Jays Notebook: Darwin Barney turning into ‘Jack Of All Trades’ the team needs
On the recent West Coast trip, Blue Jays utility player Darwin Barney made his first major-league start in left field in Arizona.
And when the Jays pinch-hit for Justin Smoak in the seventh on Tuesday, it was Barney who was a prime consideration to play first base.
He’s becoming the player manager John Gibbons needs with a short bench.
“He’s shown us he can do it,” Gibbons said. “He hasn’t played a lot in the outfield, but he looks good out there. You can put him anywhere on the infield, you know that. He’s our third catcher. The way it’s stacked right now, he would have to be that guy who goes to first. You might see Bautista occasionally but it’s not something I think we want to get into regularly.”
Barney signed as a free agent in the winter seemingly as a stopgap until Devon Travis was healthy, but has earned the important bench role.
“You know, I just look at it as, I’m a baseball player,” Barney said. “I feel like I could play any of the positions at an average-at-worst ability. If they throw me (at first base), I might not be as tall as some of the other guys, but I’ll catch it. That versatility helps this team. That was my role coming into this year, whatever I can do to help. I look at it the same way, no matter what my bat’s doing, I accept my role here. We just want to win.” BULLPEN SAAVY: The Jays’ bullpen now has a pair of 39-year-olds, Jason Grilli and Joaquin Benoit, setting up a 21-year-old, Roberto Osuna.
The newly acquired Benoit made his major-league debut with the Rangers when Osuna was 17 months old. Pitching coach Pete Walker likes it. “You’ve got guys with experience and that’s a huge factor for us,” Walker said. “Guys that have pitched in big games, have a lot of major-league experience, have been around. They know how to compete. They know what it takes to build a bullpen with chemistry, where guys pull for each other. I think that’s been evident with Grilli and I’m sure Benoit will only add to that.”
The bullpen now has depth and stability, with Bo Schultz being optioned back to Buffalo, joining Ryan Tepera and Aaron Loup as a reliever available in case of injury or need.
“I agree with that,” Walker said of the newfound depth. “Obviously we’ve got some guys we can call up in a pinch. Having veteran guys in this bullpen, we’ve seen what Grilli’s done so far when he was coming off a tough situation in Atlanta and now Benoit. We hope that’s the same for him.” BIRTHDAY PRESENT: Joaquin Benoit was told he was a member of the Blue Jays following the Mariners night game in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. It was his 39th birthday. On Wednesday, after two hours sleep, he caught a 7 a.m. flight and joined his new team in time for a 12:35 p.m. matinee against the Padres. Entering the clubhouse he saw a bunch of familiar faces. When you have been around for 15 seasons, you’ve pretty much faced or played with everyone.
Benoit has struggled with the M’s this year, mostly with his command, with 15 walks and 28 strikeouts in 241⁄ innings, with a 5.18 ERA. The 3 walk ratio is abnormal.
“I would say that early in the season I was having some issues with my shoulder and that’s probably what caused all the walks early,” Benoit said. “Everything else is fine. I just have to go out there and do my job. Everybody knows that I have a good fastball and a good changeup.”