2014 Dodgers review: Darwin Barney

The Dodgers acquired former Gold Glove Award-winning second baseman Darwin Barney plus $500,000 cash from the Cubs on July 28, ultimately for minor league pitcher Jonathan Martinez. Barney ended up the Dodgers only acquisition of note at the non-waiver trade deadline, and here is a look back at his 2014 season.

What went right

Barney isn't known for his offense, but he hit quite well in his brief time with the Dodgers. After nine walks in 217 plate appearances in four months with the Cubs, Barney walked eight times in 45 plate appearances with Los Angeles.

Barney was 10-for-33 (.303/.467/.424) with a home run in his 22 games with the Dodgers, including five starts at second base and 11 innings at shortstop, his first time at the position since 2012.

His defense was as advertised, especially at second base. Barney is so smooth at second base that he even made time to wipe off his hands before a throw after ranging to his left to make a tremendous sliding grab. In the ninth inning of the division-clinching game for the Dodgers, no less.

What went wrong

There wasn't much that went wrong for Barney during his first two months as a Dodger. He was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque when he was acquired, but that was more than anything for Barney to get some games in at shortstop and third base, two positions he hadn't played with any frequency in years. His time with the Isotopes didn't even last 20 days and thus didn't even count as an optional assignment.

With the Cubs, Barney hit .230/.265/.328 in 72 games and was designated for assignment on July 22.

Despite his contributions down the stretch, Barney did not make the Dodgers' roster for the NLDS.

2014 particulars

Age: 28

Salary: $2.3 million; the Dodgers were on the hook for just under $280,000 of his salary.

Game of the year

Barney was 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk on Sept. 17 against the Rockies at Coors Field.

Roster status

Barney and the Dodgers avoided salary arbitration, signing a one-year, $2.525 million contract for 2015 on Dec. 2. Barney has three option years remaining, but with four years, 53 days of service time is 119 days shy of the requisite five years of major league service time needed to be able to decline a minor league assignment.