Kevin Barker IL Batter of the Week

[GOYA]

KEVIN BARKER, Louisville Bats IL BATTER OF THE WEEK
First baseman Kevin Barker led the International League with 3 home runs, 11 RBI, 6 extra-base hits, a .536 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage this week, while finishing 2nd in hitting with a .455 average. Monday night at Syracuse, Barker crushed his fifth career grand slam in a Louisville uniform, breaking Brandon Larson’s franchise record. The bomb began a string of seven straight games in which Barker has driven in at least one run. His solo homer on Saturday night against Charlotte gave him 20 HR for the seventh time in his career, and for the fourth time in a Louisville uniform.

Barker is now 2nd in the League in home runs as well as slugging percentage (.562), and he’s currently tied for 5th with 58 RBI. Kevin Barker, who turned 34 last Sunday, is in his 14th season as a professional player. He played for Louisville in 1998-99 while with the Milwaukee organization, and returned last year after signing with the Reds. Barker hit .258 last season with 21 HR and 77 RBI, and was co-recipient of the Mary E. Barney Award as the team MVP. Barker is a native of Bristol, Virginia.

        G  AVG  H  AB  R  2B 3B HR RBI SLUG  BB SB
Week:   7  .455 10 22  5  3  0  3  11  1.000 5  0
Season: 91 .287 91 317 53 21 3  20 58  .562  50 1

[Edd Roush]

Heck of a week for Barker. I know AAAA players do the Reds' major league team no good, but it is nice to see some sort of winning baseball affiliated with the Reds.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

If anything happens to Votto, I'd rather Barker get AB's at 1B than Ramon H.

[Kingspoint]

DFA Balentien, and call up Barker. He can pinch-hit 1000 times better.

[GOYA]

Don't count on it. Barker will likely never see the 40-man

[Kingspoint]

Don't count on it. Barker will likely never see the 40-man

I know. I was dreaming.

[mth123]

DFA Balentien, and call up Barker. He can pinch-hit 1000 times better.

Sell Barker to Japan for some cash and stop selling off real prospects to get it.

[Edd Roush]

Sell Barker to Japan for some cash and stop selling off real prospects to get it.

I agree. Other than keeping Louisville a winning team, which I don't think matters much at all, Barker and other AAAA non-pitchers (pitchers eat innings and save actual prospect pitchers arms) don't seem to serve a purpose in the long-term health of a baseball club.