Up Close with the Pittsburgh Sports Report

Pirates second baseman Neil Walker

Pine-Richland High School graduate Neil Walker was the Pirates' top draft pick in the 2004 MLB Draft. Walker hit .657 with 13 homeruns and 42 RBI as a senior while helping the Rams win the WPIAL title. He was also a standout football player for Pine-Richland, earning first team all-state honors from the Associated Press as a senior. His father Tom was a pitcher in the big leagues with Montreal, Detroit, St. Louis and California from 1972-77 and had a career record of 18-23 with 11 saves and a 3.82 ERA in 191 games (17 starts). His older brother Matt played in the Detroit organization, his older sister Carrie played professional basketball in Ireland, and his brother-in- law Don Kelly has played in the majors with the Pirates and Tigers. Walker has moved from catcher to third base to outfield to second base during his minor league career, and is getting his shot as the Pirates everyday second baseman this summer. He hit his first major league homerun June 1 against the Cubs, a two-run shot in the eighth inning that ultimately gave the Pirates a 3-2 win.

PSR's Joe Giardina chatted with Walker in the Pirates' clubhouse last month, shortly before another first-round draft pick, Pedro Alvarez, made his major league debut.

PSR: What has been the difference for you between last season and this season?

NW: I think the biggest difference is just confidence in myself and the belief that I belong here and can play on an everyday basis, and preparing myself as such. I know I've always believed in myself, but at the same time, I knew there was a lot of work to be done. Somewhere towards the end of last year and into spring training this year, it kind of clicked for me – what I do well, how to go about my business and ultimately going out and playing hard and believing in myself.

PSR: What has led to your improved patience this season compared to years past?

NW: It has really come with more experience. I've always considered myself a pretty aggressive hitter, and when you start to have a certain approach where you are looking for pitches in certain zones and not going out of that zone, you are going to get yourself in better counts. And when you get yourself in better counts, you'll see some more walks. So really, it's mostly been a progression in my development.

PSR: You have had a lot of position changes over the past few years. Has that been frustrating for you to deal with?

NW: No, definitely not. I think it's been something that I've gone at with open arms. Obviously everyone would like to be stuck in one position all the time and have the confidence of everyone. I felt like my ticket to getting here was whatever they wanted me to do. I certainly didn't expect to be playing second base here, but I'm happy and looking forward to progressing as a player there and hopefully being there the rest of my career. And if not, it's no big deal either.

PSR: Your father and uncle played professional baseball in the '70s. Your brother-in-law, Don Kelly, currently plays for the Detroit Tigers. How has your family helped you to deal with the whole process of becoming a major leaguer?

NW: They have certainly made it easier, just talking to them and through their experiences in how to deal with adversity and how to deal with the grind of baseball on a daily basis. To be able to share that with somebody else, it makes it a whole lot easier to understand the game and to realize that everybody goes through the struggles and the ups and downs. You just have to try to stay somewhere in between and not get too high or get too low.

PSR: You grew up about 20 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. You went to games at Three Rivers Stadium and at PNC Park as a fan. Now you are an everyday player on the team you rooted for as a kid. Has it all sunk in yet?

NW: I don't know if it has or hasn't. If I had to answer the question, I'd say it hasn't set in yet. I obviously feel honored to be here and I feel like me being here and playing hard is kind of my way of giving back to the city and the town that I love and I grew up in, and to the organization that I've grown up watching and loving. It's just one of those things where I don't think it sets in until somewhere far down the road. But in a perfect world, I'd love to see myself as a Cal Ripken-type player in this town, playing for my hometown team my entire career. This is just the beginning, so we'll see how it ends up.

PSR: The future has come and the young players have broken through on the roster. Have you noticed a change in atmosphere?

NW: Maybe not yet, but I think there's definitely an energy that they bring. Obviously there is a lot of talent in this room and hopefully through that we can ultimately get more wins.