Former Mets Relief Pitcher: Pete Walker (1995 / 2001-2002)
Walker began as a starter winning ten games (10-12) games at A ball St. Lucie in 1991. At AA Binghamton he became a reliever & in 1993 saved 19 games going 4-9 with a 3.44 ERA. He was promoted to AAA Norfolk where he went 5-2 with 8 saves & a 3.91 ERA in 1995.
That year he got called in June making his MLB debut on June 7th 1995, at Candlestick Park in a 9-8 loss to the San Francisco Giants. Walker came in the 6th inning & allowed a run on two hits with two walks, in 1.1 innings of work. On June 18th he allowed three runs to the Houston Astros which made his ERA balloon up over seven. He was sent back down after eight games, but returned to the Mets a week later. He pitched in two early July games, finishing up losses.
The next year he was traded to the San Diego Padres for two minor leaguers. He would spend the rest of his career between the majors & the minors. After stints in San Diego (1996) & Colorado (2000) he returned to the Mets for two games in 2001, allowing one run in one inning total of work. In 2002 he got to pitch one final game with the Mets , on April 20th he allowed a run in one inning of work at Montreal in a 7-5 Met loss.
At the end of April he was placed on waivers & was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays. He had his best year that year going 10-5 with one save for the Jays. He would play in their minors & their big league club through 2006.
In a eight year career he was 20-14 with 4 saves, 191 strike outs & 133 walks in 339 innings in 144 games with a 4.48 ERA.Retirement: Walker was the Blue Jays bullpen coach in 2012 & was named their pitching coach for 2013 under Manager (former Met0 John Gibbons.
Comments