Longtime big league backstop Rod Barajas has agreed to manage the Padres' Rookie League club, MLB.com's Corey Brock reports. (Twitter links.) Barajas has apparently not officially retired from his playing career, however, and Brock notes that the 38-year-old has not yet ruled out a return to the diamond.
Barajas last saw MLB action in 2012 with the Pirates, serving as the club's primary catcher. After a disappointing campaign — he posted a .206/.283/.343 line with 11 home runs in 361 plate appearances — Barajas had his 2013 option declined by Pittsburgh. He signed with the Diamondbacks on a minor league deal, but was ultimately released by Arizona before the start of the season.
Over parts of 14 seasons, Barajas has a lifetime .235/.284/.407 triple-slash and 136 career home runs in 3,784 total plate appearances. He caught at least 97 games for eight of nine seasons over 2004-12.
Welcome to the Padres rookie farm league organization! I hope you succeed in guiding our rookies through their first step to the big leagues
How does one officially retire? Is it just a paperwork thing?
I can’t imagine that it would make a lot of sense for him to be a player/manager for a Rookie League team.
Why would it not make sense? Perhaps he has an interest in coaching.
Then he should definitely coach. He’s an MLB vet at a typical retirement age. Catching Rookie League games doesn’t make him a better coach. In fact, wouldn’t he be even more valuable coaching a young group of catchers rather than taking playing time and at bats from them?
Am I missing something? It says that he was hired to manage them. If he did return to play it would most likely be as a backup in the majors.
I think it is a paperwork thing. Bernie Williams is still an active player, and mentioned that he never filed the paperwork to retire.
I couldn’t find any clear impact from a little bit of researching, but there are certainly some reasons it could conceivably matter. E.g., union membership, timing of pension benefits.
He cannot play for a Rookie league team unless it is a “rehab assignment”. There are rules that prohibit players 22 years or older or with certain years of experience to play at certain levels except AA-AAA
Good to know. The concept of a “rookie league” really wouldn’t make much sense if over-the-hill MLB vets were allowed. There’s the independent leagues for that.
The Padres also added Jamie Quirk, who was the Cubs bench coach.
Thanks Hot Rod for being the best catcher in the MLB in 2012 for the Pirates!! Not..
Please tell me that 93-6 ratio for SB-CS is not correct at B/R? he couldn’t have been that bad his last year. It’s worse than ‘Tek and even Posada ever fell to.
Quick, Arizona, hire Jorge Fabregas to be your Rookie League manager.
How does someone with a career .284 OBP catch 100 games for 8 seasons…
Good defense.
Barajas is worth -7 runs in his career according to the Fielding Bible. Russell Martin is worth +46.
I didn’t know exactly how is defense was, given I never really closely followed him. That was my guess, since most catchers who tend to play that long despite being bad hitters are typically good at defense.
Dodgers wisdom, going from one to the other 🙁
there is the reason the pirates made the playoffs… I knew 2012 could have been a good year for them but with barajas behind the plate…. no chance
ha you clearly haven’t watched a lot of Barajas he is not a gold glover, heck he isn’t even replacement level. no he made it based on teams desperation to find some pop behind the plate.
Because he could hit dingers. He was a slighty above average catcher, both offensively and defensively.
So he’ll probably hit a few minor league dingers on Sundays?
Baja Fresh!
Dude has like 8 or 9 kids, I knew he wouldn’t stay out of work long…