| Larry Walker | |
|---|---|
 Walker with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 | |
| Right fielder | |
| Born: (1966-12-01)December 1, 1966 (age 58) Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 16, 1989, for the Montreal Expos | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 2005, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .313 |
| Hits | 2,160 |
| Home runs | 383 |
| Runs batted in | 1,311 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2020 |
| Vote | 76.6% (tenth ballot) |
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker (born December 1, 1966) is a Canadian former professionalbaseballright fielder. During his 17-yearMajor League Baseball (MLB) career, he played with theMontreal Expos,Colorado Rockies, andSt. Louis Cardinals. In 1997, he became the only player in major league history to register both a .700slugging percentage (SLG) and 30stolen bases in the same season, on his way to winning theNational League (NL)Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). The first player in more than 60 years to record abatting average of .360 in three consecutive seasons from 1997 to 1999, Walker also won three NLbatting championships. He was inducted intoCanada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and theCanadian Baseball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2009, and was named the 13th-greatest sporting figure from Canada bySports Illustrated in 1999. In2020, Walker was elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame.
Widely considered afive-tool player of prodigious athleticism and instincts, Walker hit for both average andpower, combined with well-above-averagespeed,defense and throwing strength and accuracy. He was recognized as the top Canadian athlete in 1998 with theLou Marsh Trophy. Other honors include fiveMLB All-Star selections, sevenGold Glove Awards, threeSilver Slugger Awards, and nineTip O'Neill Awards. His career SLG of .565ranks 12th all time. Walker is one of only 19 hitters in history to accomplish a .300 batting average, .400on-base percentage (OBP), and .500 SLG with at least 5,000plate appearances, and one of six whose career began after 1960. Considering advancedmetrics, he is one of only three players in history to rank within the top 100 of each of batting runs, base-running runs, anddefensive runs saved; the others areBarry Bonds andWillie Mays.
Raised inMaple Ridge, British Columbia, Walker spent his youth playingstreet hockey with consumingNHLgoaltender aspirations. That dream never materialized; however, the Expos saw his baseball potential and signed him in 1984. By 1990, Walker became their starting right fielder, propelling them to the majors' best record in 1994 whenthat year's strike stopped their first seriousWorld Series run. He signed with the Rockies as afree agent following the season, and, during a six-year period starting in 1997, was the major league batting leader three times while finishing second in the NL twice. In 1997, he also led the league in home runs, OBP, and SLG, while joining the30–30 club, registering 12 outfieldassists and leading his position with fourdouble plays turned; he won the NL MVP Award that year. Desiring a trade to a contending team, Walker was sent by the Rockies to St. Louis in the middle of their 105-win season of 2004 where he made his firstWorld Series appearance while tying or setting three Cardinals postseason records. He announced his retirement from playing baseball after Game 6 of the2005 National League Championship Series.
Following his playing career, Walker has served as a guest instructor for the Cardinals, and, since 2009, hascoached theCanadian national team. In that time, Team Canada has competed in threeWorld Baseball Classic (WBC) tournaments, and twice at thePan American Games, winning consecutivegold medals in 2011 and 2015.
I'm just thrilled to have kids come up to me and tell me my son is their idol. He deserves everything he's got.
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker Jr. was born on December 1, 1966, inMaple Ridge, asuburb ofGreater Vancouver inBritish Columbia, to Larry Sr., and Mary Walker, both ofScottish descent. Larry Jr. was the youngest of four boys, Barry, Carey and Gary. The five men often played together in afastpitch softball league, frequently all in the same starting lineup. Walker grew up passing much of his free time playingstreet hockey, especially as part of a group of boys in the backyard and driveway of another boy named Rick Herbert. In that group was futureHockey Hall of FamerCam Neely, who became one of Walker's close friends. Walker dreamed of a career in theNational Hockey League (NHL) as agoaltender, only casually playing an occasionalbaseball game during the summer.
He played hockey andvolleyball atMaple Ridge Secondary School; baseball was not offered.[1] One of his boyhood idols was NHL goalieBilly Smith,[2] winner of four consecutiveStanley Cups from1980−83[3] during Walker's teenage years. Walker sharpened his skills by blockingshots against Neely. Brother Carey, also a goaltender, was drafted by theMontreal Canadiens[1] in the 12th round of the1977 NHL Draft.[4]
At the age of 16, Walker was offered tryouts with Junior A teams inRegina, Saskatchewan, andKelowna, British Columbia, however, he was cut from both teams,[5] while Herbert made theRegina Pats.[2] Other offers Walker received were fromWestern Hockey League teams, includingSwift Current, which he toured. After seeing substandard conditions there, he decided that he no longer wanted to pursue hockey once he arrived at the rink,[1] and subsequently focused his athletic aspirations on baseball.[5]
The popularity of baseball in Canada during Walker's youth was minuscule in contrast to the following he would help spawn related to his later success with theMontreal Expos.[6] Previously, Canadian baseball luminaries includedTip O'Neill, the first Canadian to win aTriple Crown back in1887, andFerguson Jenkins, Canada's first selectee to theAmerican Baseball Hall of Fame in1991. It was Walker who would help dramatically increase the profile of the sport in a hockey-mad nation.[7] Part of the factor are Canada's short summers, which make it more challenging to play outdoors than in theUnited States. Recalled Walker later in his major league career, "I'd never seen aforkball, never seen aslider. I didn't know they existed. I had never really seen a goodcurveball. In Canada, as a kid, we'd play 10 baseball games a year. Fifteen, tops. Some pitchers had a thing they'd call a spinner, but nothing like this. Baseball just wasn't big. The weather was against it. Nobody ever played baseball thinking about making the major leagues." He was also unaware of many of the rules, attesting to his lack of experience playing when he turned a professional.[1]
In 1984, Walker played for theCoquitlam Reds of theBritish Columbia Premier Baseball League. He was selected to join the Canadian team at the 1984 World Youth Championships inKindersley,Saskatchewan. At that tournament, he caught the eye of Exposscouting directorJim Fanning after hitting ahome run with a wooden bat, in contrast to all the other players who were using metal bats. Fanning signed Walker for $1,500 (USD, $4,539.9 today) as an amateurfree agent owing to his relative lack of experience playing organized baseball.[1][8] At that time, Canadians were not eligible to be selected through theMajor League Baseball draft. While the Expos perceived Walker to be very athletic, they decided that he was very raw, and that he did not initially warrant rating as a top prospect.[6]
Walker attended Exposminor leaguespring training camp in1985 and it was clear from the outset that pitching was a complete mystery to him. He swung indiscriminately, expecting every pitch to be a fastball, including at ones that bounced 10 feet in front of, or on, home plate. When the camp ended, there was still about one and a half months remaining until the start of the season, so he returned home, seeking additional preparation. He joined a fast-pitch softball team sponsored by abowling alley, but this brought little relief.[2] The Expos assigned Walker to theUtica Blue Sox of theNew York–Penn League, a Class A Short Season league, for his first season ofprofessional baseball. He playedthird base andfirst base. Although he could hitfastballs well, he continued to have difficulties withstrike zone judgment and the more sophisticated pitches, finishing with a .223batting average and two home runs.ManagerKen Brett, who was less preoccupied with fielding a winning team than giving the athletic players the opportunity to experiment, allowed Walker to stay in the lineup as a regular in part because of his willingness to learn.[6] Walker heard that he would be released, but Brett recalled that "he was just so tough," and marveled at his "outstanding athleticism, freakish hand-eye coordination and mental approach;"[2] he also had 12stolen bases.[6] Expos hitting coachRalph Rowe successfully lobbied for him to be sent to theFlorida Instructional League (FIL). With further tutelage, relentless preparation, and sheer hard work, Walker soon developed into one of the Expos' best young prospects. He continued to make annual off-season returns to FIL inWest Palm Beach to calibrate and refine his approach, and eventually made his home there.[2]
