Sources: Cubs dump Barrett via trade to Padres

Also this is interesting in that I would have never thought Hendry would trade one of his favorite players.   Just wondering out loud if this has anything to do with the Zambrano negotiations?   Did Z say there was no way he would resign if the Cusb retained Barrett?

Kasey

2006 first round compensation pick for the Padres.  Burke was the 35th overall pick in the draft out of Ooltewah (TN) High School.  

Kyler Burke, a big-time two-way high school baseball star, could potentially have been drafted as either a southpaw starter or as an outfielder. His senior season, however, laid any doubts to rest about his future in baseball.

Currently batting .211 in the minors.

My question is, although I know the bullpen has been better as of late, why would the Cubs not try to get another quality bullpen arm in the deal?  OK, a backup catcher is fine, but I would have insisted on another pitcher too....even a minor league guy.  Oh well.  

I will actually miss Barrett...didn;t realize that last night would be his last as a Cub.  Hey, at least he caught a win.  And I believe he went 2-4 with RBI (?).  Best of luck (except against the Cubbies) in the future to him.  I hope he succeeds.  I will always remember his contribution to the "___ AJ Pierzynski" fan club.

1. Passed Ball is charged to Barrett and Connine scores go ahead run.

"My job right there is to keep the ball in front of me, no matter what," Barrett said. "I didn't get the job done."

May 8th: Pirates score in 9th, sending the game into extras where the Cubs go scoreless, losing 4-3 in 15.

2. A throwing error by Barrett sends the go ahead run to third base in the 15th inning, ultimately allowing the winning run to score on a sacrifice fly.

May 27th: Leading 1-0 going into the bottom of the 8th, Dodgers score once, and again in the 11th. Cubs lose 2 to 1.

3. Barrett caught attempting to steal third base in second inning with one out.
   
4. Later in bottom of the 11th fails to catch Martinez in a rundown between second and third base. This leads to an intentional walk to Furcal, which loads the bases and the next batter Pierre is hit by the pitch, winning the game for the Dodgers.

5. Barrett drops ball, allowing slowest runner but winning run to score in 13th inning.

I wish him well in San Diego

Andy, that's some masterful spinnin' there!

He also blamed the fight w/Z entirely on Z.

Guess Masur didn't know about the bonehead plays that preceeded it, and he conveniently forgot about Barrett's clash with Hill. (Yeah, I'm sure he didn't know. Yeah, right.)

Concluding with:

Yeah, if you like a backstop with his head up his ass, you'll love Mr. Barrett!!

It didn't take long for Masur to become a hometown honk.

But --  Andy knows who is signing his paycheck.

In spite of how nice a guy everyone says Barrett is, his 'development' has resulted in a catcher who simply doesn't think.  The most important thing for Lou to do is get this team to play solid, fundamental baseball, and it's clear that Barrett's unable to do that.

There's also the fact that he didn't have the confidence of his pitching staff, and that the Cubs had to move at least one of Z and Barrett after their dustup earlier in the month.  Z has apparently used the incident to turn his own performance around and realize he had to grow up.  Barrett, OTOH, continued to make bonehead plays and cost the team runs, if not games.

So - best wishes to Barrett as a member of the Friars, but this move improves the Cubs simply because it lances a boil that's been festering, and sends a message that the game starts with solid, fundamental baseball.

That's the type of guy I want, only younger. Is Bowen that? Probably not. But this is all Barrett is worth on the open market.

Good luck to the Friars when Hoffman's cut fast ball is in the dirt in a crucial situation.

I will chronicle Barrett's miscues and post them when they happen....