60 seconds with Cardinals outfielder Brian Barton

Mar/25/08 02:43 AM Filed in: Brian Barton
Tom D'Angelo spoke to Cardinals outfielder Brian Barton, a former University of Miami star who majored in aerospace engineering.

You grew up in L.A. and the Dodgers drafted you in the 38th round in 2000 out of high school. Was it difficult to turn down your hometown team?

Growing up I always wanted to be a Dodger and I was a big Dodgers fan. But at the same time I felt like I wasn't ready mentally to take that jump from high school to the pro level so I felt it was in my best interests to go to college.

You played one year at Loyola Marymount and transferred to UM. How did an L.A. kid wind up in Miami?

UM was my first choice but academically I got more money to go to Loyola. After that one year I had to follow my heart and go where I wanted to be and be comfortable and happier.

Why aerospace engineering?

This is something I was set on since I was a kid. I have a love for space. I wanted to stay in that field.

A jock majoring in aerospace engineering doesn't quite fit the stereotype. What did people say?

More so people wondered how did I balance the two. That was the difficult thing, especially at a program like Miami where you have to excel in baseball but at the same time baseball was not always promised so you want to also excel in class. I had to find a happy medium for both.

What exactly do you do?

It's a broad field ranging from working on airplane to spacecraft. I had a few internships with Boeing where I was working on communications satellites.

Ever dream of being an astronaut?

I did when I was a kid. That's what made me want to stick in the field.

Is that desire still there?

If they gave me an opportunity I would be there in a heartbeat.

You were not drafted out of UM and but you were signed by the Indians as a free agent. The story is scouts thought you were not serious about baseball. True?

That was the word but the draft is so unpredictable you just never know. While it was going on it was frustrating, but once it was over I moved on. I had to take another route. If I would have pouted I wouldn't be were I am now.
(palmbeachpost.com)