Barnes' gear raises breast cancer awareness

CINCINNATI -- Rockies outfielder Brandon Barnes was happy to honor the women of his life on Mother's Day.

Barnes had a pink bat ready as part of Major League Baseball's effort to assist the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the Going to Bat against Breast Cancer campaign. Instead of his own name, he had on the bat the name of his wife, Shawn, the mother of the couple's two children.

Barnes, who is active in raising money to fight childhood cancer, said fighting breast cancer was personal for his family.

"Breast cancer is big in my family -- my wife's mom passed away from it," Barnes said. "It's another charity that we want to do stuff for. We do the run, the Race for the Cure, in California every year. Any cause like that we look forward to doing something with it."

Barnes said he used pink equipment every year he played in the Minors.

As was the case throughout baseball Sunday, there was a little bit of pink all over the field as the Rockies took on the Reds. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Justin Morneau wore pink shoes, as did outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon. Pink sleeves and shoelaces and neck bands were the norm.