Barker retired after the 2008 season and started Socks-ON, a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness for Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, a hereditary disease that his mother and brother suffer from.
After retiring from baseball in 2008, Barker founded Socks-ON, a charitable organization focused on increasing awareness for Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder affecting his mother and brother.