Barbaro Coming Back To Traverse City
Published on February 3, 2009 under Frontier League (FL)
Traverse City Beach Bums News Release
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.-Catcher Andrew Barbaro will be making his second stop in Traverse City, Mich. this May when he reports to Beach Bums spring training at Wuerfel Park.
The Beach Bums acquired Barbaro as the final part of a 2008 trade with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association.
The catcher hit .258 in 30 games with the Canaries in 2008 with seven doubles, a home run and eight runs-batted in. He was signed by Sioux Falls after having an impressive season in the Arizona Winter League where he hit at a .390 clip. Barbaro combines surprising speed with his bat and skills behind the plate, ranking seventh all-time at his alma mater, Iowa Wesleyan, in stolen base percentage, swiping 14 bases in 16 attempts.
The Beach Bums have already had a good look at Barbaro. He came to Traverse City for an open tryout in the spring of 2007 immediately after the final game of his career at IWC, driving all night from the Mount Pleasant, Iowa campus and sleeping in his car outside Wuerfel Park until the tryout began. Despite his travels and short night of sleep, Barbaro impressed the Traverse City personnel, who did not have a roster spot at the time for a catcher but hoped to get him back at some point.
Jason Wuerfel, the Traverse City Beach Bums director of baseball operations, commented on the acquisition of Barbaro.
"I was impressed by Andrew's dedicated and perseverance when he tried out for the Beach Bums in 2007," said Wuerfel. "I wasn't surprised to hear he did well in the Arizona League and was able to latch on with Sioux Falls. He is a competitor and has proven he will do what it takes to get himself on the field. I'm excited to see what he can do with this opportunity after getting some experience under his belt last year in the American Association."
The Beach Bums open their 2009 home schedule when they host the Southern Illinois Miners at 7:05 p.m. on May 26.
Frontier League Stories from February 3, 2009
- Just the Right Size - Lake Erie Crushers
- Barbaro Coming Back To Traverse City - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Rascals Announce Exhibition Schedule For 2009 - River City Rascals
- Celebrity Softball Game To Help Special Olympics - Florence Y'alls
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