Chicago Cubs' manager lauds Darwin Barney for his first NL Gold Glove Award – MLB News
As Chicago Cubs' Darwin Barney won the first National League Gold Glove Award on Tuesday, October 30, for his matchless 141-game errorless streak as second baseman and praise started pouring over the player.
Barney, who is turning 27 next month, outrivaled the likes of Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips and Arizona Diamondbacks’ Aaron Hill to win the prestigious award.
However, what remains radically different about the player is the fact that he had singlehandedly altered things for the Cubs as the club struggled during the season. Losing over 100 games, the Cubs did not have a particularly good 2012 Major League Baseball season.
Barney’s competition was with Brandon Phillips, one of the key players in the National League, particularly in the National League Central with his superb performance at second base. He had won three Gold Glove Awards in last four years.
But Barney, owing to his amazing performance, had already won kudos and critical acclaim. The manager went on to assert and rightly so, that Barney is a Gold Glove material. Dale Sveum had more to say about the player.
"It goes without saying he's Gold Glove material," Cubs' manager Dale Sveum said of Barney. "I've been in the game 30 years, and I've never seen anyone play second base like [Barney] has. I was very fortunate to be around who I consider the best I'd ever seen at that position in Jimmy Gantner in Milwaukee. He was another guy who was under the radar because of his offense.”
Interestingly, while the errorless streak was one component, the fielding percentage of Barney outnumbered all others. He had an impressive .997 field percentage, while both Hill and Phillips had .992 fielding percentage.
He went on to break not only the most errorless game of his former team-mate and manager Ryne Sandberg, but also the fielding percentage which stood at .995.
"He wants to make every play, and he's not afraid to make plays," former infield coach Listach said of Barney. "You want that at every position."
In years to come, Barney will be looked to as one of the key players representing the Chicago Cubs.
Tags: