Barton’s Days in Akron numbered, but Aeros winning
Posted August 2nd, 2007 by Stephanie Storm
Brian Barton has been anticipating a move to Triple-A Buffalo all season, and it finally looks like the Aeros uheralded outfielder could be on his way up any day now.
If it isn’t enough that Barton ranks sixth in the Eastern League with a .312 average in 103 games 17 doubles, 9 home runs, 41 walks, 56 RBI and a Minor-League leading 28 hit-by-pitches, the door was opened for Barton last week Bisons outfielder Brad Snyder broke his finger. Snyder is expected to be out for the remainder of the season.
It’s been (understandably) frustrating for Barton, a non-drafted free agent out of the Univ. of Miami, to once again be playing so well this season but remain stuck behind by more heralded (read top-dollar prospects).
As for the team as a whole, the struggling Aeros have managed to put their recent losing ways behind them for now in winning three straight entering Thursday’s game, regaining a tie with Erie for first place in the Southern Division.
This, without the team’s top two players in SS Asdrubal Cabrera (promoted Sunday to Buffalo) and IB Jordan Browen (sidelined with a knee injury that needs surgery at season’s end).
For the team to make waves in the playoffs, it’s going to need to see the stars of Wednesday’s win - left fielder Ryan Goleski and first baseman Michael Aubrey - continue to step up down the stretch.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Thanks for the updated information, although now I’m curious as to how the rest of the league (well, Erie, Altoona, and Trenton to be specific) is fairing in terms of having call-ups and such. Any info on that?
August 3rd, 2007 at 1:29 am
Stephanie,
I have been thinking that Barton was ready for some time and am not sure why he is being held back. Although he looks a little short on power for a ML corner OF, you just cannot dismiss the rest of his numbers. You cannot dismiss Brown’s either which are actually better than Barton’s. Is it your thinking that Brown will not be promoted because of the injury? I guess my speculation about Ramirez being promoted is moot now but with the backlog of 3Bs, it is hard to see why Hodges is being held back. Mills might be ready to move already and there is a rumor that the Diaz visa issue has finally been resolved. I agree that Nottingham needs some time in Kinston, BTW. Looks like a couple of pitchers in Kinston could be moved.
August 5th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
I really love minor league baseball. Seriously. I mean, how can anybody in their right mind not love a sport that features a franchise in a place called “Altoona?” And the cherry on top, it’s called the Altoona CURVE! I swear, Stephanie Storm has the best job in the world. It’s like Disney World for adults.
Whenever an eye-rollingly incompetent idiot like Danny Ferry gives me severe gas pains and searing abdominal cramps (the yin), I make like Buddha and do the holistic thing (the yang). Instead of reaching for my medicine cabinet, I sit, I meditate, and I think of the Altoona Curve. Try it, it works!
August 5th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Can we have an update on the likelihood of Barton and the rest of the Bisons moving to Columbus after next season? What’s up with that? Never mind Barton, I want to be able to get Asdrubal’s autograph. Next to my Joe Azcue and my Max Alvis, my Asdrubal would become my prized possession. Are they coming to Columbus?
August 6th, 2007 at 1:22 am
I’m not exactly sure what you’re getting at in terms of being surprised there is a team in a place called Altoona, but I can offer some trivia on the nickname. Granted ‘curve’ does have a strong association with baseball, there is a local association as well (as with most teams) that probably has more of an influence than baseball. If you’ll notice closely to the logos of the team, they are influenced by trains and railroads. Just on the outskirts of Altoona is a railroad curve called the Horseshoe Curve. It was so important that Union soldiers guarded it in Civil War and it was one of the places the Nazis planned to attack during WWII. I’d have to put it near the top in terms of cleverness and originality. I’ll put it right up there with the Poca Dots in terms of most interesting nicknames.
August 6th, 2007 at 2:46 am
The Nazis were going to attack Altoona? For what, their soft-serve ice cream factory? Those zany Nazis. No wonder they lost the war.
Altoona is a great name, even without a minor league baseball team. But to actually have a minor league baseball team there, that kills me. How can Stephanie type “The Altoona Curve sunk the Portland Sea Dogs” without giggling? I mean, Altoona’s mayor is actually named “Wayne Hippo!”
August 6th, 2007 at 4:42 am
Hey alan,
Anything can happen but I am not sure I would plan on getting Cabrera’s autograph in Columbus in 2009 even if Cleveland moves their AAA affiliate there from Buffalo. The way they are moving him sure suggests they plan on him playing in Cleveland sometime in 2008, maybe before.