In his second professional season in1986, Walker achieved his breakthrough while playing for two A-level clubs, theBurlington Expos andWest Palm Beach Expos. His combined totals in 133 games included a .288 average, .397on-base percentage (OBP), .602slugging percentage (SLG), 87runs scored, 19doubles, 11triples, 33 home runs, 90runs batted in (RBI) and 18 stolen bases.[9] Walker caught the eye of his fellow Canadians, and, as a 19-year-old minor leaguer, had acquired an entourage of Canadian reporters. "I know now I can hit the ball. I have a lot of confidence even though I still strike out a lot. I swing at too many bad pitches," he contemplated. Asserted West Palm Beach managerFelipe Alou, "If he keeps improving the way he has the last 12 months, there's no telling what he could do. You have a kid with his kind of potential, they don't last long in the minor leagues."[10] Meanwhile, the club clinched theFlorida State League South division, winning by two games over theFort Lauderdale Yankees.[11]
After promotion toJacksonville Expos of theSouthern League in1987, Walker totaled a .287 average, .383 OBP, .534 SLG, 91 runs, 26 home runs, 24 stolen bases and three timescaught stealing. He won his firstTip O'Neill Award that year as the top Canadian baseball player.[12] He missed the1988 season after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery for an injury while playing in theMexican Pacific League.[6][13] The Expos moved him up toIndianapolis Indians of theTriple-AInternational League in1989. There, he played in 114 games and batted .270 with 68 runs scored, 12 home runs, 36 stolen bases and six times caught stealing.[9]
Walker made his debut with theMontreal Expos on August 16, 1989. Hewalked twice in the game while hitting a single in his first at bat,[14] offMike LaCoss of theSan Francisco Giants. Walker's first season totals included a .170 batting average, .264 OBP, and .170 SLG in 56plate appearances.[5]Montreal fans gave him the nickname "Booger."[15]
Ranked No. 42 onBaseball America's list of top prospects in advance of the1990 season, Walker became the Expos' regular right fielder followingHubie Brooks' departure viafree agency, patrolling an outfield which featuredTim Raines andMarquis Grissom, both accomplishedbase stealers and hitters. Walkerbatted .241/.326 /.434 for a 112OPS+ in his first full season. He also hit 19 home runs with 21 stolen bases and produced 3.4Wins Above Replacement (WAR).[5] He placed seventh in theNational League (NL)Rookie of the Year balloting.[16] As the top native Canadian to ever play for the Expos, Walker became a role model for young Canadian baseball players.[citation needed]
Over the next four seasons, Walker hit a combined .293/.366/.501 for a 134 OPS+, with an average of 20 home runs, 19 stolen bases, excellent defense (+10 runs per year) and 4.2 WAR. He became another in the succession of Montreal's great outfielders. He appeared in 133 to 143 games per season, spending significant time on thedisabled list (DL) in1991 and 1993 while playing onOlympic Stadium's notoriousartificial turf, a product perceived to create excessive stress onknees, accelerating injuries to players like former Expos star outfielderAndre Dawson.[5] In 1991, Walker appeared in 39 games at first base, includingDennis Martínez's perfect game on July 28, a 2−0 victory over theLos Angeles Dodgers.[17] In that contest, Walker hit the only RBI, driving inDave Martinez on a triple, and scored the second run on an error. He was involved in 17 of 27 outs: 16 putouts and one assist.[18]
In late May1992, the Expos made Aloumanager at the major league level, touching off a period of heightened success lasting the rest of Walker's time in Montreal.[19][20] In the July 4 game against theSan Diego Padres, he fielded a ground ball to right field and threw out speedyshortstopTony Fernández at first base.[1] Walker was named to his firstAll-Star Game, debuting as apinch hitter in the fourth inning forGreg Maddux and hitting asingle.[21] Walker was also selected to his firstHome Run Derby, hitting four home runs.[22] In 1992, Walker batted .301/.353/.506 and rated 10 runs above average while fielding,[5] with 16 outfield assists,[1] for a total value of 5.4 WAR. He won his firstGold Glove andSilver Slugger awards and became the first and only Canadian to win theExpos Player of the Year award.[23][24][5] Walker received consideration for theMost Valuable Player Award (MVP) for the first time in 1992, finishing fifth in the National League.[25]
The1993 Expos reached a rare watermark, winning 94 games. A core of young talent propelled the club, including Grissom and a risingMoisés Alou (son of manager Felipe) complementing Walker in the outfield, startersKen Hill andJeff Fassero, and relieversJohn Wetteland andMel Rojas.[26] An improbable finish to the regular season including a record of 30−9 catapulted Montreal to a second-place standing with a 94−68 record, just shy of the club-record 95 wins set in1979.[27][28] Excitement in Canada began to crescendo over the prospect of the first-ever all-CanadianWorld Series, as theToronto Blue Jays were defendingchampions in1993, andrepeated that October.[29] Walker batted .265 with 22 home runs and 86 RBI, setting then-career highs with 80 walks, 20intentional walks, 29 stolen bases, and .371 OBP. He won his second Gold Glove Award.[23]
Before the start of the1994 season, the Expos, seeking to replace departedaceDennis Martínez in the starting rotation, acquired a young reliever inPedro Martínez, who theLos Angeles Dodgers had cast doubt over his potential as starter and pitched him out of the bullpen.[27] One amusing moment happened on April 24 while playing theDodgers inLos Angeles and Martínez starting. With one out in the third inning, Walker caught aMike Piazza fly ball and innocently handed it to a young fan, six-year-old Sebastian Napier, thinking it was the third out of the inning. He then quickly noticed thatJosé Offerman, already on base, was running at full speed. Walker managed to retrieve the ball from Napier and throw it back in, but Offerman was held at third base because the ball had gone out of play.[30] Embarrassed, Walker admitted that he "told the little kid that maybe next time I'll give him a ball when there are three outs instead of two. Everybody around him was laughing." Where Offerman was stationed made little difference, asTim Wallach homered on the next pitch from Martínez for two runs. True to his word, when the Expos assumed the field in the bottom half of the fourth inning, Walker gave Napier a signed ball, inducing a standing ovation.[1]
From June 1 forward, Montreal transformed into the dominant club in the National League, going 46−18 until theplayers' strike halted the season on August 11.[27] In turn, they produced the most successful season infranchise history in terms ofwinning percentage (.649) with a major league-best 74−40 record.[5][29][26] Walker was suspended four games starting June 24 for inciting a bench-clearing brawl by charging the mound in a game againstPittsburgh.[31] He paced for new levels production in spite of a shoulder injury in late June that confined him to first base for the remainder of the season. He easily accelerated past his previous career highs set in 1992 with a .322 batting average, .394 OBP, and .587 SLG, including what could have been his first 100-RBI year. He finished with 86 RBI, 151 OPS+, and a league-leading 44 doubles; the latter two figures were also new career-highs.[5] He was sixth in the league in RBI, seventh in WAR (4.7), offensive win % (.739) and OPS+, and eighth in batting and SLG.[32] He placed 11th in the NL MVP voting.[33]
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Expos' transcendent season was that they did so with the second-lowest payroll in baseball. However, as the team lost millions of dollars in revenue from 29 canceled home games and playoffs,general managerKevin Malone was given orders to drastically reduce payroll. The club dealt away their young stars and did not offer Walkersalary arbitration.[34] As such, he was grantedfree agency.
