Editing Larry Walker (section)

===Minor leagues===
Walker attended Expos [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] [[spring training]] camp in [[1985 in baseball|1985]] 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 a [[bowling alley]], but this brought little relief.<ref name=montville040593/> The Expos assigned Walker to the [[Utica Blue Sox]] of the [[New York–Penn League]], a Class A Short Season league, for his first season of [[professional baseball]]. He played [[Third baseman|third base]] and [[First baseman|first base]]. Although he could hit [[fastball]]s well, he continued to have difficulties with [[strike zone]] judgment and the more sophisticated pitches, finishing with a .223 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] and two home runs. [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]] [[Ken 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.<ref name=sickels050811/> 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;"<ref name=montville040593/> he also had 12 [[stolen base]]s.<ref name=sickels050811/> Expos hitting coach [[Ralph Rowe]] successfully lobbied for him to be sent to the [[Florida 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 in [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]] to calibrate and refine his approach, and eventually made his home there.<ref name=montville040593/>

In his second professional season in [[1986 in baseball|1986]], Walker achieved his breakthrough while playing for two A-level clubs, the [[Burlington Bees|Burlington Expos]] and [[West Palm Beach Expos]]. His combined totals in 133 games included a .288 average, .397 [[on-base percentage]] (OBP), .602 [[slugging percentage]] (SLG), 87 [[Run (baseball)|runs scored]], 19 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]], 11 [[Triple (baseball)|triples]], 33 home runs, 90 [[runs batted in]] (RBI) and 18 stolen bases.<ref name=walkerreg>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=walker001lar |title=Larry Walker minor league statistics & history |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=February 4, 2017}}</ref> 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 manager [[Felipe 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."<ref name=hill081086>{{cite news |last=Hill |first=Bob |title=Le Naturel Larry Walker is no ordinary Class-A prospect. He's aiming to be the first Canadian born player to make it big in Montreal |work=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |page=5C |date=August 10, 1986}}</ref> Meanwhile, the club clinched the [[Florida State League]] South division, winning by two games over the [[Fort Lauderdale Yankees]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=4bbf8bdd |title=1986 Florida State League |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref>

After promotion to [[Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp|Jacksonville Expos]] of the [[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]] in [[1987 in baseball|1987]], Walker totaled a .287 average, .383 OBP, .534 SLG, 91 runs, 26 home runs, 24 stolen bases and three times [[caught stealing]]. He won his first [[Tip O'Neill Award]] that year as the top Canadian baseball player.<ref name=batoaward>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/tip_oneill_award.shtml |title=Tip O'Neill Award |work=[[Baseball Almanac]] |access-date=May 4, 2017}}</ref> He missed the [[1988 in baseball|1988]] season after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery for an injury while playing in the [[Mexican Pacific League]].<ref name=sickels050811/><ref name=hoffer061101>{{cite magazine |last=Hoffer |first=Richard |url=https://www.si.com/vault/2001/06/11/305049/handy-man-the-rockies-larry-walker-has-all-the-major-league-tools-and-he-wields-them-like-a-master-craftsman |title=Handy Man: The Rockies' Larry Walker has all the major league tools, and he wields them like a master craftsman |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=June 11, 2001 |access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> The Expos moved him up to [[Indianapolis Indians]] of the [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[International League]] in [[1989 in baseball|1989]]. There, he played in 114 games and batted .270 with 68 runs scored, 12 home runs, 36 stolen bases and six times caught stealing.<ref name=walkerreg/>