▁line up ▁as ▁a ▁regular ▁in ▁part ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁willing ness ▁to ▁learn . ▁Walker ▁heard ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁released , ▁but ▁Bre tt ▁re called ▁that ▁" he ▁was ▁just ▁so ▁t ough ," ▁and ▁mar ve led ▁at ▁his ▁" out standing ▁athlet ic ism , ▁fre ak ish ▁hand - ey e ▁coord ination ▁and ▁mental ▁approach ;" ▁he ▁also ▁had ▁ 1 2 ▁st olen ▁bases . ▁Ex pos ▁hitting ▁coach ▁Ralph ▁R owe ▁successfully ▁lo bb ied ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Florida ▁Inst ruction al ▁League ▁( FI L ). ▁With ▁further ▁tut el age , ▁rel ent less ▁prepar ation , ▁and ▁she er ▁hard ▁work , ▁Walker ▁soon ▁developed ▁into ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Ex pos ' ▁best ▁young ▁prospect s . ▁He ▁continued ▁to ▁make ▁annual ▁off - season ▁returns ▁to ▁F IL ▁in ▁West ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁to ▁cal ibr ate ▁and ▁ref ine ▁his ▁approach , ▁and ▁eventually ▁made ▁his ▁home ▁there . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁second ▁professional ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Walker ▁achieved ▁his ▁break through ▁while ▁playing ▁for ▁two ▁A - level ▁clubs , ▁the ▁Bur ling ton ▁Ex pos ▁and ▁West ▁Pal m ▁Beach ▁Ex pos . ▁His ▁combined ▁tot als ▁in ▁ 1 3 3 ▁games ▁included ▁a ▁. 2 8 8 ▁average , ▁. 3 9 7 ▁on - base ▁percentage ▁( OB P ), ▁. 6 0 2 ▁sl ug ging ▁percentage ▁( SL G ), ▁ 8 7