▁career ▁ ▁Minor ▁le agues ▁Walker ▁attended ▁Ex pos ▁minor ▁league ▁spring ▁training ▁camp ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁clear ▁from ▁the ▁out set ▁that ▁pitch ing ▁was ▁a ▁complete ▁mystery ▁to ▁him . ▁He ▁sw ung ▁ind isc rimin ately , ▁expecting ▁every ▁pitch ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁fast ball , ▁including ▁at ▁ones ▁that ▁b ounced ▁ 1 0 ▁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 ▁prepar ation . ▁He ▁joined ▁a ▁fast - p itch ▁soft ball ▁team ▁spons ored ▁by ▁a ▁bow ling ▁al ley , ▁but ▁this ▁brought ▁little ▁relief . ▁ ▁The ▁Ex pos ▁assigned ▁Walker ▁to ▁the ▁Ut ica ▁Blue ▁So x ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York – P enn ▁League , ▁a ▁Class ▁A ▁Short ▁Season ▁league , ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁professional ▁baseball . ▁He ▁played ▁third ▁base ▁and ▁first ▁base . ▁Although ▁he ▁could ▁hit ▁fast ball s ▁well , ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁have ▁difficulties ▁with ▁strike ▁zone ▁judgment ▁and ▁the ▁more ▁s oph istic ated ▁pitch es , ▁finishing ▁with ▁a ▁. 2 2 3 ▁batt ing ▁average ▁and ▁two ▁home ▁runs . ▁Manager ▁Ken ▁Bre tt , ▁who ▁was ▁less ▁pre occup ied ▁with ▁field ing ▁a ▁winning ▁team ▁than ▁giving ▁the ▁athlet ic ▁players ▁opportunity ▁to ▁experiment , ▁allowed ▁Walker ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁the