Royals trade for right-hander Barnes
The Royals made their second trade of the week on Wednesday when they sent right-handed relief pitcher Chris Demaria to the Brewers for Minor League right-hander Justin Barnes.
Demaria began 2005 at Class A High Desert, where he went 4-2 with a 2.23 ERA and 19 saves in 48 games, but he reached the Major Leagues by September. After 10 games at Double-A Wichita, he was 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA in eight games with Kansas City.
A reliever and starter in the Milwaukee system with Class A West Virginia, Barnes was 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and one save in 29 games — including three starts. The 23-year-old began his professional career in 2003 as a third baseman before being converted to a pitcher.
In 44 career appearances in the Minors, Barnes is 13-7 with a 4.03 ERA and has 143 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings.
