Announcement

**Erick** · 06-07-2011, 03:26 PM

Smallest catcher ever.

**emkayseven** · 06-07-2011, 03:27 PM

ASU baseball coach Tim Esmay offered Austin Barnes a get-out-of-catcher-free card.

"I called him in and said you came here as an infielder and had to catch last year because we didn't have anybody," Esmay said. "I'm giving you the option right now to go back out and play infield. He looked at me and goes nope, I'm into this catching thing."

Barnes now is so secure behind the plate that he's tearing it up at the plate. The junior is second in Pac-10 hitting with a .436 average going into the start of conference play Friday night and leads in slugging percentage (.655) even without a home run.

And he's adeptly handling a pitching staff that largely had to start over after losing its top three starters and the school's single-season saves leader from last season.

Late last season, Barnes started to hit like he did at Riverside (Calif.) Poly High School, raising his final average to .272. This year, batting sixth or lower, Barnes already has a team-high 10 doubles (two fewer than all of last season) in 16 games.

"I've always felt I could hit the ball," Barnes said. "My main job last year was being a catcher. I'm more comfortable catching now so that doesn't translate over to my hitting. I can use both parts of my game better."

Barnes had never caught before 2009, when Andrew Pollak was injured and the Sun Devils needed a backup for Carlos Ramirez and to catch in the bullpen.

Esmay planned to platoon Barnes and Xorge Carrillo, but because of a forearm injury Carrillo only played in 16 games (eight starts). So the burden fell on Barnes to steer a pitching staff for a team good enough to earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

"The biggest thing he had to learn was his at-bats didn't matter," Esmay said. "Whether he was 4-of-4 or whatever he was, we needed him to go out and control the game and be that captain out there. What he did was 10 times tougher than what I tried to do," moving from catcher to second base during his ASU playing days.

With Carrillo back for his senior season and playing at least once a week, Esmay has the catching rotation he previously envisioned, reducing the wear on both. Carrillo is hitting .316 in 11 games.

"We have a great system going right now with two very fine catchers," said Esmay, making it easier to put the pitching puzzle together.

Brady Rodgers, Jake Barrett and Kyle Ottoson appear to be lined up as weekend starters for No. 8 ASU going into the Pac-10 opening series against No. 16 Arizona, but that's not in stone. The bullpen lines up around Mitchell Lambson.

"The thing that's good about Arizona State is we just reload and reload," Barnes said. "It's hard to lose pitchers like Seth Blair and Merrill Kelly, but guys want to be here and win because that's the tradition. It's a little transition period, but our new pitchers are more than capable."

With a more than capable guy calling their pitches.

"You're seeing a kid that's really grown and matured," Esmay said of Barnes. "Our conversations are short because he's already a step ahead and calling all the stuff we need from him. You can tell the catching part has really become second nature. That allows you to lock in and think about the offensive side of it."

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/...#ixzz1OcVExNRv
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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izDxDLytm_8[/ame]

**tjfla** · 06-07-2011, 03:30 PM

http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/..._austin00.html

Least we waited till the 9th to grab our C and not the smallest or worst C we have drafted(See Torre Langley)

**emkayseven** · 06-07-2011, 03:30 PM

that's brett austin, not austin barnes

**Bucklin12** · 06-07-2011, 03:32 PM

Jameson Smith was the more egregious pick to me.

**Erick** · 06-07-2011, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by markotsay7 View Post

that's brett austin, not austin barnes

That link he put up is Austin Barnes.
5'9", 174.

**emkayseven** · 06-07-2011, 03:33 PM

I'm talking about what The Godfather posted

**tjfla** · 06-07-2011, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by Bucklin12 View Post

Jameson Smith was the more egregious pick to me.

Ya but we won't bring that up

**Omar** · 06-07-2011, 04:23 PM

I wish we would take the catching position more seriously at an organizational level

**Todd** · 06-08-2011, 03:34 PM

Originally posted by Brigham E. Pujols View Post

I wish we would take the catching position more seriously at an organizational level

They took prep catchers in the 1st in 2008 and in the 3rd last year. I think they try, just that they havent had alot of luck, although Realmuto shows some promise.

**easygoer13** · 06-10-2011, 12:24 AM

For those of you who do not know much about Barnes you are in for a treat. He has a very high BB IQ, ALL PAC TEN in only his second year at the position. He excels from the catching position becasue of his quickness, obvious scouting reports on him were do not run on him as there was less then 1 attempt per game. Will back door to first without any hesitation. His size is relatively small but again quick and smart and has stepped his game up at every level he goes to. I have watched him for a while as I am from Riverside he is a leader on the field and a very focused player. In going to a high school state title game at Angel stadium when he was a freshmen and starting 2nd basemen for Poly high what stuck me as I watched the game he was the only freshmen on the field but was clearly the most poised player out there he does not rattle...if he stays in his arch you all got yourself a player.

Played on travel ball teams and high school all star team with Kyle S....

**emkayseven** · 06-10-2011, 08:07 AM

Awesome, thanks for the info. Do hope he's better than Skipworth though

**easygoer13** · 06-10-2011, 11:09 AM

Your welcome...I know from following him as a local kid for me....he is already rated as a plus plus defender....He threw out 4 guys last year in one super regional game and I saw a sat this year where for the season there were only I think it was like 36 stolen base attempts all year...he swung the bat very well....but again its his BB IQ that I believe is his biggest strength which is what you want from the catchers spot...I have not followed skip since he has moved on...I take it from your comment he is not progressing as you would hope....

To use the quote from Esmay from the story you posted:

""You're seeing a kid that's really grown and matured," Esmay said of Barnes. "Our conversations are short because he's already a step ahead and calling all the stuff we need from him. You can tell the catching part has really become second nature. That allows you to lock in and think about the offensive side of it." "

I think you can see what I am speaking about in terms is his BB IQ...which again this from someone who has only played in the spot for basicaly 2 years...

**emkayseven** · 06-10-2011, 11:11 AM

It's safe to say he isn't progressing at all

Glad to hear he has good baseball IQ and instincts...definitely good to have behind the plate

Announcement

Austin Barnes, C

Austin Barnes, C

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