Walker signed a four-year contract with theColorado Rockies worth nearly $22.5 millionUSD ($46.4 million today), the largest agreement since the strike.[35] The average annual value equated to more than $5.6 million ($11.6 million today), up from the $4 million ($8.5 million today) the Expos had paid him the year prior.[36] From Olympic Stadium toCoors Field, Walker transitioned into the most benevolent hitting environment sinceWorld War II. Nonetheless, even after mathematically adjusting for stadium and altitude advantages, his production during his Rockies years consistently rivaled other hitters whose accomplishments came in settings of greater difficulty.[5]
In his Rockies debut and inaugural game of Coors Field on April 26 against theNew York Mets, Walker doubled three times, including one that tied the score with two outs in the ninth resulting in an 11−9extra innings win. On May 7, 1995, he hit his 100th career home run offHideo Nomo ofLos Angeles.[17]
Walker attained new career-highs with 36 home runs and 101 RBI, reaching both 30 home runs and 100 RBI for the first time in his career, in spite of missing 13 games of a season shortened by the strike that had begun the year before. His rate numbers were .306/.381/.607,[37] and as the average club scored 5.4 runs per game, his OPS+ fell about 20 percent from the year before to 131.[5] Walker ranked second in the NL in home runs (tied withSammy Sosa), slugging, extra base hits (72), total bases (300),at bats per home run (13.7) andhits by pitch (14), third in OPS (.988), and seventh in runs scored (96) and RBI.[38] He placed seventh in the NL MVP voting,[39] his second time in the top ten.
One of a quartet of Rockies players who became known as The Blake Street Bombers, Walker,Dante Bichette,Vinny Castilla and former Expos teammateAndrés Galarraga each contributed at least 30 home runs in 1995. The Rockies simultaneously won the first-everNational League wild card berth under the newpostseason format and first playoff appearance in franchise history in just their third season of play. Walker collected three hits in 14 at bats in theNational League Division Series (NLDS) versus theAtlanta Braves. He hit his first career postseason home run offTom Glavine in the sixth inning of a 7−4 Game 2 loss. The Braves defeated the Rockies in four games.[1]
Walker primarily playedcenter field in1996 (54 out of 83 games) in a season cut short by injury.[37] On May 21 against thePittsburgh Pirates, he doubled, tripled, and hit a pair of two-run home runs to drive in a career-best six runs in a 12–10 win. He set a club record with 13 total bases in a game.[40] The next day, also against the Pirates, he set an MLB record with six consecutive extra base hits.[41] On May 26, he won his first MLBPlayer of the Week Award.[42] He missed more than two months of the 1996 season due to a fracturedclavicle[5][43] that occurred in a collision with an outfield fence. He hit .393 at Coors Field and .142 on the road.[44]
The Rockies commenced the1997 season on the road, and thus Walker started a reversal of his poor fortunes away from Coors. He hit two home runs in the season-opening series against theReds inCincinnati,[15] and, on April 5, hit three more inMontreal, his first career three-home-run game.[44] The second landed near a home-made sign reading "Boogerville." After the third, fans cheered Walker for thehat-trick in recognition of his former dream of playing hockey professionally. He hit .440 with six home runs in 25 at bats in his first week,[15] winning the NL Player of the Week Award for the second time.[42] He ended April batting .456 with 41 hits, 29 runs scored, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 7 stolen bases, a .538 OBP, and .911 SLG.[45] He set major league records for March–April for both OPS (later surpassed byBarry Bonds in2004[46]) and runs scored (later surpassed byBryce Harper in2017).[47] Walker won his first NLPlayer of the Month award.[48]
Walker sat out an interleague game on June 12 versus theSeattle Mariners. Former Expos teammateRandy Johnson, a left-handed pitcher standing 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) and one of the most intimidating players in sports history, was scheduled as thestarter. "I faced Randy one time in spring training and he almost killed me," Walker explained of the rationale.[49] He collected his 1,000th career hit and 108th of the season on June 20 againstAndy Ashby ofSan Diego.[1]
However, the decision to not bat against Johnson instigated a debacle as one of the indelible moments of Walker's career one month later in the1997 All-Star Game. This time, Walker faced Johnson, who theatrically threw over his head. Ever adaptable, Walker placed hisbatting helmet backwards and switched sides in the batters' box to standright-handed for one pitch. He ended the at bat by drawing a walk.[50] The incident momentarily drew mirth and laughter from players in bothdugouts,fans and announcers, and comparisons to Johnson pitching againstJohn Kruk in the1993 All-Star Game, in which he also threw over his head.[51] In spite of garnering a reputation of avoiding Johnson,[52] Walker batted .393 (11 hits in 28 at bats) against him in his career,[53] nearly double the rate of all left-handed batters at .199.[54]
During the All-Star break, Walker participated in the Home Run Derby, placing second with 19 home runs.[55] Both he andTony Gwynn of the Padres, also a selectee that year's All-Star Game, were batting near .400, and right fielders for teams in theNational League West division. They were jointly interviewed,[56] as batting .400 is one of the most difficult achievements in all of sports.[57] Asked just how challenging it is, Gwynn, known to be a very studious hitter, elaborated with what he later termed a "complete dissertation." Walker responded, "I don't know anything about that stuff. I just hit the ball." While neither player wound up achieving the statistic over any full season, Gwynn won that year's National Leaguebatting championship and Walker finished second.[56]
Continuing his remarkable season,[58] Walker was batting .402 as late as July 17.[59] On September 12, Walker was batting a league-leading .371 with 43 home runs; no National League player had ever simultaneously marshaled those totals.[60] He then experienced another power surge, hitting home runs in four consecutive games – a total of five in that span – including the 199th and 200th of his career in San Diego on September 17. He injured his right elbow while swinging at the pitch that was thrown just prior to his 49th home run during the Rockies' 160th game, forcing him out of the final two games. In spite of Walker's magnificent season, the Rockies were unable to capitalize, missing the playoffs with an 83–79 record.[1]
Walker's 1997 was a career season, when he hit .366 with 49 home runs, 130 RBI, 208 hits, 143 runs scored, 33 stolen bases, .720 slugging percentage, 1.172 OPS, 409total bases and 9.8 WAR. He won the NL MVP Award, thus becoming the first Canadian player to win the MVP. The home run and stolen base totals placed him in the30–30 club. He became and remains the only player to have reached at least 30 stolen bases and a slugging percentage of .700 in the same season,[61] the second with at least 45 home runs and 30 stolen bases,[62] and the fifth with 40−30.[63] The 9.8 WAR produced is tied for the 67th-highest single-season total among position players in MLB history, perBaseball Reference.[64] Walker's production slotted within four hits and 10 RBI of winning the first battingTriple Crown in 60 years.[63] He led the major leagues in WAR, slugging, OPS, total bases,runs created (187), adjusted batting runs (71), adjusted batting wins (6.7), extra base hits (99), and offensive win % (.857);[65] and the NL in on-base percentage (.452), and at bats per home run (11.6).[66]
Also, Walker's 409 total bases were the most in an NL season sinceStan Musial gained 429 in1948, and is tied withLou Gehrig andRogers Hornsby for the 18th-highest in MLB history.[67] Walker's season marked the 23rd occasion in MLB history a batter reached 400 total bases and the first time in the National League sinceHank Aaron's 400 in1959.[68] Combined with 12 outfield assists, and a league-leading of both a .992 fielding percentage and four double plays turned,[37] Walker's 1997 season remains one of the finest all-around performances in recent baseball history. Further, he won a series of other awards, including thePlayers Choice Award for National League Outstanding Player,[69] theBaseball Digest Player of the Year Award,[70] his seventh Tip O'Neill Award,[12] third Gold Glove,[23] second Silver Slugger,[24] and first Rockies Player of the Year Award.[71] In honor of Canada's 150th anniversary ofConfederation on July 1, 2017,The Sports Network named Walker's achievement of the MVP award among the nation's most iconic sports moments.[72]
The 49 home runs set a single-season club record for Colorado. Walker's production held up well on the road, including nine more home runs than at Coors Field: .346 average, 29 home runs and 62 RBI in 75 games.[73][68] Other single-season franchise records Walker set in 1997 were WAR, slugging percentage, OPS, runs scored, total bases, adjusted OPS+, offensive win percentage, and at bats per home run.[74]
Although he rested the right elbow in the off-season, Walker aggravated the injury while playinggolf the following January.[1] The elbow soreness kept him at one home run through April of the1998 season. He produced a season-high 20-game hitting streak from May 4−25, and the second-longest in the NL, batting .342 in that span, which was actuallyworse than his average at season's end. In that streak, Walker hit a pinch-hit grand slam on May 6 offJerry Spradlin of thePhiladelphia Philles.[17] The Rockies placed Walker on the DL for two weeks in June due to the elbow soreness,[1] and he managed to hit .331 through the first half of the season.[63] Walker started in theAll-Star Game for the second consecutive season, playingcenter field and batting seventh. He drew a walk and scored a run.[75]
One of the most amazing things I've seen Larry accomplish, was during those two seasons after '97, when, hurt as he was, he hit for a high average. He had to take daily inventory of what was going good and come up with a stroke that would work within the parameters of his health. It was never dramatic–a layman's eye would never notice. But he'd raise his hands on the bat or open his stance, just to have a stroke that was pain-free. It was different every night for two years.
