ROOTING INTEREST
Met's former No. 99 passing torch to Walker, rotation's new 'X factor'
PORT ST. LUCIE — The previous No. 99 for the Mets is rooting for his successor.
Turk Wendell even recently sent a care package to Taijuan Walker to let him know he will be watching from afar, on his farm in Iowa. The package contained a turkey spurs necklace, wild boar’s tooth, licorice and tooth brush.
“Just having a little fun with it — a pass-the-torch kind of thing,” Wendell, who pitched for the Mets from 19972001, told The Post.
The new No. 99 took the mound Tuesday for his first exhibition start with the Mets and allowed two earned runs over two innings in his team’s 5-3 victory over the Cardinals at Clover Park. The right-hander worked a perfect first inning before allowing two hits and two walks in the second.
For the 28-year-old Walker, who arrived on a two-year contract worth $20 million, the prospect of a normal spring training is appealing. In addition to the pandemic shutdown that last March affected the entire game,
Walker missed spring training in 2019 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
“It’s been a while since I had the regular spring training, but I know if I have the 85-90 pitches, I will be fine to go for the regular season,” Walker said.
In the context of the Mets’ rotation, Walker slots in as the fourth starter — behind Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco and Marcus Stroman.
Former Mets ace Al Leiter, who is now an adviser within the organization — he spent last week in camp evaluating the pitchers — calls Walker the “X factor” in the rotation after changing his pitching style to induce more contact.
Walker split last season between the Mariners and Blue Jays, finishing with a 2.70 ERA and 1.163 WHIP in 11 starts. This after missing almost all of the 2018 and ’19 seasons rehabbing from surgery to repair the ligament tear in his elbow.
“You talk about pure stuff and a guy that figured it out and has got plenty of years in front of him,” Leiter said. “I really like that pickup because of arm strength, because of a real good changeup/slider combination. Guys that have setbacks and reflect on what happened previously and how do
I get better? I think Taijuan, he can be the under-the-radar X factor in this rotation.”
Walker’s leadership is another appealing attribute. He says he became more attuned to such a role after signing with the Mariners, for whom he was among the most experienced players.
“I just stepped into that role of trying to become a leader and help the younger guys out and just learn what it takes to be a leader,” Walker said. “Lead by example, speak up, help the younger guys. I just want to try to bring that over here to this team.
“I know we have got a lot of veterans over here, a lot of guys that have been around for a while, so any way I can go out there and help the team and teach a guy or two or whatever they need.”
Walker said he may wear the necklace Wendell sent him to the mound for his next start. He says he appreciated the gesture from the quirky former Mets reliever. Walker had never heard of Wendell before receiving the package.
Walker identified the necklace as shark’s teeth, but Wendell set the record straight — the components are turkey spurs.
“It’s cool that he sent me the care package,” Walker said. “My next start I am going to try to wear that … necklace, maybe for the fans. I know they want me to do that, bad.”
Wendell recalled selecting No. 99 with the Mets because when he arrived to the team, Edgardo Alfonzo was wearing Wendell’s previous number, 13, and wouldn’t relinquish it.
“There’s a lot of guys in the game wearing No. 99 now,” Wendell said. “But I promise you it’s not because of me.”