Walker pg 11 1-19-12
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- Category: Past Issues
By Ron P. Coderre
In a day and age when most professional athletes avoid admiring fans and auto graph seekers it’s nice to know that there are a few who still remember the days when they weren’t in the spotlight. Athletes somehow forget that the fan in the stands is the one paying the high-priced salary they demand in today’s environment.
Fortunately there are still a few individuals who don’t fall into the mold of prima donna. The members of the Putnam Rotary Club had the opportunity to meet one of those athletes on Jan. 10. The guest speaker at the club’s weekly meeting was former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher and the team’s current bullpen coach Pete Walker, a resident of Waterford.
“I’m accustomed to addressing groups who are usually dressed in baseball uniforms,” said Walker in his opening remarks. “I’ll give you my thoughts on my success as an athlete that can hopefully be useful to you in the business world.”
Walker, a graduate of East Lyme High School, made his Major League debut in 1995 with the New York Mets, the team that selected him in seventh round of the 1990 amateur draft. His career took him for brief stops with the San Diego Padres (1996), the Colorado Rockies (2000) and back to the Mets in 2001. In 2002 he was selected off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays, where he enjoyed his greatest success as a pitcher.
“When I joined the Blue Jays as a 32 year old I did a self-evaluation. I took a critical look at my assets and avoided trying to emulate the name pitchers in baseball. I decided to work on the things I did best and be myself. That formula worked because I had my best years from age 32 until I retired in 2007,” said Walker.
He encouraged his audience to attempt the same formula in business. He also cautioned that it takes hard work every day to continue to stay on top, whatever your career.
When asked about his current position as bullpen coach Walker was humorous in his response. “Most people think the only job the bullpen coach has is to answer the telephone when it rings,” he said.
In reality, his job entails reviewing film of the team’s pitchers as well as opposing hitters. He also uses computer information to analyze trends in his staff as well as the opposition. Of course communicating with his manager, former Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, in the dugout will also be important. He cited the breakdown in the 2011 World Series when the phones weren’t working and the bullpen sent in the wrong
relief pitcher. This was an error that almost cost Manager Tony LaRussa and the St. Louis Cardinals the World Series.
During the offseason Walker lives in Waterford with his wife and family. He formerly owned a baseball school called America’s Game. Although no longer associated with the business he does private tutoring for aspiring baseball players and is involved with the Mohegan Sun in organizing The World Baseball Convention.
A few years back, his daughter was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. The affected area was the leg. One procedure for the disease is amputation. The diagnosis devastated the family but with the help of doctors at Yale -New Haven Hospital her leg was saved by a surgical procedure and medical treatment. Today his daughter is enjoying a fairly normal life as an avid swimmer, golfer and softball pitcher. Walker devotes a portion of his off time raising funds for cancer programs at Yale-New Haven.
The lives of professional athletes are often viewed as glamorous in comparison to the average person. Pete Walker’s professional and personal life proves that there are many similarities despite the media spotlight. How the individual handles the spotlight is the difference between being a prima donna and taking a moment to sign an autograph.