Up until Wednesday night, Hanser Alberto, a position player, had allowed just one earned run on six hits and a walk across five innings of work in 2022 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But then came the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Or, from Alberto’s perspective, then came Dodgers backup catcher Austin Barnes, who called the wrong pitch and jacked up Alberto’s ERA and FIP after he surrendered a two-run homer off the bat of Hunter Renfroe.
Absolutely brutal sequence for Alberto, who got the first two batters out before hitting Keston Hiura with a pitch and then falling victim to the long ball. Just like that, his ERA went from a 1.80 to a 4.50 and his FIP rocketed from a 3.72 to a 6.29.
For once, Joey Gallo got the night off from dealing with Alberto’s antics. This time, Barnes would pay for his transgressions, because he apparently called for a breaking ball, which was dead wrong. Alberto seemingly knew it, too, but he didn’t wave it off.
So when reporters approached Barnes at his locker during the postgame, Alberto made sure they asked him about the situation. You’re not going to blemish this man’s resume and get away with it!
Hanser Alberto trolling Austin Barnes in the Dodgers clubhouse was hilarious
But Barnes was ready for it! He said “it was on” Alberto for leaving the breaking ball up and right in Renfroe’s wheelhouse. Everyone’s usually “Team Hanser” because of his infectious positive energy and affable personality but … Barnes has a point.
If this is your “breaking ball,” it can’t be at the letters! Maybe it’s time for this duo to work on execution and location before Alberto digs himself into a deeper ERA/WHIP/FIP hole.
See, Hanser, when you leave your off-speed pitches low and away, you get easy fly outs. You did it the night prior against Milwaukee!
https://twitter.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/1562307829280649216?s=20&t=FnYGWp9-_onu0FvxJ71FBw
As the war of playful words wages between Alberto and Barnes, it’s Gallo who might be the biggest beneficiary here.
The backup catcher successfully putting Alberto in his place might inspire Gallo to learn those tactics to get Alberto off his tail with the social media content.
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