Bartlett adds savvy to infield and at the plate

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jason Bartlett remembers the day his life in baseball changed.

It was July 12, 2002, and Bartlett was playing shortstop for Lake Elsinore, the San Diego Padres’ Class A farm team.

He had been drafted by the Padres in the 13th round a year earlier and had hit .300 for rookie-level Eugene in 68 games that summer. The California native dreamed of one day playing for the Padres.

That morning, Bartlett received a call from his roommate, who simply said “Sorry, man.”

”Sorry for what?” asked Bartlett, who was hitting .250 in 75 games that season.

”You got traded,” the roommate replied.

Bartlett thought it was a practical joke, until he arrived to the ballpark that day and didn’t see his name on the lineup card.

No joke. The California kid had been shipped to the Minnesota Twins’ farm system for outfielder Brian Buchanan.

”I was really shocked,” Bartlett says.

He took some solace in the fact that he was dealt for a major-leaguer. But it still hurt.

”It makes you want to prove yourself,” he says. “You’re like, ‘Don’t you want me?’

”It makes you want to prove (the Twins) were right to trade you for a big-leaguer.”

Bartlett did a lot of proving last year in 139 games at Double-A New Britain, hitting .296 with 8 home runs and 48 RBI. He led all Twins minor-leaguers in runs (96), walks (58) and stolen bases (41), played in the Eastern League All-Star Game and was selected a second-team Minor League All-Star by Baseball America magazine.

This year, he’ll be the starting shortstop for the Triple-A Red Wings.

”I’ve been very impressed,” Wings manager Phil Roof says. “He has great range and hits the ball to all fields. He’s a tough out.”

Bartlett, 24, is the Twins’ sixth-best prospect, according to Baseball America magazine. Twins farm director Jim Rantz says Rochester will receive a player who is swift, sure-handed and as gritty as they come.

”I’ll tell you how competitive he is,” Rantz says. “He played the last month of last season with a stress fracture in his foot. He knew he had it, but he wanted to keep playing, and he wanted to be in the playoffs.

”We were going to send him to the Arizona Fall League, but the doctors said we had to shut him down, so he could put it in a cast and give the thing a chance to heal.”

Bartlett isn’t afraid to steal bases - or get caught trying. Last year, he was nailed 24 times.

”I like to take chances,” says the Wings’ potential leadoff hitter.

Bartlett hit .267 and drove in three runs in nine exhibition games for Minnesota this spring. The highlight was a tie-breaking double inside the third-base line that scored Terry Tiffee in the 11th inning and led the Twins to a 7-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on March 7.

Last year’s eight home runs were a career high, and most of them came in a one-week torrid stretch in which the shortstop belted five home runs.

”I had zero (that season) before that,” he says, shaking his head.

Rantz expects the 6-foot, 180-pound Bartlett’s power numbers to improve.

”He’s got some pop,” Rantz says. “He can hit the ball out of the park. He’s a tough out and he’ll battle you.”

Bartlett grew up in Northern California and spent two years at a junior college before enrolling at the University of Oklahoma. He is still two semesters shy of graduating.

”I don’t know when I’ll complete it but I plan to,” he says.

Bartlett lives in Norman, Okla., in the off-season and works out with the Sooners baseball team.

He played mostly second base and third base in college but was switched to shortstop by the Padres.

Bartlett, who is single, says he prides himself on his defense. He made 20 errors last year, but his range is excellent.

”He’s just a solid player,” says Tiffee, who played alongside Bartlett at New Britain last year and will be the Wings’ starting third baseman this season.

”He does some amazing things I’ve never seen before.”

Beginning April 8 in Syracuse, he’ll do them for the Red Wings.

Tomorrow: Rookie third baseman Terry Tiffee overcame a slow career start and now is one level below the major leagues. “He rolls out of bed and gets two (hits),” Bartlett says.

Twins make moves: The Minnesota Twins demoted three players to Triple-A Rochester on Friday, sending down first baseman Justin Morneau, infielder Augie Ojeda and outfielder Michael Restovich. Morneau and Restovich figure to supply the main power for the Wings' offense. They each hit 16 homers for Rochester last year.