Brewers reliever Jacob Barnes struggling with command for second consecutive spring camp

PHOENIX – Some pitchers need all of spring training to get their act together. Apparently, Jacob Barnes is one of those pitchers.

For the second consecutive spring, the hard-throwing Milwaukee Brewers reliever is scuffling during exhibition play. In allowing three hits, two walks and two runs in one-third of an inning in a 16-13 victory Friday over Cincinnati, Barnes saw his Cactus League earned-run average soar to 12.46 in five outings.

In 4 1/3 innings, Barnes has allowed 11 hits and six runs while issuing five walks, the most alarming development for manager Craig Counsell.

“Barnes has struggled this spring,” Counsell said. “He has walked hitters. It hasn’t been bad misses, necessarily. He has been kind of around the plate. Then, when he’s in the strike zone, he has been in the middle of the strike zone.

“He’s just got to get a little more crisp with his location.”

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The comforting thing, if you can call it that, is that Barnes had similar struggles last spring, posting a 13.00 ERA over 10 games with a whopping 18 hits and 14 runs (13 earned) allowed over nine innings. That didn’t stop him from getting off to a strong start to the regular season, however, as evidenced by his 2.13 ERA in 13 outings in April.

“Jacob had a very similar spring last year,” Counsell said. “You take that into consideration with a guy who maybe takes more time to get ready. That’s why we’ve talked about more mound time with him. He needs some mound time to get going.

“His stuff looks good; the stuff looks very good. His velocity is excellent. Visually, his breaking ball is good. He just needs a little refinement of his command. Even with a guy throwing that hard, you give the hitter some easier takes and you put the ball in the middle of the strike zone, they’re going to hit it.”

To try to get Barnes going, Counsell said he will pitch again Sunday against the Dodgers.

“We’re going to change some things with his off-day work, also,” Counsell said. “We’ll put him on a mound instead of playing catch.

“Relievers are scheduled (to pitch) fairly frequently this last week. It’s the time of spring when we get the relievers going.”

Barnes’ biggest struggles during the 2017 season came in June and July, when he had a combined 6.75 ERA in 22 appearances. Overall, he was 3-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 73 appearances with 33 walks and 80 strikeouts in 72 innings, with an opponents’ batting average of .215.