Well on Saturday, Tres got the call. The same call that Jack Morris got when he was grinding with the Durham Bulls of Double A ball in the late 90’s which has been immortalized in the motion picture The Rookie.
So far we’ve seen rookies like Jack Mayfield from Del Rio and Canada’s Abraham Toro have strong starts in the majors and we can only hope that this young man can do the same.
The Eagle Pass News Gram caught up with Tres just after he had left Atlanta en route to Minnesota where the Nats are battling the loop-leading Twins this week.
We asked him where he was when he got ’The Call’, "I was watching The Texas football game with my wife at my host family’s house In Harrisburg PA.
We had just lost in the AA playoffs that day. There were 2 minutes left in the game and my AA Manager called me.”
When asked what the culmination of a lot of hard work it took to get here, the former Eagle Pass native said, "It’s a dream come true . Ever since I started playing baseball it was my dream to play in the big leagues. And now that it’s here it’s pretty surreal. The countless hours of work, travel, and sleepless nights with my mom and dad. It’s just crazy it’s all paying off.
Couldn’t have done it without my parents and support along the way.”
This reporter’s main question was what it felt like to see his uniform with his last name emblazoned on his jersey hanging from his locker in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
"You can’t really describe the feeling that I got when I walked into the clubhouse and saw my jersey hanging up next to some of the best to ever play the game. It’s been a special past few days but now just ready to do whatever I can to help this team get into the playoffs and beyond!”
Needless to say everyone in Eagle Pass, Austin, McAllen, Sharyland and maybe even Piedras Negras are now aware of it and are happy for the accomplishment and for the prosperity of this young man’s future, in many ways, Barrera senior continues forging ahead with other young men’s hopes of MLB dreams.
When asked where father Felipe was when he got the good news, he said, "Laying down ready to go to bed. I Had a Showcase-with The Sliders at UIW at 10am Sunday! I had a long drive.” Mother Sylvia is also a big part of this journey according to Phil,
"Sylvia is Very excited and a proud Mama. She’s been with us every step of the way. The Rock!!”
“It’s a great feeling you know that but as a competitor, I don’t know if I’ m being selfish or not but I'm used to seeing my boy on that field, said the elder, "The journey has just started . We will be working hard to make it a long and rewarding stay. He’s still looking for that Championship Ring! Who knows it might come when it really counts. The Show!!! God is Great!!”
As we were writing this piece, the great Max Scherzer was on the mound and was winning 4-1 in the bottom of the 4th. We are all waiting for his first major league at bat and the many more possibilities that can come from The Field Of Dreams for a product of the shining star on the border.
Finally, we asked Barrera if his son had gotten into the game against the Braves or whether he was in the bullpen on a day he could have caught for the great Matt Scherzer, "No he was in the dugout waiting for his chance! He’s caught Scherzer in rehab assignment and in spring training. He’s caught almost all those guys. Hopefully we’ll see him play soon!! They tell him he’s going to get his games in before the playoffs."