New York Mets: Neil Walker Set To Make Homecoming

By Kenneth Teape | Jun 6, 2016

May 30, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker (20) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker will be making his first trip back to Pittsburgh when the Mets begin their series with the Pittsburgh Pirates and it is sure to be an emotional experience for Walker.

The New York Mets will kick off a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park today. It will be an emotional series for second baseman Neil Walker, who grew up in Pittsburgh but was traded away from the Pirates this offseason to the Mets in exchange for starting pitcher Jon Niese. Funny enough, it will be Niese taking the mound tonight when the Mets and Pirates begin their series and Walker makes his first return back to the Steel City.

“It’ll be emotional, I think,” Walker said about his return to Pittsburgh for the first time as a visiting player. “Certainly when you spend 12 years of your life in one spot, it’s going to be strange to come back and just not be on the home side — be on the visiting side. We’ll see how things play out.”

While Walker will be in the visiting dugout, expect him to continue doing his tribute to Pirates’ great Roberto Clemente. While with the Pirates, Walker had a ritual of paying homage to Clemente by tipping his cap to the right field wall prior to every game when he was with the Pirates. He plans on doing that again once things get underway later tonight.

“The Roberto Clemente wall in right field is a 20-foot wall,” Walker said. “I usually tip my cap before every game to the symbol on the wall out there, just as a sign of respect.”

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Walker has been a solid addition for the Mets thus far this season, taking over for the departed Daniel Murphy, who signed with the Washington Nationals. While Murphy is enjoying a lot of early success with the Nationals, Walker is as well.

Walker has gained a lot of confidence with the Mets, as he had become somewhat of a part time player towards the end of his Pirates tenure. Walker, who is a switch hitter, was seeing fewer and fewer right-handed at-bats, something the Mets have not done.

Walker has responded well with a slash line of .341/.396/.727 as a right-handed hitter with five home runs. That is one less home run from the right side of the plate than he had in his career previously to this season. Overall he is slashing .285/.354/516 with 13 home runs and 25 RBI on the season as he has been a consistent producer for the Mets near the middle of their order.

Walker has responded well to the pressures of playing in a media market such as New York, playing a solid second base for the Mets. But, he says this is nothing like the pressure he felt playing in front of family and friends on a nightly basis while in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

“There were just so many variables for me in Pittsburgh — with friends, family, ticket requests, media requests, community events — that things are just simplified for me coming to New York,” Walker said. “It’s been great so far. I certainly miss a lot of things about Pittsburgh. It’ll be an interesting series, especially tomorrow.”

Unlike players who leave as a free agent, it was out of Walker’s hands about staying with the Pirates, as he was traded prior to his last arbitration hearing. Walker is hoping that he is received well when he is announced in the starting lineup.

“I don’t know for sure, but I feel like I gave my all in Pittsburgh the time that I was there,” Walker said. “I was on a lot of winning teams, made a lot of strides individually and as a group. Hopefully I’m received well.”

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With such a huge following back in Pittsburgh, Walker should receive a warm ovation upon his return. He gave his all to the Pirates and city of Pittsburgh for seven seasons and was a big part of their resurgence in recent seasons.

It should be all applauds and smiles for Walker, that is unless he helps the Mets defeat his hometown Pirates at any point during the three-game series.

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