RSS
Home
Eric Byrnes, the $30 million question
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
There's little question that the Diamondbacks are receiving little for a huge $30 million investment.
That's the contact outfielder Eric Byrnes signed prior to the 2008 season. That was Brynes' reward for a .286 season in 2007, in which Brynes missed only two games of the 162, crashed 30 doubles, 8 triples, 21 home runs and knocked in 83 runs. That goes along with 50 stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .353. Along the way, he help lead the Diamondbacks to the NL West title and an eventual spot in the LCS against Colorado.
With the new contract in hand, things then went terribly wrong. The 34 year old native of Redwood, Calif. missed most of the last season because of hamstring injuries in both legs. After appearing in just 52 games, his season ended on June 30 at Milwaukee. Here, Byrnes' attempt to steal third put him on the 15 day disabled list for the second time, and when the injuries failed to heal, he went to the 60 day list. That ended a forgettable season in which Byrnes hit only .209, six home runs and 23 runs batted in.
Spring training 2009 came and went, and Byrnes appeared in only a handful of pre-season games. When the bell rang, he took his usual position in left field, but a continued drop in productivity raised questions about his health and, ultimately, his value to the club.
Now, Byrnes is back on the shelf and his time, it's for four to six weeks. Thanks to a 90 mile an hour fastball from the Rangers' Scott Feldman, that pitch broke the fifth metacarpal on Byrnes' left hand in the second inning of a game against Texas June 25 at Chase Field. By the fifth inning, the Diamondbacks announced Byrnes would require surgery and immediately placed on the disabled list. He joins position players Stephen Drew, Tony Clark, Conor Jackson, Chad Tracy and Chris Synder as those who have spend a portion of the 2009 season on the disabled list.
When Brynes went down this time, his numbers were no better than what he put up before his 2008 season ended. Appearing in 62 games this season, the 6-2, 215 pounder was hitting .216, five home runs and 24 runs batted in.
To be fair, Byrnes' value to the Diamondbacks lay not in numbers but in character. His emotional, fiery approach is clearly absent, and he possesses the ability to get the crowd instantly in the game.
Otherwise, the present version of the Diamondbacks appear to be sitting on their hands, and emotion and passion is solely missed. With his head first slide, penchant to get his uniform dirty seemingly before the game begins, and his aggressive demeanor, Brynes' absence may be more meaningful than most players.
Still, the specter of that $30 million contract hangs in the balance. That's because things all unraveled last season and continue.
With Brynes down, and a musical-chairs mentality in determining his replacement in left field, the Diamondbacks also struggle with his future. Sure, clubs have eaten big contracts in the past and continue to pay players long after they depart. For Byrnes, the question is two fold.
Can he regain his health to a degree where contributions will be significant. As well, will the Diamondbacks see any dividends for such a considerable investment.
Don't expect answers until Brynes returns to the lineup sometime in August. By that time, the Diamondbacks should be out of the National League West Division race. If Brynes has any degree of pride and professionalism, his uniform will continue to get dirty while his passion and commitment remains strong.
