Austin Barnes' Leadership and Humor Keep Him a Staple for LA

On a roster littered with All-Star talent and exciting rookies, Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes can get lost in the shuffle among the national media for his role with the team. 

Though the box score and stat sheets may not sing his praises, especially at the plate, a couple big moments in the last few games have shown the fans at Chavez Ravine what the organization already knows Barnes is all about. 

“There’s a lot of value [he brings] to the type of team we have now,” bench coach Danny Lehmann said. “To be able to trust him, and have the pitchers trust him and understand that he knows what he’s doing back there, that’s just big for our team to not skip a beat.”

via Jack Harris, LA Times

Playing the hardest defensive position on the diamond, Barnes' chemistry with the pitching staff has been instrumental, displayed especially in the Dodgers' 1-0 series sweeping victory against Milwaukee. 

Barnes also brought in and scored the only run between either team with a game-clinching home run in the bottom of the eighth inning after guiding Lance Lynn to seven shutout innings. 

The personal catcher of Clayton Kershaw, the veteran southpaw knows Barnes' value to the team's chemistry far surpasses whatever statistical contributions he could pitch in. 

"One of his skills is, he can call people out, but people think it’s funny,” Kershaw said. “When other people do that, they take offense. But Barnsey has a really good feel for making fun of guys, or giving people a hard time, and them taking it well. It’s a skill. It’s a personality trait.”

via Jack Harris, LA Times

Against the Marlins in the early half of their Saturday doubleheader, the light-hitting Barnes executed a perfect bunt toward the first base side that ultimately led to the Dodgers winning the game 3-1 after a dead offensive game up to that point. 

Unheralded among his many teammates, Barnes is slowly but surely showing that stats aren't everything that make up a ballplayer, a fact that LA knows very well for his efforts on the roster.