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Smaller textPirates' Walker treading new career path
Neil Walker
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Karen Price is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer and can be reached at 412-320-7980, via e-mail or on Twitter.
BRADENTON, Fla. — Neil Walker was at McKechnie Field on Monday in a split-squad game against the Yankees when Pedro Alvarez was in Port Charlotte, Fla., hitting a triple for the second game in a row.
By all accounts, Alvarez's triple was a blast, a 410-foot shot that short-hopped the center-field fence in the seventh inning. Another Alvarez clout to roughly the same place was caught.
A year ago, that might have sent any number of thoughts steamrolling through Walker's head, especially given his own walk and groundout in his two at-bats. None of them would have been good, and none of them would have helped.
This year, the thoughts are still there. Only now, he's handling them better.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it, but as you get older and as you play a little more and understand your abilities and where you stand, it gets easier," said the 24-year-old Pine-Richland graduate. "Well, it doesn't get easier, but mentally you're better prepared for it. You're not worrying about who's behind you, who's in front of you.
"I'm really more focused on how I can get better on a day-to-day basis and that's really what I'm doing right now, focusing on how can I help make this team better in any way, shape or form."
Walker knows he's the odd man out at third base. Andy LaRoche is the Pirates' incumbent, and Alvarez, the top pick in 2008, is next in line and expected to step up to the majors at some point this season.
Manager John Russell said Wednesday that Walker, the Pirates' first-round pick (11th overall) in 2004, is still regarded as one of the team's top prospects. But he needs to take more steps forward to show he's ready for the major-league level, especially at the plate.
In 95 games with Triple-A Indianapolis last season, Walker batted .264 with a .311 on-base percentage. He made his major-league debut Sept. 1, 2009, at Cincinnati, and batted .194 in 17 games with one extra-base hit,
"It's an adjustment for anybody," Russell said. "Not too many guys come up and do what Garrett (Jones) and Andrew (McCutchen) did. It's usually somewhat of a transition for a young player, getting over the anxiety of being at the major-league level and getting over the thought that the pitchers are that much better.
"I think for Neil, it's just experience. He's going to have to continue to fight through some of the adversities he goes through at the plate to be more consistent, whether it's at Triple-A or here, to put together good at-bats."
Walker has spent the spring working at third base but has done some work at second, in the outfield and at his high school position, catcher.
He did not start yesterday against the Baltimore Orioles, with Alvarez getting the nod instead. Walker is batting .200 (1 for 5) this spring.
He knows his future may not necessarily be with the Pirates. He's still hoping that it is.
"I've always been a Pirates fan, I've grown up a Pirates fan, and ever since I was drafted my dream has been to play in Pittsburgh as long as I can and be the Cal Ripken of Pittsburgh," he said. "Obviously those goals are lofty and I set the standard pretty high, but I don't think there's any other way to go at it."
