One year ago Matt Barnes was living life as one of Major League Baseball's best closers.
By the time Cinco de Mayo hit, he was 7-for-7 in save opportunities, striking out 26 and walking just three in 16 innings. Opponents had a measly .113 batting average against Barnes, whose ERA stood at 2.25.
He was simply daring hitters to catch up to a 97 mph fastball, while watching them flail at one of the game's best curveballs.
Now? Think whatever would be the exact opposite.
After allowing four runs in his 2/3 innings - paving the way for a six-run 10th inning for the Angels on the way to a 10-5 loss for the Red Sox Wednesday night - Barnes is living a very different life than 365 days before.
"Listen, the starters have done an unbelievable job," said Barnes, referencing a group that has now held their opponents to a .183 batting average in the last 13 games. "They have been putting up zeroes left and right. The offense is doing their part. It’s our job to come in and lock down ballgames. A lot of that falls on me. I’ve been terrible. Let’s just call a spade a spade. So I have to figure my (expletive) out. We’re going to get there. I’m working on it every day and feeling better every day. I know the results are terrible, but I’m not going to stop. It’s definitely frustrating."
His ERA stands at 8.64, striking out just six while walking five in 8 1/3 innings. The overpowering fastball of early 2021 has become not only two mph slower, but doesn't carry the spin of a year ago. Same goes for his curveball.
"It’s a lot easier to get swings and misses with 97 than it is with 93," Barnes said. "Ninety-seven allows the curveball to play that much more. I’ve always been a guy throughout my career whose command has come and gone periodically, but I’ve always had stuff. I’ve always had the ability to go out there and if I got my stuff and got in a jam I could get out of it. It’s definitely frustrating. I don’t know if there is a rhyme or a reason.
"But, like I said, we’re going to continue to work. The ball feels pretty good coming out of my hand. We’re just not there yet. We’ve got a lot of games left and this team is really good. Everybody in here believes in what we’re doing and what we’re going to accomplish at the end of the year, but personally, I’ve got to pick my (expletive) up."