August 6th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Altoona’s Horseshoe Curve was/is a major pass for trains during the time. While it’s likely they would have enjoyed the ice cream, I’m sure it was to stop major routes of transportation. Even more reason for the name’s uniqueness.
August 6th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Perhaps the Nazis simply liked to eat soft-serve ice cream on a train. Those Altoona trains were simply a clever clandestine cover for their evil ice cream plot.
What’s the deal with the Indians, their shortstops and their second basemen? They thought Vizquel was on the verge of being grossly overpaid and completely washed up, and there he is, still better than what they’ve got. I don’t understand why Jhonny Peralta doesn’t simply give his first name some Lasix surgery, that way he’d be able to see the “Cabby” threat.
Hopefully Buffalo will move to Columbus. But I don’t want to have to settle for a Brian Barton autograph. I want something on the back of a napkin that says “Asdrubal.”
What’s Barton’s nickname? I’d like “B Squared” more than I would “Barty.”
August 6th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Well, Alan, if it kills you that Altoona has a minor league team, this should… well, I don’t know what more can be done if it’s already killed you, but anyway…
Altoona actually had a “major league” team in 1884 in the Union Association. It’s probably a mistake to consider the UA a true major league, because the typical UA player had nowhere near the talent of his contemporaries in the National League and American Association, but the UA has still historically always been considered a major league. If memory serves, Altoona was a very late entry in the league, because league founders decided they needed a place along the train route between the eastern and western cities where teams could stop and still get some games in.
Anyway, Altoona is the smallest city to ever have a major league team.
Oh, and unless I’ve overlooked it, no one has pointed out yet that Brian Barton has been promoted to Buffalo.
August 7th, 2007 at 12:37 am
Jeez Guys, I leave for a few days and Logan has taken over my blog!
What is exactly so amusing about Altoona, by the way? However, all the posts on the team’s background and the city’s former professional sports are indeed correct.
I guess after 12 years in minor league baseball, the names don’t really seem so silly to me anymore. Either that, or I’m just used to them. Although I have to admit that I always get caught up on the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Seriously, who named that team?
August 7th, 2007 at 1:11 am
Alan T. asked about the possibility of the Bisons moving to Columbus anytime soon.
Ironically, I was actually in Columbus last week covering Curt Schilling’s final minor-league rehab, and asked that very same question of a few friends in the know at old Cooper Stadium.
Turns out that there is indeed a pretty big possibility the Indians could move out of Buffalo and bring it’s Triple-A club in state.
Although Buffalo isn’t a whole lot further from Cleveland than Columbus (we’re talking about an hour’s difference in driving), the fact that Columbus broke ground for a new downtown stadium last week indicates the city is interested in luring an Ohio team - and both Cleveland and Cincinatti’s Triple-A affiliate deals are up after the 2008 season.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Further, Cincinatti appears more than happy to stay in Louisville, Ky., where the Bats have a newer ballpark - thus leaving the door wide open for Cleveland to slide right into the new Columbus stadium in time for the 2009 season.
A side note to this discussion is that assuming Columbus does eventually become an Indians affiliate (the Clippers were the New York Yankees top affiliate for 31 years before switching to the Washington Nationals this season), Advanced Class-A Kinston (N.C.) would be the only Indians affiliate besides the Gulf Coast League team to not be located within Ohio’s borders.
August 7th, 2007 at 1:21 am
This one’s for my dear Logan. A few days ago you asked about call ups and how they affect other teams besides just the Aeros.
It’s a good question because I think we can get so wrapped up in what we’re doing, we can easily forget all the other 11 teams in the Eastern League are going through the call-up blues as well.
Just like Akron recently losing shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and outfielder Brian Barton in a week’s span, Erie lost top pitcher Andrew Miller a few weeks ago to the Major Leagues, Trenton’s loaded pitching staff was reduced by two when stud hurlers Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain were promoted to Triple-A Scranton a weeka nd a half ago and even rival Altoona lost slugging first baseman Steven Pearce last week to a much-deserved promotion.
The thing that has helped the Aeros stay steady and make the playoffs the last few years is that when the team loses talent to Triple-A, there always seems to be young talent ready to come up to Akron from Kinston and make their mark.
Last year, the arrival of outfielders Ryan Goleski, Brian Barton and Trevor Crowe provided a major lift mid-way into the season and ultimately heading into post season play.
Unfortunately, this year, that hasn’t been the case yet. Not many big Kinston studs have come up and really made a mark on this team save for closer Randy Newsom.
And that could cost the Aeros this season come playoffs.
August 7th, 2007 at 6:35 am
How about it, Sue? Will alan be getting his “Asdrubal” autograph in the minors in 2009? Better chance for Barty’s (?) I would think.