MLB notes: Walker knows about the Pirates

When Pirates second baseman Neil Walker takes the field at PNC Park, he needs only to glance over his shoulder at the 21-foot Roberto Clemente Wall in right field for inspiration.

Walker, one of the majors' top rookies, grew up in Pittsburgh hearing countless stories about one of baseball's greatest outfielders and a man whose influence in his native Puerto Rico extends far beyond the diamond.

While Clemente died 13 years before Walker was born, the two will be forever linked by the night of Dec. 31, 1972 — when Clemente's plane, jammed with relief supplies for Nicaraguan earthquake victims, crashed off the waters of San Juan. Walker's father, Tom, was one of the last to see Clemente alive and had been minutes away from climbing aboard the plane himself.

"I can remember it like it was yesterday," said Tom Walker, a major league pitcher for six seasons from 1972-77. "We left the airport, and it was the last time I ever saw Roberto Clemente. He saved my life by not letting me get on that plane."

The elder Walker and fellow Expos pitching prospect Balor Moore were playing winter ball together on Clemente's team, which featured mostly Pirates prospects. When the devastating earthquake struck, Clemente asked his fellow Puerto Ricans for help. So respected was Clemente, who only three months before had gotten his 3,000th hit, his countrymen responded by donating tons of food, clothing and medical supplies.

RELIEVER JOINS ROCKIES: The Colorado Rockies returned home Thursday to play a makeup game with the Philadelphia Phillies and pick up their newest teammate, Manny Delcarmen.

The hard-throwing right-handed reliever met up with his teammates at Coors Field two days after the Rockies acquired him from the Boston Red Sox for minor league pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller.

"Hopefully, I can bring something positive to the team," Delcarmen said.

Rather than have him fly all the way to San Francisco, the Rockies had Delcarmen meet them in Denver, where they had to make up a May rainout with the Phillies before flying back to California for a crucial three-game set against the NL West-leading San Diego Padres.

The 28-year-old Delcarmen was 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 48 games for Boston this season. He was a key member of the Red Sox bullpen for several years, and pitched in Boston's sweep of Colorado in the 2007 World Series.

PEDROIA MAY HAVE SURGERY: Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is bracing for the possibility of having season-ending surgery on his broken left foot.

Pedroia will have a CT scan on Friday. He says if the exam doesn't show sufficient healing, he will have a screw put in his foot.

The injury originally occurred in late June. Pedroia returned for two games in August, then went back on the 15-day disabled list. He and the Red Sox hoped for his return this month, but his recovery hasn't gone as swiftly as anticipated.