Well, getting this card was unfortunate timing. Matt Barnes, who I mentioned having a tenuous grasp on a roster spot a couple months ago, has been traded to the Marlins for Richard Bleier. And I had just gotten this card a few weeks before.
This is a relic serial-numbered to just ten and featuring a patch with some green lettering. I am guessing it is from the St. Patrick's Day or Boston Marathon uniforms. Plus, Barnes is wearing a red jersey with a camo hat on. There is a LOT going on with this card.
Barnes was Boston's longest-tenured player after Xander Bogaerts signed with the Padres. Then, he was traded. Barnes was Boston's top pick in the 2011 Draft, 19th overall. This was the same draft that produced Blake Swihart, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley Jr. and, of course, Mookie Betts. It was a pretty good draft for Boston.
Barnes moved fairly quickly through the minor league system and made his Major League debut in 2014. The next season, he became a big part of the bullpen. He had high ERAs for the first couple of seasons, but started racking up the strikeouts. 2017 was his first really good season as he went 7-3 with a 3.88 ERA, striking out 83 in 69.2 innings pitched. He struck out 96 batters in just 61.2 innings pitched in 2018 with a 3.65 ERA. He was a big part of the bullpen for the World Champions and threw 8.2 innings in the postseason, only allowing one run.
2019 saw Barnes start to get a bit more time as the closer. He had his best season with a 3.78 ERA, striking out a career-high 110 batters while walking 38 in 64.1 innings pitched. He notched four saves. After Brandon Workman was traded in 2020, Barnes became the closer. He saved nine games in the abbreviated season. Then, he looked like an elite closer in the first half of 2021.
In the first half of the 2021 season, Barnes had a record of 4-2 with a 2.61 ERA. In 38 innings pitched, he struck out 63 and walked 11 and saved 19 games. He was named to the All Star team for the first time. Unfortunately, his numbers plummeted in the second half and he finished 6-5 with a 3.79 ERA, 22 saves and 84 strikeouts to 20 walks in 54.2 innings pitched. He continued to struggled in the first half of the 2022 season, but came on strong in the end.
For his Boston career, Barnes had a record of 32-30 with a 4.07 ERA. He appeared in 429 games, throwing 431.2 innings. He notched 556 strikeouts while walking 200 and picked up 47 saves. Barnes goes down as a very good setup man during his career, who was a highly effective closer for a little while. He will be remembered in Boston. He was an All Star and a World Champion.
At this time, Chris Sale is now the longest-tenured player in the Majors with Rafael Devers the longest in the organization.
As a fellow Matt I always wished him success. Maybe the Florida sun will do him some good.
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