Injury Ends Walker’s Comeback

Greg Walker, who overcame brain seizures that threatened his life three years ago, has ended his comeback attempt with the Angels, apparently unable to overcome shoulder and elbow problems.

Walker left camp late Saturday to return home to Georgia, where he will continue his rehabilitation from shoulder difficulties caused by a high school football injury. He will be released from the triple-A contract he signed last month, General Manager Mike Port said Monday.

“It was purely his decision,” said Port, who withheld an announcement of Walker’s departure until after he had spoken to Walker. “We would have liked him to stay, but we can understand and respect his decision. . . .

“The turning point was when we acquired Dave (Parker) from Milwaukee. Greg was not able to do anything reasonable defensively, and Greg was forthright enough to say that. . . . He’s demanding of himself, and he didn’t see how he’d be able to achieve what he wanted in this camp.”

Walker played in only one exhibition and was hitless in one at-bat. He couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.

Angel Manager Doug Rader, who spoke to Walker late Saturday, said he understood Walker’s decision.

“He told me it was getting him to the point where it wasn’t any fun, and he needed to go home and rehabilitate it and hopefully give it another try somewhere down the line,” Rader said. “He’s a class human being. He just got to the point where he needed to get away for a while.”

Outfielder Dave Gallagher, who played with Walker on the Chicago White Sox, was surprised to learn Walker had left, but not that he had gone without a word.

“That’s how he is, just a quiet guy,” Gallagher said. “It’s too bad things didn’t work out for him.”