Kevin Barry joins Braves

By Leo D. Rommel

This story of Kevin Barry is ironic, to say the least.

Barry, a 2001 graduate of Rider and a low-key country boy from small-town Princeton Junction who grew up a diehard Mets fan, ends up working in highly congested, highly publicized Atlanta, for the Mets’ longtime bitter rival, the Braves.

How did that happen?

“Life works in mysterious ways,” said Barry. “You just never know what’s going to happen.”

Barry, 27, made his major league debut on June 26 when he took the mound for the Braves in the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. After five and a half seasons in the Braves’ minor league system, Barry at long last was making headlines in front of 54,226 fans in arguably baseball’s most storied stadium.

“Yankee Stadium is the Mecca of baseball,” said Barry. “It was amazing for me to make my major league debut there in front of all my friends and family.”

Barry’s performance that day was not pretty – in fact, his second pitch nearly went over the head of Atlanta catcher Todd Pratt, and Barry would end up walking batter Johnny Damon on five pitches – but it was certainly effective. Although New York would ultimately prevail, 5-2, Barry’s outing ended commendably: three scoreless innings, two hits, one strikeout and a walk.

The events of the subsequent two months, however, would be an emotional roller coaster full of praise and devastating rejection.

Four days following his performance in New York, Barry was sent back to Triple-A Richmond when Atlanta activated relief pitcher Chris Reitsma from the disabled list. Barry alleged he did not take the dismissal to heart, saying “as long as I am playing baseball, I’m happy.”

Fortunately, Reitsma appeared in only one game before returning to the DL once more on July 3 with a hand injury, paving the way for Barry’s return to Atlanta.

The next day, Barry was on the mound for the first time at Turner Field, pitching two more scoreless innings in the Braves’ 6-3 win over NL Central-leading St.. Louis. He was even more dominant three days later against the playoff contenting Cincinnati, striking out five and walking one while allowing no hits in four innings of relief.

When asked by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution if Barry would be considered for a start, manager Bobby Cox responded, “Absolutely. He started all year at Richmond.”

Not so fast. On July 21, following the Braves’ acquisition of Cleveland pitcher Bob Wickman, Barry was again sent packing to Richmond to clear up a roster spot.

“I would complain, but I had it good,” Barry recalled. “Not too many people get to go where I had been. I remained hopeful that I would get one more chance.”

And sure enough, he did. On Aug. 12, Barry was recalled again after pitcher Horacio Ramirez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a partial tear in his left middle finger. Barry has remarkably remained on the 25-man active roster ever since, compiling a 5.76 ERA and 1.48 WHIP.

On Sept. 17, Barry picked up his first major league win in a 8-7 thumping of the surging Marlins.

“When you’re in college, the dreams of stuff like this always go through your head,” said Barry. “I can now say the reality beats the dream.”

With any luck, three times will be a charm for Barry. It’s looking like it will be. But he’s is not banking on it.

Originally a 2000 draft choice of the Oakland A’s, Barry rejected his early chance to play pro ball by deciding to return to school for his senior year. He completed his undergraduate degree in business administration in May 2001, then reentered the draft, where Atlanta grabbed him in the 14th round.

“The thing with sports is that any given injury can end a career out of the blue,” Barry said. “I knew that if I went pro with Oakland and did not finished my degree, and something happened, I would be in serious trouble. Now I’m better prepared for whatever may come my way.”

Regardless of what happens, Barry will always have his roots. Though he works in a major city, Barry’s true home rests up in Kinmundy, a suburb in Southern Illinois. The small, quiet farmland-dominated area is a direct memory of his childhood in West Windsor, before multimillion estates and overpopulation flooded the area.

“I remember riding on snow mobiles as a child,” said Barry. “You can’t ride those in Atlanta. There’s too much traffic, too many people. But you can [in Kinmundy]. It’s a good place for my wife and me to get away.”

Until, of course, he has to go back to work.