Ailene Voisin: Good-looking Cats prospect a nice guy to boot
(Published April 13, 2001)
Eric Byrnes walked into the River Cats' clubhouse one day last week and couldn't believe his eyes. There he was, in full-muscle, glamour pose, his photo displayed in all the wrong places.
In the shower. In the bathroom. On the wall. Under the chairs. On top of the table. On the mirror.
He wanted to be noticed? That was last month.
Last week he wanted to hide.
"You wouldn't believe the places I found those photos," said Byrnes, grinning. "My teammates definitely had a good time with it."
The offense-starved Oakland A's may or may not be paying much attention, but there's no such deficit around here. Byrnes, whose two singles in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Iowa Cubs increased his average to .429, was a hit with his teammates before he cracked .400. But not only his teammates. Sacramento Magazine last month selected the 6-foot-2, 205-pound outfielder as one of the area's most eligible males.
Which brings us back to the clubhouse, those photos, and all that good-natured ribbing, and a few reasons Byrnes, 25, is patiently biding his time: He would rather be cracking jokes, ripping base hits, and improving his defense in Raley Field than sitting in the dugout in Oakland.
Besides. He can't sit still. It isn't possible.
Stretched on a couch in the clubhouse, Byrnes, who has never hit below .300 as a pro, is in constant motion. His right leg bounces. His left leg quivers. He clasps his hands. He unclasps his hands. He leans forward. He leans backward. "If Eric had been our firstborn," quips his father, Jim, "he would have been our only child."
As the former UCLA standout navigates his way through the A's farm system, he is becoming known for an insatiable work ethic, a playful personality, a willingness to sign autographs until his fingers turn blue or the bus leaves, whichever comes first, and for possessing enough talent to suggest that he warrants a legitimate chance in the majors. And though he prides himself on being a nice guy, he is not above exploiting a situation.
That's how the system works sometimes. One player's injury is another's opportunity.
So while a forlorn Mario Encarnacion limps around with a cast up to his right knee, Byrnes roams center field, determined to prove that he's more than just a pretty face in a magazine spread, that he's a top prospect who can field, as well as hit.
Still. There are days when patrolling the outfield is no walk in the park. Thursday was one of those days. Byrnes made a nice running grab of a line drive in the sixth inning, but appeared tentative on a ball that dropped in for a bloop single an inning later.
"That's probably where he needs to improve the most, on those reads," said manager Bob Geren. "The immediate reaction is to start back. And the ball's so juiced these days, and you have so many big, strong guys who lift weights ..."
Fortunately for Byrnes, he is both muscular and often quick enough to compensate for mis-reads. For this, he partly credits his father. "We would be running," said Jim, a Realtor in Woodside, "and I would say, 'now we're going to go into jet power.' Eric would have this illusion of this whole other speed."
As for his son's other attributes, yes, Dad saw the magazine spread, too. Who could miss it? In truth, there is no place to hide. Nor could Eric Byrnes ever imagine becoming a recluse. He enjoys having fun too much. He likes people much too much.
Long after his teammates had entered the clubhouse following this latest win, he was spotted near the railing, signing autographs, chatting with fans, being noticed.
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