Immediately following the All-Star break, Walker collected six hits in his first 32 at bats (.188), dropping his average to .314, its lowest since April 5. During a seven-game homestand spanning July 23−28, he produced 15 hits in 27 at bats (.556) with three doubles, two triples, four home runs and nine RBI, raising his average from .319 to .340. He surged from tenth to second place for the batting crown. From August 19 to the end of the season, he hit .440 (78-for-177). He endured back spasms toward the end of the season, starting in nine of the team's final 17 games.[17]
Walker produced a .402 second-half batting average. After 1997, he never reached 500 at bats again as various injuries cut short each season. With a .363 batting average, he became the first Canadian-born player to win a major league batting title in the 20th century, the first to do so in the National League,[a][63][76] and broke Gwynn's streak of four consecutive National League batting championships.[17]
Walker won the prestigiousLou Marsh Trophy in 1998 as Canadian athlete of the year, one year after finishing runner-up toFormula OnechampionJacques Villeneuve,[77] of which he remarked at the time that he lost "to a car."[78] Walker also attained theLionel Conacher Award as the top male Canadian athlete,[79] theESPY Award for Best Major League Player,[80] and a Tip O'Neill Award.[12] He also received his fourth Gold Glove.[23]
Plagued by injuries for the last several years of his career, Walker nevertheless continued to produce. He missed the first week of the1999 season with a strained rib cage. On April 28, he hit three home runs against theSt. Louis Cardinals for his second career three home run game while contributing eight RBI in a 9–7 win.[1] Walker hit safely in 21 consecutive games from April 25−May 19, making that the second occasion since 1987 a reigning batting champion had achieved a hit streak of at least 20 games.[81][82] On May 19, Walker collected four hits versus theCincinnati Reds to raise his season average to .431, but the Rockies were on the losing end of a 24−12 final, tied for the fourth-highest run-scoring output in MLB history.[82][83] For the month of May, Walker batted .392, .647 slugging, and 40 hits in 102 at bats.[84]
From June 18−23, Walker tied Bichette's club record by homering in five consecutive games. The following day, Walker tied another club record, held by Galarraga, with his sixth consecutive multi-hit game.[17] In June, Walker played in 25 games, and batted .385, .813 SLG, 10 home runs, 30 RBI, 25 scored, 35 hits, 10 walks, and nine strikeouts.[84] On July 8, Walker hit his 250th career home run versusChan Ho Park of theDodgers.[17] Walker batted .326 in July with 15 walks and 10 home runs.[84]
Carrying a .382 first-half average, Walker had batted .390 (189 hits in 484 at bats) from the 1998 All-Star break to the same point in 1999, the equivalent of a full season.[17] He was named to his third consecutiveAll-Star team. Played atFenway Park inBoston, he started in right field and batted second.[85] He was one of the strikeout victims of former Expos teammate Pedro Martínez, who became the first to strike out the first three batters in an All-Star Game.[86] In the July 19 contest versus theOakland Athletics, Walker became the second player to homer into the plaza reserve seating of one of the upper decks in theOakland Coliseum, followingMark McGwire, who had done so three seasons earlier.[87] On July 27, Walker recorded his 100th and 101st career outfield assists. He hit the game-winning home run August 18 versusJohn Rocker ofAtlanta for his 1,400th career hit. Walker closed his season by hitting safely in 12 consecutive starts, including multiple hits in the final six.[17] Limited to 15 games and 49 plate appearances in September, Walker batted .513 with 20 hits in 39 at bats, 10 runs scored, five doubles, four home runs, 13 RBI, nine walks and two strikeouts.[84]
For the season, Walker batted .379 − setting a Rockies record[74] and the fourth-highest sinceTed Williams hit .406 in1941[88] − while leading the major leagues in batting for a second time. Walker also led the major leagues in offensive win % (.838), on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.710), and OPS (1.168).[89] Sometimes referred to as the "Slash Stat Triple Crown," he became the seventh player within the previous 60 years to lead the league in each of average, OBP and SLG in the same season, and first sinceGeorge Brett in1980.[90] The last NL player to lead the majors in each of the three slash stat categories was Musial in1943.[17] Walker also hit 37 home runs and 115 RBI in just 438 at bats, stole 11 bases in 15 attempts, and registered 12 outfield assists.[91]
Per the Elias Sports Bureau (ESB), Walker's .461 average at Coors is the highest home batting average since ESB began tracking home/road splits in 1974, and 43 points higher than any other player's in that span.[17] In 66 games at Coors, Walker also hit .531 OBP, .879 SLG, 26 home runs, 70 RBI, 107 hits, 72 runs, nine stolen bases, 31 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 273 plate appearances. On the road, he batted .286, .894 OPS, 11 home runs and 35 strikeouts.[84] He won his fifth Gold Glove[23] and was selected as Rockies Player of the Year for the second time.[71] He placed 10th in the NL MVP balloting.[92] Following the season, he underwent knee surgery.[91]
Walker produced 10.8 WAR combined in 1998−99 while missing at least 30 games in both seasons,[5] and from 1997 to 1999, he hit .314/.410/.592 ...away from Coors Field.[93] His aggregate batting average at .369 in that same time,[94] he became the first player sinceAl Simmons from1929–31 to hit at least .360 in each of three consecutive seasons.[1] Walker signed a six-year, $75 million (USD, $141.6 million today) contract extension after the 1999 season.[5] He was named as the ninth top male athlete ofCanada's Athletes of the 20th Century list compiled in 1999, trailing onlyFerguson Jenkins (number seven) among baseball players.Sports Illustrated listed Walker as the 13th greatest sporting figure in Canadian history in 1999.[95]
While missing a major portion of2000 with a stress fracture in the right elbow,[5] Walker spent two stints on the DL.[1] He recorded an outfield fielder's choice on April 16 versusSt. Louis, leading to a forceout at second base. On April 19 versus theArizona Diamondbacks, he collected his 1,448th career hit to passJeff Heath as the major's all-time hits leader for Canadian-born players. Walker completed his longest hitting streak of the season, at eight games, from April 21−May 1. In that time, he batted .471 (16-for-34) with three home runs and nine RBI. On May 13, the team received diagnostic results revealing he had a stress reaction irritation in his right elbow, and placed him on the DL, in which he missed 23 games.[17] To that point, he was batting .347.[1]
Walker returned from the DL notably weakened, batting .286 over his final 57 games of the season.[1] He homered to drive in his 888th career run on July 1 versus theOakland Athletics, passing Heath for the all-time lead among Canadian-born players. He also collected his 1,500th career hit in that game. On the August 10−17 road trip, he collected five outfield assists.[17] On September 8, he had surgery on the elbow after it was revealed to be troubled with soreness.[1] Walker appeared in 87 games and batted .309 with nine home runs and 51 RBI. He led the club with 10 outfield assists, eight from right field and two from left field. He ended the season as Canada's all-time leader in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and runs scored in the major leagues.[17] First basemanTodd Helton, Walker's teammate on the Rockies from 1998 until his trade to the Cardinals in 2004, won the MLB Slash Stat Triple Crown in 2000, making them the first teammates in history to accomplish the feat in consecutive years. It also gave the Rockies four consecutive MLB batting champions in 1998−2001.[96][97] Helton eventually succeeded Walker as the Rockies' career franchise leader in a number of statistical categories.[98]
