It was 16 years ago that the Athletics traded away a successful homegrown talent in left-hander Mark Mulder, whom they sent to the Cardinals in exchange for righties Dan Haren and Kiko Calero and first baseman Daric Barton. Mulder was a former No. 2 overall pick (1998) who, along with Tim Hudson and Barry Zito, helped comprise the feared Big Three in Oakland’s rotation. While Mulder pitched to a 3.92 ERA as an Athletic and racked up almost twice as many wins (81) as losses (42) in their uniform, he struggled down the stretch in 2004, thereby sealing his fate with the club.
Although Mulder had a nice first season in St. Louis, injuries played a part in torpedoing his career from there, as he only threw 106 innings of 7.73 ERA ball from 2006-08. In hindsight, it wasn’t a great trade for the Cardinals, but the A’s did get serious value out of it. Haren turned in three highly productive seasons in Oakland before the team flipped him to Arizona in a major 2007 deal, while Calero enjoyed two impressive years out four with the club. By measure of fWAR, though, neither Haren nor Calero matched Barton’s top season as a member of the team. When comparing his best season with the rest of his career, Barton’s one of baseball’s clearest examples of a one-hit wonder from the previous decade.
It’s worth noting that Barton was actually one of the premier prospects in baseball during his days on the farm – Baseball America ranked him between 32nd and 67th four years running. As BA wrote before the 2007 season: “Oakland general manager Billy Beane called Barton the best hitter in the minors when he traded for him, and he remains the system’s best pure hitter. He has a textbook swing, fluid and short with a bit of loft, hinting at future power. His exceptional plate discipline allowed him to control the strike zone at Triple-A as a 20-year-old, and he’s advanced enough to know to use the whole field.”
Barton seemed on his way to proving his supporters correct, albeit over just 84 plate appearances, as he debuted in Oakland and batted a marvelous .347/.429/.639 (181 wRC+) with four home runs. But it took until 2010 for Barton to truly produce like a star over a full season. While Barton only mustered 10 homers in 686 PA and 159 games that year, he nonetheless totaled 5.0 fWAR, tying him with a couple familiar names in then-Phillie Jayson Werth and perennial Cardinal Yadier Molina. Barton got there on the strength of his exceptional eye and his strong defense. The lefty swinger posted the game’s eighth-highest on-base percentage and an overall line of .273/.393/.405 (126 wRC+), and he ranked among the sport’s top-graded fielders with 19 Defensive Runs Saved and an Ultimate Zone Rating of 11.8.
Oakland looked as if it had its long-term answer at first then, but it was all downhill from there. Barton’s numbers took a turn for the worse the next season and he was never a big league regular again. He continued to draw walks at a high clip, but the powerless Barton limped to a line of .216/.323/.284 (76 wRC+) with a mere four HRs and 0.1 fWAR during a 600-PA span over the rest of his time in the majors. The A’s even designated Barton for assignment in 2013, though he did stick with the organization into the next season. Barton hasn’t been heard from in the majors since then, though, and until today, he hadn’t been mentioned on MLBTR’s pages since the Blue Jays’ Triple-A club released him in July 2015.
Barton did play in Mexico for a few seasons after his run in MLB and Triple-A ended, but the 34-year-old’s now out of baseball. That surely wasn’t the way he or the A’s expected his career to conclude in the wake of his magical 2010 effort, but thanks to that one huge year, he had a more productive MLB career than most who appear in the league.
As an Angels fan, it seemed like he always had big hits against the Angels, tough to watch. But man he had one of the sweetest swings, dude looked so calm at the plate.
And it wasn’t mentioned that he led the league in walks one year, but I don’t think it was during his best year. I could be wrong.
Yup, 2010, his one good year. 110 walks…..
I wouldnt exactly call his 2010 season good, regardless of his WAR.
Yeah top 10 in league in on base percentage and being a plus defender.. who needs that nonsense
more walks than k’s. Great defense. Crazy high obp. And the war counts.
What is a good season to you?
Was definitely a good season. Anytime you lead the league in BBs you had a very good season. WAR is boosted by what is probably a fluky dWAR rating… 120 OPS+ is very good, not great.
one BB wonder
Nice
That season is such a weird statistical jumble. So much on base capability, no power production and a relatively anemic run total. Guy probably got stranded more than anyone else in the league.
Should do an x files episode on what happened to him….vin scully can narrate
Why not Fox Mulder’s wouldbe cousin, Mark?
Darin Barton and Bobby Crosby are the poster boys of why the A’s were lousy during those bob geren seasons over 5 year stretch. Toss in Kurt Suzuki too who was solid for a couple seasons, got an extension, then forgot how to hit. So much more entertaining to watch chapman anf olson now, if only they could keep them longterm but doubt it
It’s amazing that 2010 team finished .500. One of the worst offenses I’ve ever seen. Rajai Davis and Cliff Pennington [!!!!!] each nearly received 600 at bats.
2010 was all pitching and defense
He ended up pretty much tearing down that team.
2012 Oakland A’s are probably one of the biggest surprises in baseball recently.
They went from being an average team in 2010 and 2011
Then selling off pieces to become a playoff team for three straight years.
the young pitchers held it down! You are right. That is a terrible everyday lineup, I just looked.
Eric Chavez probably had more to do with it.
His inability to stay on the field. He is really the only player the A’s invested in.
I believe it was 2008. A’s weren’t that far out of it and they traded a bunch of their pitchers including Joe Blanton.
They came back with Cahill and a few others not too long later.
The one player I never understood why the A’s got rid of was Carlos Gonzalez.
They have always been an interesting team to watch because of when they do try to get rid of pieces.
Regarding the trade for Mulder
At least it was much better than the Hudson trade.
more like a no-hit wonder amirite
I remember Barton as others do: Sweet swing, good eye, more walks than k’s in that special season 108 walks, 102 k’s,or close to that, Good glove. I seem to recall. What disappointed us A’s fans was he never developed a power stroke. To a fan base brought up on McGwire and Giambi. He was more like a 2010’s Norm Larker. (Look ’em up.) Hopefullly, Olson cntinues to develop the McGwire-Giambi gene.
Norm Larker! Blast from the past…..
having Barton and Ryan Sweeney in the same lineup was painful
Fun fact: Mark Mulder hit the first Cardinals home run in Busch Stadium III.
As an A’s lifer, Barton was one of THE most frustrating players to watch. Sure he could draw a walk and play a good 1B, but his hitting ability was absolutely frustrating to watch, given his potential. He was the ultimate rally killer. The one “good” season in 2010 where he had a 5.5 bWAR was strictly from his walks and defense, definitely not from his 10 homeruns and .405 slugging on 159 games.
.400 slugging for a first baseman was a good season?
.393 OBP is awesome for anyone
No one ever thought of Barton as a star, not even in 2010. Calling him a star ten years later sounds dumb.
A lot of Barton’s value as a prospect was tied to his position; catcher. However, after a season in the minors it was clear that Barton would not stick at the position. Barton had flaws in his swing; it was long and looping and he did not have the bat speed to produce hard hit balls.