looked electric pitching the ninth inning Friday, striking out Ty Wigginton and Felix Pie.
  7. (Unknown) (August 27, 2010). "Rodney tabbed closer of reshaped bullpen". MLB.com. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  8. "Jordan Walden 2010 pitching game log". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  9. Saxon, Mark (April 5, 2011). "Jordan Walden takes over as closer". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  10. Plunkett, Bill (April 5, 2011). "Rodney out as closer, Walden in". Orange County Register. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  11. Baxter, Kevin (April 5, 2011). "Angels' Fernando Rodney loses closer job to Jordan Walden". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  12. Fraley, Gerry (May 14, 2011). "Former Mansfield pitcher Jordan Walden closes game for Angels". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  13. Saxon, Mark (July 7, 2011). "Jordan Walden in for Mo on AL All-Stars". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  14. "Angels' Walden to replace Rivera at All-Star game". San Diego Union Tribune. Associated Press. July 7, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  15. Shaikin, Bill (July 7, 2011). "Angels' Jordan Walden selected to American League All-Star team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  16. "Howie Kendrick's HRs help Halos keep up with Rangers". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 14, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  17. DiGiovanna, Mike (January 25, 2012). "Angels closer Jordan Walden looks to change things up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  18. DiGiovanna, Mike (April 27, 2012). "Walden loses job as Angels closer; Downs to pitch ninth inning". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  19. DiGiovanna, Mike (April 27, 2012). "Angels' Jordan Walden loses closing job". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  20. "Angels move Walden out of closer role". Fox Sports. April 27, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  21. Crasnick, Jerry (November 30, 2012). "Tommy Hanson swapped for Walden". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  22. "Braves trade Hanson to Halos for Walden". Sportsnet. Associated Press. November 30, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  23. "Jordan Walden avoids arbitration". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 12, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  24. Bowman, Mark (November 17, 2014). "Braves acquire Miller, send Heyward, Walden to Cards". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  25. Langosch, Jenifer (November 17, 2014). "Cards land Heyward in four-player deal with Braves". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  26. "Heyward, Miller in Braves-Cards swap". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 17, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  27. "Cardinals trade Shelby Miller to Braves for Jason Heyward". USA Today. November 17, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  28. "Jordan Walden agrees to $6.6M deal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014. Republished by USA Today, The State Journal-Register
  29. Connell, Jim (July 23, 2015). "Walden hungers for chance to get back to big leagues". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  30. Langosch, Jenifer (May 6, 2015). "Walden likely out until after All-Star break". MLB.com. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  31. Langosch, Jenifer (August 4, 2015). "Cardinals slow down Walden's rehab assignment". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  32. "Walden's season likely done for Cards with shoulder injury". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 6, 2015. Republished by USA Today
  33. Goold, Derrick (February 18, 2016). "Walden out to 'prove I can still pitch'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  34. Langosch, Jenifer (April 3, 2016). "Mozeliak: Walden to be out 'few months'". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  35. Wilmoth, Charlie (November 12, 2016). "Braves Sign Jordan Walden To Minor League Deal". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  36. Adams, Steve (February 9, 2017). "Braves Void Minor League Deal With Jordan Walden". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  37. "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Jordan Walden". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  38. "Jordan Walden Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  39. Hummer, Steve (August 3, 2013). "Braves' Jordan Walden spring-loaded, summer-proven". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved June 18, 2023. On display for a scoreless eighth inning during last Sunday's nationally televised game against St. Louis, Walden's singular delivery was the subject of slow-motion fascination by the ESPN crew. Look how he raises up as he goes into his motion. Then, for the briefest moment, both feet actually leave the ground as he begins coming forward. Is that a hop off the rubber? Why, yes, and a good one at that, a move that would be as useful in throwing a spear as a baseball. Nothing quite like any other pitcher you've ever seen. San Francisco's Tim Lincecum takes a huge stride off the rubber, hurling himself forward with almost unnatural force. But nobody gets air quite like Walden. The move seems to defy some of the traditional physics of pitching. And still he throws in the upper 90s.
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