.jpg)
Prior the2001 season, Walker committed to a new fitness regimen, including using apersonal trainer. He displayed restored health in his right arm on Opening Day, throwing outFernando Viña of theCardinals at home plate.[99][1] Walker opened the season with a 10-game hit streak, from April 4−13, batting .425 with six home runs and 16 RBI.[17] From April 17 to May 23, Walker safely reached base in 31 consecutive games.[1] He batted .375, 11 home runs, 30 RBI during the month of April, becoming the first player in NL history to hit at least 11 home runs in the month of April twice. On May 22, he swiped his 200th career base. He scored his 1,000th career run on June 3 versusSan Francisco.[17]
Walker was selected to play in the2001 All-Star Game, starting as thedesignated hitter and batting fifth.[100] On August 5, he hit his 300th career home run, coming against thePittsburgh Pirates in a 5−4 loss.[101] He hit his 204th home run for Colorado on August, passing Castilla for the franchise record. On September 5, he took the lead for good for the batting title from former Expos teammate Moisés Alou. By scoring five runs on September 24 versusSan Diego, Walker tied his career-high and the Rockies franchise record.[17]
On the season, Walker tiedIchiro Suzuki for the major league lead in batting at .350[17] for his third batting title, with 38 homers and 123 RBI in 497 at bats. He did not reach his personal goal of 150 games, but did play in 142 and managed 601 plate appearances, his highest totals since 1997.[1] Also he finished in the top ten in numerous other categories, including second in OBP (.449), third in offensive win % (.831), fifth in SLG (.663), sixth in OPS (1.111), adjusted OPS+ (160), at bats per home run (13.1), and WAR (7.8), and ninth in home runs.[102] He led the majors with a .406 home batting average and in left-hander versus left-hander batting average at .378.[17] He won another Gold Glove that year.[23]
The Rockies struggled to play well in2002, including a franchise-worst 6−16 start, and ended the season 25 games out of first place.[1] Walker played his 1,532nd game on April 6, surpassingTerry Puhl for most games played by a Canadian-born player in MLB history. Walker's 74th outfield assist with Colorado on May 23 gave him the franchise record, passing Bichette.[17] Walker raised his average from .310 to a season-high .368 in June and July.[1] His June totals included .410, seven doubles, seven home runs and 21 RBI. He hit safely in 20 of 24 games.[17] In July, he was the NL Player of the Month for the second time, batting .438/.505./742, five home runs, and 17 RBI.[48] He became the first player sincePaul O'Neill in April and May of1994 to hit at least .400 in successive months.[17]
Overall, Walker batted .338 in 2002, second in the NL to Bonds' .370 average, and reached 100 RBI for the second consecutive year. Walker also hit 26 home runs and led the team with 40 doubles.[1] He played in 136 games, and hit for a .421 OBP and .602 SLG. He won his seventh Gold Glove Award[23] and was 20th in the MVP voting. His .452 average ininterleague play led the major leagues.[17] Throughout his age-36 season of2003, Walker battled knee, shoulder, hamstring, groin and hip ailments. The knee injury occurred in a collision withPreston Wilson on August 2. In spite of all the injuries, Walker never missed more than three consecutive games and made 143 appearances. He hit 16 home runs and 79 RBI while batting .284, just the second time since 1993 his average had slipped below .300.[1] He drew a career-high 98 bases on balls, resulting in a .422 on-base percentage, the seventh time in his career he reached .400.[37] He was fifth in the NL in OBP, sixth in IBB (16), eighth in BB, and ninth in HBP (11).[103] CommentedmanagerDon Baylor, "Even with the injuries and the lack of numbers from what they used to be in the past, Larry is still pitched to very carefully and fearfully throughout the league. He's played beaten up and bruised." Walker underwent surgery to repair the labrum in the left shoulder and meniscus in the right knee following the season.[104]
A groin strain caused Walker to miss the first 68 games,[105] or two and one-half months, of the2004 season.[5] His first three home runs of the season came on June 25, 2004, versus theCleveland Indians, including one offJosé Jiménez which won the game in the 10th inning for a 10−8 margin.[106] Walker totaled four hits and five RBI on the day, and it was his third career three-home run game.[107] He reached 2,000 career hits on June 30, 2004,[108] becoming the 234th player in major league history to do so. Having already achieved 400 doubles, 300 home runs, 1,000 runs scored, and 1,000 RBI, Walker became the 40th player to reach all five totals. The milestone hit was a double offBen Sheets in the fourth inning versus theMilwaukee Brewers. Through that point, Walker was the Rockies' career leader in 12 categories.[105]
With the Rockies struggling to make the playoffs—which they had not accomplished since his first year in Colorado in 1995—Walker indicated a desire to be traded to a contender.[109] TheTexas Rangers agreed to send to the Rockies two of their prospects then-minor leaguerIan Kinsler and prospect right-hander Erik Thompson in exchange for Walker in July, but he vetoed the trade.[110]
.jpg)
On August 6, 2004, Colorado sent Walker, who was batting .324 in 38 games, to theSt. Louis Cardinals forminor league pitcher Jason Burch and twoplayers to be named later.[111] On August 11, those players were identified asChris Narveson andLuis Martínez.[112] Customarily the Rockies' number three hitter, Walker became the Cardinals' number two hitter.[113] He hit behind a speedyTony Womack and in front of the 3−4−5 hitters ofJim Edmonds,Albert Pujols andScott Rolen,[114] who combined for 122 home runs and 358 RBI that year.[115] Walker made his Cardinals debut on August 8, playing theNew York Mets, and appeared as a pinch-hitter and struck out in the seventh inning. He drew a walk fromMike Stanton in the ninth inning and scored the game-winning run on aYadier Molina single.[116] Walker appeared in 44 games for the Cardinal powerhouse that won a major league-best 105 games, batting .280, .393 OBP, .560 SLG and 11 home runs.[117][118][119]
In three playoff rounds in 2004, Walker combined to hit .293/.379/.707 with a pair of home runs in each series,[5] setting a franchise record for home runs hit by a left-handed batter in one postseason.[120] Walker made his playoff debut with the Cardinals in Game 1 of theNLDS versus theDodgers, homering twice and scoring four runs in an 8−3 Cardinals win.[121] He became the first Cardinal with a multi-home run game in LDS play. In Game 1 of theNational League Championship Series (NLCS) versus theHouston Astros, he was a home run short ofhitting for the cycle.[17]
St. Louis advanced to face theBoston Red Sox in theWorld Series, the first and only of Walker's playing career. In his debut game, he collected four hits in five at bats with a home run and two doubles.[122] His four-hit outing tied a Cardinals World Series record, becoming the seventh overall and first sinceLou Brock in1967.[17] Boston won the Series by sweeping St. Louis.[5] The Cardinals struggled to hit, batting .190 with a .562 OPS, while Walker batted .357 with a 1.366 OPS. His two home runs were the only ones hit by the Cardinals.[123] In the 2004 postseason, Walker scored 21 percent (14 of 68) of Cardinals runs.[17]
Larry Walker ... he's a walking bag of ice.
