Barfield is trying to stay with Tribe

He is being challenged at second base and likely will go to AAA Buffalo.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Josh Barfield is penciled in to be a starting second baseman again in 2008.

There’s one catch, however. Instead of playing for the Cleveland Indians, as he did for most of last season, Barfield likely will be with Triple-A Buffalo when the season opens.

A prolonged slump and the strong play of Asdrubal Cabrera over the final six weeks of last season leaves Barfield fighting to win back the job.

“I’m not here to make the Buffalo team,” he said. “I can’t worry about things that are out of my hands. I’m here to make this team.”

It’s not as though the Indians didn’t give Barfield a chance in 2007. Even more alarming than his .243 batting average was the fact he struck out 90 times and drew only 14 walks in 420 at-bats. Those numbers lead to a question that seems simple, but is difficult to answer. What went wrong?

“I got off to a bad start,” he said. “My swing got all out of whack. Then I was trying to play catch-up.”

Barfield, whose father, Jesse, was a major league outfielder from 1981-92, began the season in a 7-for-60 skid. He regrouped to bat .278 in May and .317 in June before his problems resurfaced, which led to a .193 average in the second half. He studied videotape from the 2006 season when he batted .280 as a rookie with San Diego and was more patient at the plate.

But making changes in the middle of a season isn’t the easiest thing to do.

“Sometimes in the heat of the moment, you don’t always see things,” he said. “My dad saw some things, but they were harder for me to see.”

Cabrera took over as the second baseman Aug. 15. Barfield was used primarily as a pinch-runner the rest of the season and had 17 at-bats in the final six weeks.

The Indians were praised in several circles for making a good trade when they acquired Barfield from the Padres following the 2006 season. Cleveland dealt third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, who tore up minor league pitching but often battled injuries, and pitcher Andrew Brown to San Diego. The idea was to make Barfield the Indians’ second baseman for several years.

That plan has obviously changed. Cabrera was a big factor in the Indians’ charge to the AL Central title. And now the 22-year-old slick fielding switch-hitter has a firm grip on the job. Cabrera, who batted .283 in 45 games last season, also gives the Indians a solid No. 2 hitter behind Grady Sizemore.

Barfield realizes he has some accountability for the situation he’s in.

“It’s probably my fault for putting them in a position where they had to make the decision (to go with Cabrera),” he said. “I want to show what kind of player I am. I didn’t do that last season.”