TORONTO – Darwin Barney understands his role in the Toronto Blue Jays lineup, and the infielder’s approach at the plate reflects that.
“I’m trying to be a pest down there,” he said Tuesday, after manager John Gibbons revealed plans to platoon Barney and the slumping Ryan Goins at second base. “It’s so hard for pitchers to work through the heart of our order, if we make them work at the bottom it just makes it that much harder on them. If we can turn the lineup over, get to those guys up top and have some guys on base, we all know what those guys can do.”
Barney was in the starting lineup Tuesday against Texas Rangers lefty Martin Perez and is due to see action again Thursday, when Derek Holland starts for the defending AL West champions. Heading into Tuesday’s play he was 9-for-29 (.310) with a double, homer and four RBIs in 12 games.
Goins is just 13-for-81 (.160) with three doubles a homer and four RBIs in 25 games so far and with the Blue Jays trying to find offence wherever they can, Gibbons decided to job-share second base.
“We’ll see how that goes,” he said. “He’s so good defensively, too, that’s not an issue.”
Barney, a gifted defender with a career slash-line of .247/.295/.341, is also hitting well right now despite sporadic playing time. Exploiting platoon advantages may give the Blue Jays a bit more offence while they wait for Devon Travis, who continues to play in extended spring training.
Should Travis keep making progress, he could begin a rehab assignment in a couple of weeks, at which point the Blue Jays would have up to 20 days to decide if he’s ready for a return to action.
Until then, Barney will be getting more chances to contribute.
“Being a tough out, not necessarily seeing pitches, it’s not that, it’s more having a plan and sticking to it, just being someone else they have to worry about,” Barney said of his approach. “That’s the thing up and down our lineup, there are a lot of guys those pitchers have to worry about. If we can continue to make them feel uncomfortable at the bottom, then it will only make them tire out even more against those guys in the middle.”
