Barajas Relishes First Month as Manager

They have only played eight games at home for El Pasoans to see under the leadership of Rod Barajas, but there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to help improve this team. Work that Barajas believes will lead to 17 promising games at Southwest University Park in the month of May. 

All this current group of Chihuahuas have gone through in the last six weeks is close a buzzing spring training under a new Major League coaching regime, host their parent organization for an exhibition game in El Paso, and just 8 days at home bookended by a pair of 8-game roadtrips.

"That first roadtrip felt like it was a month long," expressed Barajas before hitting the road again to close out the month of April. "It was nice getting home, playing in front of fans and getting the team moving in the right direction."

Chihuahuas infielder Carlos Asuaje played against his new manager during the 2015 Arizona Fall League season before the Venezuelan-born gloveman was acquired from Boston. Asuaje still took notice of Rod's leadership from afar, before he even knew he would play for the former Major Leaguer. 

"They way he goes about [managing] is very calm, low key," Asuaje praises. "He seems to be really knowledgeable about the game within the game."

Rod Barajas will be the first to tell you about the potential of the 2016 Chihuahuas with all the talented players like Asuaje. 

"I think this club is getting better. We will continually get better," says Barajas on his team's performance to start the year. "I think we're taking steps in the right direction and hopefully we hit our stride like I know we are capable of."

The stride Barajas was hoping for has been found recently thanks to every aspect of the game coming together to make that first roadtrip a distant memory. Rocky starting pitching was a large concern surrounding the Chihuahuas, but an experienced pitching staff and a visit from Padres pitching coordinator Mark Prior has helped make the tweaks necessary. The result has been three shutouts over the span of a week.

"The more eyes we can have here to help us out and try to get the most out of these players the better," comments the Chihuahuas manager on Prior's presence during the first homestand of the season. "Mark is very good at what he does. He sees a lot of things."

Barajas has seen his fair share as well. The catcher is the quarterback of the baseball field. He is faced the opposite direction as everyone else to see everything that is going on. With 14 years of big league experience on seven different teams, Barajas has seen his fair share of clubhouse chemistry. The team he currently manages ranks with the best he has seen in terms of morale. 

"This is one of the best clubhouses that I've seen," says the first year Triple-A manager. "Everybody seems to be meshing real well."

A running clubhouse ping pong tournament and plenty of Major League experience is a large boost for Barajas to manage this team. Daniel McCutchen is one guy that has been successful in both of the before mentioned areas to allow Barajas and pitching coach Bronzwell Patrick to lean on as an extra set of eyes to lead this group.

"He's gonna be one of those guys that takes some of the younger pitchers and puts them under his wing," says Barajas on McCutchen's leadership. "We've got a lot of guys with some experience here."

That experience in the clubhouse has made Barajas the bearer of good news in recent weeks too. So far, Rod has sent Robbie Erlin, Alexi Amarista, Jemile Weeks, Leonel Campos, Jose Pirela, Michael Kirkman, and Alex Dickerson back to Major League Baseball. Even though it hasn't been the first promotion for either of those guys, he recollects his first call up as a moment that he looks forward to delivering at some point in 2016. 

After the 1999 season when Barajas played for the El Paso Diablos, he traveled to Tucson to prepare for the winter season when Diamondbacks catcher Damian Miller suffered an injury that would sideline the D-Backs starting catcher for the rest of the year. It wasn't until after a workout with the Diamondbacks that manager Buck Showalter turned and looked at the 24-year-old Barajas to ask, "You know you're activated, right?"

"I had no clue," says Barajas.

"Welcome to Big Leagues," said Showalter as the two exchanged a hand shake.

Rod Barajas may have more planning than Showalter when he sends his first Major League debut to Andy Green's lineup card in San Diego.

Barajas played in 10 games for Arizona between 1999 and 2000 until he became a regular with the D-Backs in their 2001 World Series season, so the ex-catcher preaches the importance of seizing the opportunity when it is presented. 

"This team isn't going to stay the same all season so my message to them is when we call your number, be sure to take advantage of it. Be ready for it," explains El Paso's skipper. "This is an opportunity that you never know if you're gonna have it again."

That is the mantra of Triple-A baseball in both the Pacific Coast League and the International League. From the sound of things, the Chihuahuas are in good hands and are surely getting the proper mentoring needed at the cusp of the Major Leagues.