Pitcher returns with war stories
www.northjersey.com Saturday, January 11, 2003 By PETE CALDERA Staff Writer
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Tyler Walker still appreciates the fierce passion of Venezuelans, who take their baseball seriously. That passion extends to politics, and Walker was far too close to the action.
From his hotel room, Walker watched protesters being halted by tear gas and rubber bullets.
When the political climate between forces loyal to, and against, President Hugo Chavez led to extreme violence, the Mets' minor league pitcher was forced to leave the country.
Walker, 26, departed Venezuela on Dec. 10 without having thrown a pitch. Political unrest that sprouted a massive labor strike led to cancellation of the winter league season, and Walker barely left his hotel in nearly two weeks.
"I felt safe in the hotel, but it was definitely a scary situation," he said. "Basically, we were like hostages in our hotel rooms."
Walker's window at the Best Western was in view of the National Guard headquarters across the street. When protesters came too close, Walker could see the bullets and tear gas canisters fly.
"If you opened your window, you could smell it," he said.
Stir crazy, Walker ventured out with fellow players to a restaurant. That night, he saw a group of screaming people scatter. Later, he learned that farther down the street a protester had been shot to death at point-blank range.
"That's when I knew we had to get out of there," said Walker, who went home to Northern California.
The Mets had five other prospects in Venezuela who played until the season's abrupt end in late November, including pitcher Jae Seo (3-2, .398 ERA), who made seven starts.
Roger Cedeno's mother and brother remain in Venezuela. "I would rather have them here [in the United States]," Cedeno said. "But it's tough for them to leave their lives and their home."
Two months ago, Cedeno became a U.S. resident, and proudly flashed his card to John Franco at a nearby locker. Cedeno would like to become a U.S. citizen, a process he said would take another four-to-six years.
METS BRIEFS: Tsuyoshi Shinjo has agreed to the structure of a one-year deal, with a base salary of $600,000. But the outfielder has requested a full no-trade clause, and his U.S.-based representatives were waiting to hear the Mets' response as of Friday night. Shinjo is expected to battle for the everyday center fielder's job, or could platoon with Cedeno ... . Mets' four-day minicamp concludes today. Pitchers and catchers officially report Feb. 13.