Walker also contributed to the2005NL Central division champions, winners of 100 games.[124] A herniated disc in his neck prevented him from turning his head to the left, and on June 27, 2005, he received a second cortisone shot to alleviate the pain. With eight previous surgeries and now playing in pain that impeded his ability to continue to produce at a high level, Walker signaled that he would retire from playing after the season. He had $12 million team option for 2006.[94]
In 100 regular-season games, Walker batted .289/.384/.502, good for a 130 OPS+.[124] His playoff effort yielded much less success than the year prior, combining to collect three hits in 28 at bats in two rounds.[5] TheAstros defeated the Cardinals in theNLCS in the last game ever played atBusch Memorial Stadium, the second iteration ofBusch Stadium. Walker doubled in the sixth inning in elimination Game 6 versusRoy Oswalt for his final major league hit, but struck out in the ninth inning versusDan Wheeler, his final at bat. He retired shortly after the game.[125]
Walker ended his career 50th on Major League Baseball's all-time home run list with 383.
Walker began playing baseball seriously later than nearly all other players, but soon excelled at all aspects of the game, including hitting for both average and power, plate discipline, speed, defense, and throwing strength and accuracy, almost seamlessly translating the smoothness and agility of his hockey game to the diamond. Famously distinguished as "the accidental ballplayer" by aSports Illustrated article in 1993, he displayed all skills of the ideal five-tool player. The transition was a feat even more impressive considering he only began playing organized baseball after graduating high school and did not attend college,[2] and maintained staggering productivity over the course of his career in spite of myriad injuries. Baseball Reference's advanced metrics of the three major areas of the game (excluding pitching) −batting, baserunning and fielding−, echo a multitude of observations of Walker's overall excellence.[2][10][37][56] He produced 420 runs above average in batting, or batting runs (Rbat), 94 fielding runs (Rfield), 40 baserunning runs (Rbase), and 10 runs above average avoiding grounding intodouble plays (Rdp). In every season following his short debut campaign of 1989, his adjusted OPS+ graded at minimum at 110; in just four seasons did he rate below average in fielding runs and twice in baserunning runs.[37]
Former hitting coachCharley Lau wrote inLau's Laws on Hitting that Walker had "a beautiful, one-piece swing" with "an exceptionally balanced stance," "excellent weight transfer" and "admirable...hip rotation"—everything needed for success at the plate.[126]
Rival right fielder and long-time San Diego Padre Tony Gwynn epitomized Walker as "the most complete player in the National League," and "best baserunner in the game" in a 2002 profile for ESPN. He observed that, in addition to his obvious athletic gifts, Walker approaches the game very cerebrally and is always thinking ahead, unearthing a wide array of advantages that he applied to the game.[56] Said one sportswriter, "His hand-eye co-ordination was off the charts, and his instincts as an outfielder and baserunner were unmatched."[127] ToDenver Post sports writer Tony Renck, "Walker is the most talented player I have ever covered. His 1997 National League MVP season was breathtaking in every way from baserunning to defense to his rifle arm and 49 home runs."[128] Quipped his former manager with the Rockies Don Baylor, "He's a six-tool guy. Most talented player I've ever had." Former managerBobby Cox remarked, "He's better than one of the best. He is the best."[13]
On defense, Walker combined uncanny awareness and competence with the aplomb of an expert actor. By tapping into extensive knowledge of where to play for each hitter with what the pitcher was going to throw, he recognized where to position himself accordingly. He understood how to read the path and angle of the ball and anticipate how it would ricochet off the wall. His arm strength and accuracy often made it intimidating for baserunners to seize extra bases. Adept at mimicking catching long fly balls and line drives that he was actually unable to apprehend, he often fooled hitters into settling for singles when they could have taken extra bases.[56]
Although Walker was not the first Canadian to become a star player in the major leagues, his influence in Canada and native British Columbia is far-reaching. "He was the standard for the height of baseball in Canada," commentedJeff Francis, a former major league pitcher fromNorth Delta, British Columbia. "If you went to a provincial championship, his picture was on your T-shirt. Or if you went to play in Maple Ridge, you were playing at Larry Walker Field. The fact that he played for the Montreal Expos helped, too, so even people who weren't baseball fans knew who he was. He was that unreachable dream for kids who let you know it was reachable, that a Canadian could go do it."[129]
In 2008, Walker was an instructor on the St. Louis Cardinals' spring training staff under managerTony La Russa and did fill-in training with the Cardinals staff. He was offered a full-time role but chose to remain in his part-time position.[119]
Since 2009, Walker has served as a hittingcoach and first base coach for theCanadian national team. He has coached for Team Canada inWorld Baseball Classic (WBC) tournaments in2009,[130]2013,[131]2017,[132][133] and2023.[134] In 2011, he served as hitting and first base coach for Canada at thePan Am Games inGuadalajara, Mexico,[135] where Canada won their first major international baseball championship. In the semifinal, Canada defeated hostMexico, 5–3. Next, Canada bested theUnited States 2–1 in the final, to win the gold medal.[136][137] Walker reprised his coaching role at the2015 Pan Am Games inToronto.[138] In a rematch of 2011, Canada defeated the United States in extra innings, 7–6, to claim their second consecutive gold medal at thePan Am Games.[139] Walker did not return for the2019 Pan Am Games.[140]
During the2006 season, MLB andDHL Express announced a promotion,DHL Hometown Heroes, for fans to vote for the most outstanding player in each franchise's history among five nominees each. Nominees for the Rockies included Walker, Bichette, Castilla, Galarraga, and Helton.[141] On October 1, 2006, Walker was announced as the winner for the Rockies franchise.[142]
Walker was elected to theBC Sports Hall of Fame and inducted May 13, 2009.CTV Vancouver called him "perhaps the greatest Canadian-born ballplayer of all time".[143][144]
On June 20, 2009, it was announced that Walker and former major league catcherErnie Whitt were inducted into theCanadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Walker was elected on his first ballot.[145]
Of 33 MLB players and employees surveyed in 2012 to solicit the opinion of the greatest Canadian baseball player, Walker led with 16 votes, Jenkins was second with 10, andJoey Votto,Justin Morneau andStubby Clapp each received two.[7]
Fellow British Columbia native Justin Morneau signed with the Rockies prior to the2014 season and requested and wore uniform number 33 in honor of Walker. Morneau had previously won an MVP in theAmerican League.[146] At the end of the 2014 season, he won the NL batting title, joining Walker as the second Canadian to win a batting title with the Rockies.[147]
MLB held a contest dubbed "The Franchise Four" in2015 for fans to select the four most influential players in the history of each franchise. On July 14, it was announced that Walker was selected along with Galarraga, Helton, andTroy Tulowitzki for the Rockies.[148]
