Skeeter Barnes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skeeter Barnes |
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Barnes with the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays in 2006
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| Utility player | |||
| Born: March 7, 1957 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 6, 1983, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 20, 1994, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .259 | ||
| Home runs | 14 | ||
| Runs batted ins | 83 | ||
| Teams | |||
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William Henry "Skeeter" Barnes was born on March 7, 1957. He is a former professional baseball player. Skeeter was known as a utility player, which means he could play many different positions on the field. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, and Detroit Tigers. After his playing career, Barnes spent almost two decades working as a manager and coach in Minor League Baseball.
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Skeeter Barnes' Baseball Journey
Barnes was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He played college baseball at the University of Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Reds chose him in the 16th round of the 1978 Major League Baseball draft. Barnes worked hard to move up through the minor leagues.
Making His MLB Debut
He joined the Reds in 1983 after hitting really well for their farm team, the Indianapolis Indians. Skeeter made his first Major League game appearance on September 6, 1983. This happened at Candlestick Park. In that game, he was hit by a pitch twice. As of 2025, he is still the only player to be hit by more than one pitch in his very first game.
Working His Way Up
Even though Barnes played very well in the Triple-A minor league level for many years, it was tough for him to stay in the major leagues. Between 1984 and 1990, he only played in 60 big-league games. This included four games for the St. Louis Cardinals team that won the National League championship in 1987. In four of those years, he hit .300 or better in the minor leagues.
Finding a Home with the Tigers
Barnes finally became a regular player in the big leagues when he was 34 years old. Many players have already retired by that age. In 1991, he was hitting very well in the International League. Because of this, the Detroit Tigers called him up to their team. Barnes was good at playing several positions and was a solid hitter. He was a great fit for the Tigers, who needed help with defense and had players who struck out a lot.
Barnes played most of the next three seasons with the Tigers. Fans in Detroit liked his hard-working style. Sometimes, they called him "Crash Davis." This was after a character in the movie Bull Durham who spent most of his career in the minor leagues.
Career Stats
During his nine seasons in the major leagues, Barnes played in 353 games. He had 614 chances to bat. He scored 95 runs and got 159 hits. He also hit 30 doubles, four triples, and 14 home runs. He brought in 83 runs for his team. Barnes also stole 20 bases and walked 41 times. His batting average was .259.
In the minor leagues, Barnes had a career batting average of .296. He got 1,773 hits in his minor league career. At the time he retired, he was one of the top hitters in minor league history. The Nashville Sounds team retired his uniform number 00 in 1991. This means no other player on that team will wear that number again.
Coaching Career
Barnes stopped playing baseball after the 1994 season. However, he stayed involved in the game as a coach and manager in the minor leagues. He managed the Lakeland Tigers in 2000. He also managed the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays in 2006.
Barnes held other coaching jobs in different minor leagues. These included the International League, Midwest League, and Southern League. From 2007 until he retired after the 2023 season, Barnes worked for the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He was a coordinator for outfielders and base-running in their minor league system.
