If you were to make a list of most disappointing Pirates from the 2012 season Rod Barajas would almost surely be somewhere near the top of it.
Barajas had the worst WAR on the team, a full -1.0. Obviously that number is horrible.
Arguably, Rod Barajas had the worst year of his career offensively.
| Year | Tm | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | ARI | 5 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .250 | .294 | .500 | .794 | 96 |
| 2000 | ARI | 5 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .231 | .231 | .462 | .692 | 66 |
| 2001 | ARI | 51 | 111 | 106 | 9 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 26 | .160 | .191 | .274 | .464 | 15 |
| 2002 | ARI | 70 | 172 | 154 | 12 | 36 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 25 | .234 | .288 | .357 | .645 | 62 |
| 2003 | ARI | 80 | 239 | 220 | 19 | 48 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 43 | .218 | .265 | .327 | .592 | 49 |
| 2004 | TEX | 108 | 389 | 358 | 50 | 89 | 26 | 1 | 15 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 63 | .249 | .276 | .453 | .728 | 80 |
| 2005 | TEX | 120 | 450 | 410 | 53 | 104 | 24 | 0 | 21 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 70 | .254 | .306 | .466 | .771 | 97 |
| 2006 | TEX | 97 | 371 | 344 | 49 | 88 | 20 | 0 | 11 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 51 | .256 | .298 | .410 | .708 | 80 |
| 2007 | PHI | 48 | 147 | 122 | 16 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 24 | .230 | .352 | .393 | .745 | 90 |
| 2008 | TOR | 104 | 377 | 349 | 44 | 87 | 23 | 0 | 11 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 61 | .249 | .294 | .410 | .704 | 87 |
| 2009 | TOR | 125 | 460 | 429 | 43 | 97 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 76 | .226 | .258 | .403 | .661 | 71 |
| 2010 | TOT | 99 | 339 | 313 | 39 | 75 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 54 | .240 | .284 | .447 | .731 | 97 |
| 2010 | NYM | 74 | 267 | 249 | 30 | 56 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 39 | .225 | .263 | .414 | .677 | 82 |
| 2010 | LAD | 25 | 72 | 64 | 9 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 15 | .297 | .361 | .578 | .939 | 153 |
| 2011 | LAD | 98 | 337 | 305 | 29 | 70 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 71 | .230 | .287 | .430 | .717 | 98 |
| 2012 | PIT | 104 | 361 | 321 | 29 | 66 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 69 | .206 | .283 | .343 | .625 | 75 |
| 14 Yrs | 1114 | 3784 | 3460 | 396 | 812 | 187 | 1 | 136 | 480 | 2 | 2 | 207 | 638 | .235 | .284 | .407 | .691 | 80 | |
| ARI (5 yrs) | 211 | 553 | 509 | 44 | 108 | 29 | 0 | 11 | 66 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 99 | .212 | .257 | .334 | .591 | 48 | |
| TEX (3 yrs) | 325 | 1210 | 1112 | 152 | 281 | 70 | 1 | 47 | 159 | 0 | 1 | 56 | 184 | .253 | .294 | .444 | .738 | 86 | |
| LAD (2 yrs) | 123 | 409 | 369 | 38 | 89 | 16 | 0 | 21 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 86 | .241 | .300 | .455 | .756 | 108 | |
| TOR (2 yrs) | 229 | 837 | 778 | 87 | 184 | 42 | 0 | 30 | 120 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 137 | .237 | .275 | .406 | .681 | 78 | |
| NYM (1 yr) | 74 | 267 | 249 | 30 | 56 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 39 | .225 | .263 | .414 | .677 | 82 | |
| PIT (1 yr) | 104 | 361 | 321 | 29 | 66 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 69 | .206 | .283 | .343 | .625 | 75 | |
| PHI (1 yr) | 48 | 147 | 122 | 16 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 24 | .230 | .352 | .393 | .745 | 90 | |
| NL (9 yrs) | 560 | 1737 | 1570 | 157 | 347 | 75 | 0 | 59 | 201 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 317 | .221 | .282 | .382 | .663 | 75 | |
| AL (5 yrs) | 554 | 2047 | 1890 | 239 | 465 | 112 | 1 | 77 | 279 | 1 | 1 | 93 | 321 | .246 | .286 | .429 | .714 | 83 | |
No way to defend those numbers. They are abysmal.
It was quite a fall for Barajas regardless. He slowly ran out of justifications. His bat struggled and we could still fall back on his good defense, solid game-calling, and veteran leadership.
Then as the stolen bases piled up and his dWAR steadily fell it was down to just solid game-calling and veteran leadership.
Then the pitching staff collapsed. Then the Pirates made pretty clear there was a pretty thorough lack of leadership.
Then the only excuse to play him was that he caught A.J. Burnett
well.
It didn’t matter though. Rod Barajas played in 104 games this season. Something he hasn’t done since 2009.
Why hasn’t he? Because he just isn’t that good. I’m sorry but there’s nothing else to say. He is a backup at best.
In fact, he has recently done his best Hines Ward impersonation and took his case to the media. Asking to play for less than his option and take a reduced role.
Should the Pirates do this? Absolutely not.
Barajas is a wasted roster spot. Going from starter to backup won’t help anything in the locker room. The Pirates need production out of the catcher spot. On both sides of the ball. Rod Barajas was bad. Really bad.
If for no other reason then the fact that Clint Hurdle will start him regularly. He has proven that. His love of veteran players knows no bounds and bringing back Rod Barajas at the veteran minimum still means Rod Barajas will play a big role on this team. It can’t be allowed to happen.
Like Hines Ward it is time for Rod Barajas to ride off into the sunset.
