Re: SPRING TRAINING 2012!
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:40 pm
Barnes optioned, but shows promise in camp
Left-hander had freak injury in '11, lauded by Acta for spring effort
GOODYEAR, Ariz. --
It was a routine play, one practiced over and over to the point of being ingrained in a pitcher's muscle memory. A batter squares to bunt, chops the baseball down the third-base line and the pitcher runs off the mound in pursuit.
There was no routine result for Indians Minor League lefty Scott Barnes last summer, though. While the stars appeared to be aligning for a trip up to The Show, Barnes' left knee had other plans.
On July 10 in a Triple-A game for Columbus, Barnes headed off the hill to field a sixth-inning bunt, and his journey to the big leagues was promptly put on hold.
The Indians optioned a handful of players to the Minor Leagues on Thursday, doing some necessary roster trimming as the midpoint of the spring schedule draws near. As expected, Barnes was sent back to Columbus, so he stuffed his belongings in a Cleveland equipment bag and relocated to the Minor League clubhouse down the hall.
Barnes -- back at full strength after needing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee last season -- was grateful for his time in camp with the Major League club.
Left-hander had freak injury in '11, lauded by Acta for spring effort
GOODYEAR, Ariz. --
It was a routine play, one practiced over and over to the point of being ingrained in a pitcher's muscle memory. A batter squares to bunt, chops the baseball down the third-base line and the pitcher runs off the mound in pursuit.
There was no routine result for Indians Minor League lefty Scott Barnes last summer, though. While the stars appeared to be aligning for a trip up to The Show, Barnes' left knee had other plans.
On July 10 in a Triple-A game for Columbus, Barnes headed off the hill to field a sixth-inning bunt, and his journey to the big leagues was promptly put on hold.
The Indians optioned a handful of players to the Minor Leagues on Thursday, doing some necessary roster trimming as the midpoint of the spring schedule draws near. As expected, Barnes was sent back to Columbus, so he stuffed his belongings in a Cleveland equipment bag and relocated to the Minor League clubhouse down the hall.
Barnes -- back at full strength after needing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee last season -- was grateful for his time in camp with the Major League club.