Walker became eligible for induction into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in2011. During his first year of eligibility, he received 118 votes, or 20.3 percent of all ballots cast; the threshold for entry is 75 percent.[149] With a 34.1% of voters supporting enshrinement in2018 — Walker's personal high at that point — he had previously yet to receive more than 22.9% of the vote.[150] As Jay Jaffe noted, Walker has had difficulty gaining more support for election as he is "in something of a perfect storm" — low counting statistics relative to already-elected Hall of Famers, playing a large part of his career during the "steroid era," and taking more turns at the plate at Coors Field than anywhere else.[5] One perception of Coors Field is that it inflates batting statistics far beyond a hitter's true ability.[151]
Jaffe wrote that he found Walker to be well-qualified for induction into the Hall of Fame, contending that even though "his counting stats were low for the era, ... his all-round greatness added a considerable amount of hidden value that made up for lost time."[5]
Of all who played right field as their primary position, Walker's 72.7 careerBaseball Reference WAR ranks 11th all-time, and all 10 ahead of him are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A top-heavy list highlights five achievers of over 100 WAR and another two who accumulated at least 90. Three of the most accomplished hitters in history are there − Ruth (162.2), Aaron, (143.2), and Musial (128.6). The next two retired players below Walker, including Gwynn, were also elected to the Hall of Fame.[152]
WroteTom Verducci of Walker's Hall of Fame credentials, the difference between playing in Denver and all other locations, including producing a 98-point in difference in average (.380 vs. .282), and a 49% higher home run rate, were "bothersome." Further, the lack of longevity kept him from election, as no right fielder with fewer than 2,500 games played or 2,500 hits has been selected.[153] John Brattain wrote forBaseball Prospectus in 2002 that Walker had "Hall of Fame talent" and named him "among the elite National League outfielders, Coors Field or not," but without Hall of Fame credentials, due to a lack of longevity from injury. Brattain compared him to a number of failed hopefuls with similar statistics, includingDick Allen, who accrued impressive rate statistics adjusted for era and an MVP award. However, the comparisons only extended to batting accomplishments, leaving out defense and baserunning.[154]
Noted of Walker's proper swing balance by the authors ofLau's Laws on Hitting, "don't be fooled into thinking that all of his glowing statistics are the result of playing at Coors Field. He posted some superb numbers in Montreal, too."[126] Former AL batting champion George Brett offered on playing at Coors that "you have to adjust to what the ballpark offers you. The reason I hit the way I do is[Kauffman] Stadium — the big outfield and the turf. You play half your games there."[155]Mike Piazza, who finished second to Walker in the 1997 NL MVP voting, commented the same year that "Walker is a great player having a great year. He plays in a great hitter's park, and I think it's unfortunate that some of their players don't get the credit they deserve because of that."[60][156]
Walker was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in2020 in his 10th and final year of eligibility; he was named on 304 of the 397 ballots (76.57%) cast by the writers. He became only the second Canadian elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame afterFerguson Jenkins was elected in1991.[157] Walker is also the first Hall of Fame player to wear a Rockies cap on his plaque.[158][159] He created a sensation by wearing aNASCAR-styleSpongeBob SquarePants shirt during the video interviews to commemorate the announcement of his election, citing that he was not optimistic he would be elected to the Hall of Fame. BothAmazon andWalmart in its online apparatus were found to have sold out of the shirt shortly after the interview aired.[160] The SpongeBob shirt that Larry Walker wore on the day he was elected was itself put in the Hall of Fame as part of an exhibit in 2021.[161]
Over his career, Walker produced a .313 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .565 slugging percentage for a 141 adjusted OPS+. One of only 19 hitters in history with a .300/.400/.500 batting line with at least 5,000 career plate appearances, his is one of only six whose careers began after 1960. Injuries forced him to miss 375 games from 1996 to 2004 as he appeared in 1,083 of 1,458 possible games.[162] He hit over .300 nine times, hit at least 30 home runs four times and drove in 100 RBI five times. Defensively, he ranks eighth all-time among right fielders with 94 runs above average, per Baseball Reference.[163] He was the 40th player in history to reach 2,000 hits, 400 doubles, 300 home runs, 1,000 runs scored, and 1,000 RBI.[105]
Per Baseball Reference's advanced metrics, Walker produced 420 runs above average in batting, or batting runs (Rbat), 94 fielding runs (Rfield), and 40 base-running runs (Rbase).[37][164] According to sportsjournalistJoe Posnanski, of all players who rank within the top 100 of either Rbat, Rfield, anddefensive runs saved, 34 are in the top 100 in two of the categories, and three are in the top 100 in all three: Barry Bonds,Willie Mays, and Walker.[165] His 94 Bfield ranks eighth all-time among right fielders, and Rbase are third all-time among right fielders and 32nd among all outfielders. Considering players of all positions in MLB history, just 13 others achieved a combination of 94 Rfield and 40 Rbase. When also considering Walker's 420 Rbat (which are park-adjusted), just three others met or exceeded all three levels:Hank Aaron, Bonds, and Mays.[164]
With 72.7 career WAR according to Baseball Reference, Walker ranks 11th all-time among right fielders as of April 2025[update], including a top-heavy class where five achieved over 100 WAR and another two accumulated 90 WAR. All nine ahead of him are in the National Hall of Fame, and eight of nine played at least 2,400 games, compared to Walker's 1,988. There are 24 right fielders in the Hall of Fame. Populating the list are two of the top three home run hitters in history (Babe Ruth, 162.2; andHank Aaron, 143.2), Musial (128.6),Mel Ott (110),Frank Robinson (107.3),Roberto Clemente (94.9) andAl Kaline (92.7). The next two after Walker, including Gwynn, are also in the Hall of Fame.[b][152]
Walker is the only player in MLB history with at least a .310 batting average, 380 home runs, 1,300 RBI, a .965 OPS, 471 doubles, and 230 stolen bases. Just four others players reached all levels other than the stolen base category: Musial, Ruth, Ted Williams, andLou Gehrig.[155] Among all players with at least 8,000 plate appearances as of 2015[update], Walker is tied withChipper Jones for 36th all-time with a 141 OPS+.[166] Walker's slugging percentage ranks 12th all-time.[167] His 140wRC+ ranks 37th in history among players with at least 8,000 plate appearances.[168][62] He is one of 30 players to win at least three batting titles.[41][169]
