The Colorado Rockies had lost 15 out of 18 games when they called up Brandon Barnes from Triple-A Albuquerque in advance of their matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies on May 20.
Since that date, the ball club has won four out of seven contests and is a perfect 4-0 with Barnes in the starting lineup. The 29-year-old’s positive attitude, high-energy play, and his contributions on offense and defense have been key in correcting the Rockies’ tailspin. The club is currently on a three-game winning streak for the first time in over a month.
Barnes — who didn’t hit well in spring training and started the season slow at the Triple-A level — is making the most of his opportunity and has been surprisingly effective at the plate since being activated. He has nine hits in 17 at-bats with four doubles and three RBIs. He’s ripped at least one hit in every game that he’s started and in five of the six games that he’s had at least one at-bat. In his first start after being recalled, Barnes went 4-for-4 with an RBI in a win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I love this stage,” Barnes told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post after the four-hit performance. “This is where it’s at. Every game and every pitch means something. I love it. Being out there in front of thousands of people and being able to produce and get a big hit.”
While it is a small sample size, the energetic outfielder has helped sparked Colorado’s previously dormant offense to average 6.9 runs per game in the seven games since he was called up. That’s three full runs more than the 3.86 runs per game they were averaging before May 20.
Barnes already has three more hits than the man he replaced, Drew Stubbs, had in 51 at-bats before he was optioned to Triple-A.
His energy and hussel on defense has been a boost for the Rockies as well. Barnes sparked the team in Monday’s win over the Cincinnati Reds with a circus catch on a Brandon Phillips foul ball as he was diving into the stands over the wall in right field to end the second inning.
.@TheBarnyard15 … INTO THE STANDS to make the play! http://t.co/sfi7BJKxXk pic.twitter.com/jKraOk8pD8
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) May 25, 2015
“This team is full of really good defense. It’s what we bring everyday,” Barnes said in the locker room after the catch. “We’re just going to continue to do that and I think that the more confident and relaxed we are, we’re going to play a lot better.”
Barnes infuses the Rockies with a winning attitude and energy that can be lost over the course of a long MLB season.
Nathan is a staff writer for Mile High Sports. He can be reached on Twitter at @TheRealNatron.