Dodgers: Dave Roberts Sings the Praises of Austin Barnes
On the surface, Austin Barnes doesn't appear to be a very impactful member of the Dodgers. Unfortunately, he hits consistently below average so that doesn't help with the public's perception of him. But Barnes brings two very important things to the table for Los Angeles. First, he’s an excellent defensive catcher whose value lies mostly within his pitch framing. And second, he is a crucial part of Dodgers’ clubhouse leadership.
Last week, Barnes had to leave the team for a few days to deal with a family emergency and it was clear that his leadership was missed.
On Wednesday, in Barnes’ first game back, he broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning with a home run and later added to that with a single. He was the only Dodgers player with multiple hits in their victory over the Brewers. After, manager Dave Roberts was asked about Barnes' return.
“It was very impressive. Just to get Austin back with our ballclub, just lifted the spirits for everyone. What he did behind the plate tonight with Tony was special. What he did, the fingers, the receiving — everything was great. The bat, getting us on board with the homer was huge and threw out another knock, it’s tough to do. It’s been 12 days, my plan is to not make it 12 days this next time.”
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There are countless reasons why the Dodgers signed their backup catcher to a two-year contract extension. Doc isn’t just talking about a guy who had a good game. He talking about his unofficial team captain. A leader whose influence rises above and beyond his play on the field. And with all the superstars surrounding him, that is definitely some high praise.