Remarkably, Walker maintained superior longevity in right field despite persistent injuries during his career. Never having to permanently move off the position, he made significant contributions there every season of his career, while at times covering for significant stretches at first base (1991 and 1994), center field (1996) and left field (2000). He ranks 17th in games played in right field, with 1,718, 20th in assists (150), 11th in double plays turned (40), ninth in defensive zone runs (100), and 44th in fielding percentage (.986). Among all outfielders, he is 22nd in defensive zone runs (101), 77th in double plays turned (40), and 93rd in games played (1,804).[37]
Over his general peak seasons covering 1992−2002, Walker ranked sixth among all MLB position players in WAR with 53.9, while batting .327, .410 OBP, .602 SLG, with 300 home runs. Among all players with at least 4,000 at bats in that span, the average ranked second to Gwynn, weighted on-base average (wOBA, .428) and slugging third to McGwire and Bonds, and OBP 11th.[170] During his five highest peak seasons spanning 1997−2001, he batted .357/.445/.658.[165]
In Colorado, Walker batted .382/.462/.710 and 229 of his career home runs in 2,501 PA. In all other ballparks, he batted .282/.372/.501 and 154 of career home runs in 5,529 PA.[171] His road OPS in nine full seasons playing for the Rockies was .890, and his career road OPS was .865, just ahead ofKen Griffey Jr. at .860. Of all players with at least 1,000 road games played, Walker's OPS ranked 39th as of 2015[update].[62] As of 2016[update], the number of Hall of Famers who had exceeded his road totals followed as thus: 35 hit more than his 168 home runs, 63 drove in more than his 564 RBI, 32 stole more than his 109 bases, 33 hit for a higher OPS than his .865, and 56 hit more than his 203 doubles.[155]
Walker is the Rockies' career leader in batting average (.334), on-base percentage (.426), slugging percentage (.618), OPS (1.044), and OPS+ (147). He remains in the top ten in many cumulative offensive categories for the Rockies, many of which he trails only Todd Helton orCharlie Blackmon, who both played many more games for Colorado than Walker.[98] Walker holds many Rockies' single-season records, many of them set during his 1997 MVP season.[74]
Walker and pitcher Ferguson Jenkins are often considered the greatest Canadian-born baseball players. Jenkins was, prior to Walker's election, the only native Canadian to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and the first of only two Canadians to win theCy Young Award (the second isÉric Gagné in 2003).[172] Since Walker won the MVP Award in 1997, Justin Morneau (2006) andJoey Votto (2010) became the second and third Canadians win the award.[173][174] Only Walker and Votto (six) have won the Tip O'Neill Award more than three times in their career.[12]
| Title | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| BC Sports Hall of Fame inductee | 2009 | [143][175] |
| Canada's Athletes of the 20th Century #9 Greatest Male Athlete | 1999 | |
| Canada's Sports Hall of Fame inductee | 2007 | [176] |
| Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee | 2009 | [145][177] |
| Colorado Sports Hall of Fame inductee | 2011 | [178] |
| National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee | 2020 | [179] |
| Category | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | RC | P−S | Off% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | 1,988 | 8,030 | 6,907 | 1,355 | 2,160 | 471 | 62 | 383 | 1,311 | 230 | 913 | 1,231 | .313 | .400 | .565 | .965 | 141 | 3,904 | 1,619 | 287.4 | .746 |
| Top 10 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| All-time | — | — | — | 107 | 199 | 88 | — | 66 | 105 | — | 165 | 162 | 78 | 55 | 12 | 14 | 74 | 103 | 66 | 31 | 29 |
| Category | G | Innings | TC | PO | A | E | DP | Fld | RF/9 | Rtot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right field | 1,718 | 14,987 | 3,322 | 3,125 | 150 | 47 | 40 | .986 | 2.07 | 96 |
| First base | 81 | 691.2 | 729 | 661 | 59 | 9 | 53 | .988 | 9.37 | −2 |
| Center field | 69 | 490.2 | 133 | 129 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .992 | 2.42 | −4 |
| Left field | 33 | 261 | 68 | 66 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.34 | 5 |
| Designated hitter | 27 | |||||||||
| Second base | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Third base | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Top 5 as RF | 4 | — | — | 3 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 8 |
| Category | Times | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| All players | ||
| Wins Above Replacement (WAR) leader | 1 | 1997 |
| Offensive statistics | ||
| Batting champion | 3 | 1998,1999,2001 |
| Doubles leader | 1 | 1994 |
| Extra base hits leader | 1 | 1997 |
| Home run leader | 1 | 1997 |
| On-base percentage leader | 2 | 1997, 1999 |
| On-base plus slugging leader | 2 | 1997, 1999 |
| Slugging percentage leader | 2 | 1997, 1999 |
| Total bases leader | 1 | 1997 |
| Defensive statistics as RF | ||
| Assists | 3 | 1992, 1995, 2002 |
| Double plays turned | 5 | 1991, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2002 |
| Fielding percentage | 1 | 1997 |
| Total zone runs | 1 | 1993 |
| Colorado Rockies single-season records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Record | Date |
| Adjusted OPS+ | 178 | 1997 |
| At bats per home run | 11.6 | 1997 |
| Batting average | .379 | 1999 |
| Home runs (tied) | 49 | 1997 |
| Offensive win % | .857 | 1997 |
| On-base plus slugging | 1.172 | 1997 |
| Slugging percentage | .720 | 1997 |
| Runs scored | 143 | 1997 |
| Total bases | 409 | 1997 |
| Wins Above Replacement | 9.8 | 1997 |
| Reference:.[74] Through 2024 season. |
| Colorado Rockies career rankings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Rank | Total |
| Adjusted OPS+ | 1st | 147 |
| Bases on balls | 2nd | 589 |
| Batting average | 1st | .334 |
| Doubles | 2nd | 297 |
| Extra base hits | 3rd | 599 |
| Games played | 4th | 1170 |
| Home runs | 2nd | 258 |
| Offensive win % | 1st | .789 |
| On-base percentage | 1st | .426 |
| On-base plus slugging | 1st | 1.044 |
| Power−speed number | 2nd | 169.3 |
| Runs batted in | 2nd | 848 |
| Runs scored | 3rd | 892 |
| Slugging percentage | 1st | .618 |
| Stolen bases | 3rd | 126 |
| Strikeouts | 9th | 659 |
| Triples | 4th | 44 |
| Reference:.[98] Through 2024 season. |
Walker resides inWest Palm Beach, Florida. He is married and has three daughters, including one from a previous marriage.[17]
Walker's talents extend beyond the diamond. He enjoys playing and watching soccer. In West Palm Beach, he frequentlybowls for recreation. He bowled a 300 game on April 10, 2014.[181]
Superstitious about the number three, Walker wore number 33 during his playing career and had his marriage to his first wife on November 3, 1990, at 3:33.[182] His in-game rituals all involved the number three, including taking three swings, or any multiple thereof, in thebatter's box before each at bat.[2] His superstition continued after his career, as Walker was the 333rd person to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.[183]
A donor to the Rockies Youth Field of Dreams program, Walker opened five facilities inColorado, inAurora,Denver,Fort Collins,Northglenn, andThornton.[citation needed]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tony Gwynn Todd Helton | Major League Baseball batting leader 1998−1999 2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Gary Sheffield Mark McGwire | National Leagueon-base percentage leader 1997 1999 | Succeeded by Mark McGwire Todd Helton |
| Preceded by Ellis Burks Mark McGwire | National League slugging percentage leader 1997 1999 | Succeeded by Mark McGwire Todd Helton |
| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month April 1997 July 2002 | Succeeded by Tony Gwynn Barry Bonds |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
.svg)
