Pirates' Walker isn't hitting, but his fielding is on the rise
Neil Walker is still waiting on his bat to begin the season. His average stands at .059 after he went 0-for-4 Wednesday in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 4-1 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Walker's slump hurts the lineup in a big way.
The second baseman has batted either at cleanup or No. 5, and the Pirates -- already going with Walker as an unconventional choice -- have no other options, really. They could use Garrett Jones or Casey McGehee, but neither is an everyday player, and a platoon in the cleanup slot is even more unconventional.
If nothing else, though, Walker has ranged from good to very good in the field. That's no small feat considering he's only in his second full season of playing the position. The Pirates' coaching staff has him playing more up the middle, which works to his strengths, but he's been responsible for the rest.
Well, he and Pittsburgh Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, winner of eight Gold Gloves. Maz instructs Walker each spring.
"Neil's positioning is better. He knows his pitchers and the hitters better," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's worked on his flexibility and losing his rigidity when turning the double play."
The latter has shown in a quicker release on pivots. Previously, Walker was staying on the bag far too long.
"I see big improvements," Hurdle said. "All the work in spring training with Maz has helped a great deal. He's just showing more athletic ability. He's learning the position at the major league level, which is unheard of."
