.@NeilWalker18 honors father with new jersey number at @Mets holiday party.https://t.co/4YdoSYZ0wO pic.twitter.com/2yqF7tErA4
— MLB (@MLB) December 16, 2015
Former Pirates 2B Neil Walker Introduced today at Mets’ Christmas and Annual Kids Holiday Parties
Pittsburgh Pirates’ fans still stinging about the December 9th trade of hometown second baseman Neil Walker might want to skip this post. It’s gonna hurt.
Walker made his debut in a Mets’ jersey yesterday at the team’s annual Kids Holiday Party at Citi Field. The event, in which the organization treats 150 Queens School children to lunch, presents, and a visit with St. Nick, featured Mr. and Mrs. Met, pitchers Steven Matz and Jeurys Familia dressed as Santa and his Elf, respectively, and Walker, wearing a Santa hat and what two weeks ago would have been his own costume – a Mets #20 jersey.
Santa and his elves have arrived! pic.twitter.com/yptrOPgYrC
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 15, 2015
Bucco fans are accustomed to seeing Walker in the familiar #18 – but that was never his first choice. Neil wanted to wear #20 to honor his father, former MLB pitcher Tom Walker, who donned the number throughout his career in the show, which lasted from 1972 – 1977. The number is retired at PNC in honor of third baseman Pie Traynor.
To say that Walker getting dealt was expected is an understatement, as his imminent departure from his hometown team was the second most anticipated move the team has made thus far in the off season (parting ways with Pedro Alvarez was the other). Walker has stated since the trade – which sent him to the Mets in return for left-handed pitcher Jon Niese – that he’d been on notice since his arbitration hearing in February that the Pirates were not interested in realistically negotiating a future contract with him. For their part, Pirates GM Neal Huntington told reporters at this past weekend’s PirateFest that the team was willing to discuss a contract with Walker – but failed to reach common ground on the asking price.
Still, fans of the 30 year-old “Pittsburgh Kid” reacted to the trade as passionate Pittsburghers are wont to do, lamenting the loss of the Pine-Richland graduate who in 2015 batted .269 with 32 doubles, 16 home runs (tied for best by a 2B in the NL), and 71 RBIs in 151 games. Drafted out of high school in 2004, Walker spent 12 years in the Pirates organization and had become one of the most recognizable members of the team around the ‘Burgh, developing into a clubhouse leader with an amiable personality and good rapport with the media. That relationship he used to his advantage when the deal went down, unloading what seemed like many years’ worth of frustration with the Pirates front office in an interview with the Trib’s Rob Biertempfel three days after the trade was formalized.
On Tuesday at Citi Field, he seemed to be working that media prowess in a new market.
New 2B @NeilWalker18 is a popular guy as he meets with the beat writers. #Mets pic.twitter.com/LVKxOKF5BV
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 15, 2015
The Mets are doing their part to talk up their new second baseman, with Manager Terry Collins calling Walker a “pro” in an interview with New York media, saying, “He’s a big addition to us. He’s a quality player. He knows how to win and has been on winning teams.”
Walker says now he’s ready to move on, first posting in a love letter to Pirates fans on his Twitter feed on December 10: “I just wanted to thank the fans of Pittsburgh for their incredible support over the last 12 seasons in the Pirates organization! You guys have been there through the ups and downs and I’ll never forget how special these last 3 years especially have been! Just know I’ll always be a Pittsburgher and love this area with all my heart! God bless you all and have a great holiday season! Thank you thank you thank you.” He then added, “But I’m incredibly excited to join a great organization in NY and look forward to helping this team win! Let go Mets!!!”
This morning he took that message to the broadsheet, running a full-page ad in the Trib.
My bad — forgot to include snap of Walker's thank-you ad: pic.twitter.com/kJhUUfB2SQ
— RobBiertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) December 16, 2015
But with all of that love for the fans, it bears mentioning that Walker changed his Twitter bio to read” Official Twitter page of New York Mets Second Baseman Neil Walker. Huge Pens and Steelers fan as well.”
In 2016, the Pirates will take on the Mets for the first time on June 6, 7, and 8 at PNC Park.
Advance ticket sales figure to be a hot seller.
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