Neil Walker 'lost all faith' in Pirates organization

Neil Walker had never worn a uniform other than the gold and black of the Pittsburgh Pirates across his seven-year MLB career, but he knew his time to move on would eventually come.

The second baseman was shipped to the New York Mets on Wednesday, officially ending his tenure in the Steel City; a scenario he envisioned since February, the day of his last salary arbitration hearing.

"That was probably the point when I lost all faith in the organization," he told Rob Biertempfel of TribLive.

"You wouldn't believe how many places I've gone over the past two years and people said to me, ‘How can you not take what they're offering? Why won't you stay?'" he said. "I did want to stay, but there was absolutely no negotiating."

Walker was reportedly offered a three-year, $27-million contract last spring, which he turned down because his "camp didn't like the value of the third year." His side countered with a two-year offer worth $19 million, but negotiations never continued.

"I was looking for the (security) of knowing I'd be here after my arbitration years," Walker said. "I certainly wasn't looking to break the bank. I was looking for what was fair.

"The offer wasn't very realistic. And there was no negotiating in between. It was, ‘Here it is.' When we countered, there was no response, so we went to the hearing."

Walker went on to make $8 million last season after losing in arbitration, which didn't sit well with the infielder.

"I just felt there some kind of justice due me," Walker explained. "I don't want to come off as (having) any kind of huge ego here, but to play 12 years in the same organization, grind out six-plus years (in the majors) and go through arbitration three times ... I really didn't think what I was asking for was very unreasonable."

Walker hit .272/.338/.431 with 93 home runs and 418 RBIs with the Pirates, earning close to $18 million in his career before the trade to New York.