A young man who entered Spring Training in a battle just to make the roster is now the National League’s Rookie of the Month for the first month of the season. Second baseman Darwin Barney, 25, won the award on the strength of a .326/.351/.449 slash line, along with 14 RBI and 15 runs scored.
Barney has also been above average defensively at second base, something the Cubs have been missing for a few years now.