Minor worry: Indians’ Josh Barfield won’t be happy at Triple-A, but that’s where he’s likely to end up
NorthCoastNOW
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Josh Barfield is probably going to have to go to Triple-A, but he’s not going to like it.
“I’m not a Triple-A player,” said Barfield, who was a rookie of the year candidate after hitting .280 with 13 home runs, 58 RBIs and 21 stolen bases as the Padres’ starting second baseman in 2006. “I’ve proven I can do it in the big leagues.”
Problem is, after being acquired in an offseason trade last year with the Padres for third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and relief pitcher Andrew Brown, Barfield didn’t prove he could do it in the American League throughout a disappointing debut with the Indians. The year in Cleveland included a number of firsts for Barfield — most of them negative ones.
The son of 12-year big league veteran Jesse Barfield and a .300 hitter in four of his five minor league seasons, Barfield struggled to adapt to unfamiliar pitching and batted a paltry .243 with three homers and 50 RBIs, while losing his job to 21-year-old rising star Asdrubal Cabrera.
“It is what it is. That happens sometimes,” said Barfield of his down season. “The big thing is, you learn from your mistakes and make the adjustments.”
He wasn’t able to do that from the get-go in 2007, hitting just .117 in his first 16 games, before recovering a bit by the All-Star break. But the hitting woes continued in the second half, with Barfield batting .193 and giving way to Cabrera by mid-August. He started just five times (17 at-bats) over the final six weeks of the regular season.
Compounding the season on the brink were the 15 errors Barfield committed in 130 games, a year removed from just nine with the Padres in 150 games.
“When you get to a lot of balls, you’re going to have more of a chance to make errors,” said Barfield, who has above-average range at second. “You don’t worry about that stuff, but I know I can do a better job of cleaning things up.”
Times have changed for Barfield in this trip to Winter Haven, where he no longer arrives as a starter, with Cabrera all but a lock to open 2008 in his place. It’s provided some extra incentive.
“Oh, yeah, (I’ve got something to prove),” said Barfield, who entered Thursday hitting .182 (2-for-11) through five exhibition games. “I’m excited to get things going. Let’s put it that way. When you go out there and make plays, it makes the decision tougher on them.”
With the majority of the Indians’ roster set, there are expected to be just three openings — two in the pitching department as Cleveland searches for a fifth starter and the final piece to its bullpen. That leaves one job for a position player, which is expected to go to third baseman Andy Marte, who, unlike Barfield, is out of minor league options.
Still, Indians manager Eric Wedge has reserved the right to change his mind and won’t eliminate anyone this early in the exhibition season.
“Nobody’s out,” Wedge said. “Josh made a strong commitment this winter and he was a great teammate last year when we had to back him off from playing time.
“He’s really worked hard with (hitting instructor) Derek (Shelton) on making adjustments, and I think it’s starting to play for him.”
If the big leagues were a video game, Barfield would have no worries. He is an aficionado in that department, winning an “RBI Baseball” tournament in the Cleveland clubhouse last year, while recently purchasing a Wii and a PSP.
“I’ve got it all,” Barfield said. “I got a lot of down time this spring to put it to use.”
Unfortunately for Barfield, he may be hooking up his game systems at an apartment in Buffalo.
Roundin’ third
The Indians return to Chain of Lakes Park today, hosting the New York Mets at 1:05. Cliff Lee (0-0, 0.00) makes his first exhibition start (second appearance), opposing left-hander Oliver Perez. ESPN will televise the game, while WTAM 1100-AM provides delayed radio coverage (8 p.m.).
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
INDIANS (3-4-1) 11, ASTROS (3-6) 5
Turning point
After scoring once off Houston starter Woody Williams in the opening inning, Cleveland jumped on the veteran right-hander for four more in the third — two coming on a double from Ben Francisco and two more on a single from Josh Barfield — to open up a 5-0 lead.
Hits
A day after being held to one hit, the Indians amassed 19 against the Astros — seven through the first three innings — with eight of the extra-base variety.
• C.C. Sabathia’s second exhibition start was much better than his first, with the left-hander tossing three perfect innings and striking out three.
• Outfielders Franklin Gutierrez and Francisco combined for seven hits and three RBIs.
Grady Sizemore started the game off with a triple and scored Cleveland’s first run in a 2-for-3 effort that also included a double, an RBI and a stolen base.
• Third baseman Andy Marte went 2-for-5 with a double, and made an outstanding diving play down the line on a grounder in the second.
• Barfield went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
• Reliever Brian Slocum pitched a scoreless 12/3 innings without surrendering a hit.
Misses
Reliever Rafael Perez didn’t fool anyone, allowing four runs on six hits during his only inning of work in the fourth.
• Reliever Aaron Fultz allowed a run on one hit in his only inning of work.
Prospect punch
Beau Mills, Cleveland’s first-round pick (13th overall) in last year’s draft, hit a towering two-run homer to right-center off Brandon Backe to spark a four-run run sixth inning.
• Brad Snyder (a Bellevue grad) hit his first exhibition homer — a bomb to right off Chad Paronto to lead off the eighth.
TODAY
WHO: Cleveland vs. New York Mets
TIME: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Chain of Lakes Park, Winter Haven, Fla.
PITCHERS: Cliff Lee vs. Oliver Perez
TV/RADIO: ESPN; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM (tape delay, 8 p.m.)
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Filed by NorthCoastNOW March 7th, 2008 in Sports.
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