Pedro Alvarez pushes from behind, for either playing time in Class AAA Indianapolis or the parent club. Andy LaRoche stands in the way of both at third base.

So, stuck in the middle, is Neil Walker. Where is he to play in 2010?

His answer: Anywhere.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make the team, whether it's go somewhere else on the field or do whatever's necessary," said Walker, the Pirates' 11th-overall draft choice in 2004 from Pine-Richland High School. "I feel like I'm capable of playing other positions if I need to."

Of the much-awaited ascension of the 2008 second-overall pick and the strong finish last season by the incumbent third baseman, who dabbled at second base in the Instructional League, Walker said: "I can't control any of that stuff. I have to prove that I'm athletic enough, that I'm viable as a player at any spot, if needed."

Pirates management has yet to approach him about potential utility work, but it seems to be in the air, if not the offing.

"When that time comes, or if it comes or if it doesn't come, I'll be prepared," Walker said. "I'm going into spring training with an open mind and the commitment to make changes if necessary, but also to try to help this team in any way, shape or form."

Walker, 24, a solid third baseman after the previous administration converted him from catcher, batted .194 in 36 at-bats at season's end in his first major-league experience.

"Neil, he's made a lot of progress," manager John Russell said of Walker, who batted .264 with 14 home runs and 64 RBIs in 95 games for Indianapolis. "He struggled early last year in Triple-A, but did come on strong at the end of the year. He came up in September and, you know, did OK.

"Neil still has some development to do, in our opinion. That doesn't mean he doesn't have a chance to make our club. He has to continue to work on his approach, continue to work on his conditioning, continue to work on his approach at the plate, and, obviously, defense. Hopefully, he can iron some of those things out. We're very happy that we have Neil Walker in our system. We're not closing the door on Neil in spring training. We will look at him -- with Pedro and Andy LaRoche, maybe looking at moving him around a little bit this year."

The switch-hitting Walker played this past winter in Venezuela on the Bravos steered by Pirates bullpen coach Luis Dorante. He hit .267 with four homers, 16 RBIs, nine doubles, a .370 on-base percentage and an interesting 34 games of experience. Even the U.S. Department of State warns potential travelers: Violent crime is pervasive throughout the country. The capital Caracas, leads the world in per-capita homicide rate.

"I guess the best way to describe it is, I probably won't be planning any vacations there anytime soon," Walker joked. "We were on a four-star resort on the ocean; we were off the mainland, on Margarita Island. That was the nicest part. Then when we were on the road, we were in Caracas and those places, and it was a little shaky.

"From a baseball standpoint, it was very good. The competition was good, the pitching ... It was a good part of my development."

• Bobby Crosby realizes that, at best, he will be the second-favorite Crosby in Pittsburgh, behind the Penguins' Sidney, and the second-favorite No. 2 among Pirates fans the past decade. No, the free-agent shortstop wasn't trying to swipe Jack Wilson's old number, just aiming to again wear the digit he wore at Long Beach State and La Quinta High in Westminster, Calif.

"I was No. 7 in Oakland, but I was No. 2 all through college and all through high school. Two's always been my second choice," Crosby said after fans needled him at PirateFest. "So, yeah, I know I'll be the second Crosby, and I took Jack's number. But those two things I definitely understand."

• A few Pirates may never be welcome in Indy again: In a highly unscientific survey, five of six Pirates said they were rooting for New Orleans today in Super Bowl XLIV. The holdout: pitcher Daniel McCutchen, who hoped Minnesota would make it because of his former Oklahoma University buddy, Adrian Peterson.

Backing the Saints are Joel Hanrahan (he was raised in Gainesville, Fla., and cannot root for Tennessee graduate Peyton Manning), Ross Ohlendorf (who attended elementary school with Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his brother), Garrett Jones (who roots for New Orleans but expects Indy to win), Paul Maholm (from neighboring Mississippi), Steve Pearce and Neil Walker.

Said Walker of Brees: "He's a guy, when you look at his career and you look at what he's done, it's pretty impressive. He's had a lot of bumps in his road. He's been run out of a few places. At the end of the day, he's the guy who has held not only the team together in New Orleans, but the city. He's really kind of taken the whole city under his wing and tried to make people believe again. That's something pretty special."

• Ten days until pitchers and catchers report.

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