Will Darwin Barney Play Baseball Again
FORMER OSU STAR REGAINS Striking Grade, FILLS Of import INFIELD Part FOR TORONTO/
After the regular season in 2014, when Darwin Barney was left off the playoff roster of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he wondered whether it might be fourth dimension for him to think nigh retirement and the opportunity to spend more than fourth dimension with his wife, Lindsay, and their three daughters.
Barney was 28 and, after a dainty run with the Chicago Cubs, was the odd man out with the Dodgers. His time to come in the big leagues was uncertain.
Eighteen months later on, the former Southridge High and Oregon State standout is swinging a hot bat and filling an important role for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Barney, 30, is playing regularly and batting .344 for the Blue Jays, who are 29-26 and in tertiary identify in the American League East.
With regular Troy Tulowitzki on the 15-day disabled list with a strained quad, Barney is starting at shortstop. On Tuesday, he banged a two-run single in a 4-ane win over the New York Yankees. On Wed, Barney went three for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored in a 7-0 whitewash of the Bronx Bombers.
"It's gone pretty well," says Barney, who has spent time at 2nd base of operations, shortstop and third base of operations this season. "I like information technology hither. I similar the group of guys nosotros accept. That was a big part of the reason I wanted to come back here — the culture and the quality of the people."
Barney came to Toronto in a trade with the Dodgers last September, later on spending nearly of the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He hit .304 in 15 games with the Bluish Jays equally a utility infielder, but was acquired besides belatedly to be eligible for the postseason.
In the offseason, Barney and agent Joe Urbon weighed his options in free bureau. A return to Toronto seemed the best route, and he signed a 1-twelvemonth, $1.05 million deal.
"When I got traded here last year, baseball became fun over again," says Barney, a goad for Oregon State'southward back-to-back national championships in 2006 and '07. "My concluding twelvemonth in Chicago was hard, and there were a different group of guys over there in L.A. I was familiar with Toronto and felt comfortable here, so it was a pretty piece of cake decision."
Barney has earned a reputation as a defensive stalwart during his seven-twelvemonth major-league career, challenge a Gilded Glove at second base of operations with the Cubs in 2012, the year he matched the major-league record for consecutive errorless games at the position with 141.
But Barney — who entered this season with a career .245 batting average — has made his mark with the Blue Jays at the plate, striking .286 through April and .339 in May.
"I feel good," the 5-10, 180-pound Barney says. "The piece of work I did (in leap training) paid off — the adjustments I've made, the approach, the mentality. I'd gotten abroad from some things I'd had success with in the past. I've been trying to get dorsum to who I was, what made me skilful and what got me to the big leagues."
Barney spent aplenty time working on the mental approach with Toronto's hitting coach, sometime large-leaguer Brook Jacoby.
"He's been a big part of information technology," says Barney, who striking .276 in his first full major-league season (2011) and was seventh in National League Rookie of the Year balloting. "You can control who you are walking upwards to the plate. Yous can't necessarily control the outcome.
"So many times in the past, I've gone upwardly to the plate non feeling practiced, feeling like I didn't have much of a chance because of where I was mechanically.
"I'd rather go in in that location with a really good plan and a lot of confidence and having a 'B' swing than having an 'A' swing with my caput not in the right place. This game is a lot about doing what y'all can control and trying to stay confident."
Barney joined a crowded infield in Toronto, with reigning American League Nigh Valuable Histrion Josh Donaldson at tertiary base, Tulowitzki at shortstop and Devon Travis and Ryan Goins at second base.
"I thought I'd get some time against (left-handed pitchers)," Barney says, "merely I knew I had to earn it."
Barney has gotten opportunities with injuries to Tulowitzki, Donaldson (calf) and Travis (shoulder) and made the most of them. For a while, Barney was platooning at 2nd with Goins, but Goins is hitting .165, and manager John Gibbons said concluding week he'll ride the best hitters on near days.
"My role is to be prepare when someone needs a day (off) or if guys go down (to injury)," Barney says. "And then far, that's given me a lot of opportunities. You have to be ready to play every day."
Barney, who has played mostly second base of operations in the pros, has relished sitting in for Tulowitzki at shortstop.
"It feels really practiced to be dorsum in that location, that's for sure," he says. "It'due south the position I played my whole life (until the pros). In that location'due south no better feeling than that. I grew up wanting to be a shortstop in the big leagues. It'southward e'er fun to get back over there."
Barney has only iii errors this season, and none at shortstop.
"Offensively, I came to terms with my part early this season," Barney says. "The more I get opportunities to play, the more than comfortable my defense force feels. Existence out there every day has helped me mentally. The more than plays I get to run into, the improve I'll exist."
During the New York serial, Barney got to visit with Yankees middle fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, a teammate at OSU.
"Nosotros've chatted during batting practice, and he tends to notice his style to second base when he's confronting usa," Barney says with a express joy. "It's e'er good to catch up."
Lindsay and the kids are yet at the Barneys' Beaverton home. They'll come to Toronto equally soon every bit the schoolhouse year ends along with the family goldendoodle. Darwin hopes they'll find the Blue Jays in the thick of a pennant race.
"I honestly think we're happy with where nosotros're at with the blazon of start (10-15) we had," Barney says. "We've given away some games we could accept had. The Red Sox have been nearly celebrated offensively. To go on pace with them and underachieve for a little while is actually encouraging.
"In that location's never really been a time when our team was not confident of our ability or unsure of our goals. We have the right guys in the clubhouse to get far."
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Source: https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/12-sports/309841-187897-baseball-fun-again-for-blue-jays-barney
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