John Garland article in the Cubune

[CSF]

Garland given some rope

Guillen to let him go deeper in games

 

By Bob Foltman

Tribune staff reporter

 

February 28, 2004, 1:43 PM CST

 

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The pattern had been predictable in games Jon Garland started.

 

Cruise through a couple of innings and then have a runner or two get on. The bullpen would start to get ready and, pretty soon, manager Jerry Manuel would come out to take the ball, not trusting Garland to work out of a jam.

 

"I don't think he had that opportunity to go that extra inning or to face that extra hitter to get out of the inning because Manuel always pulled him," White Sox starter Esteban Loaiza said.

 

A pitcher can't learn to work through tough situations if he's not around to deal with them. But he also has to earn the trust of the manager and the pitching coach if he's to be allowed to try to clean up his own mess.

 

Garland hadn't earned that right until last season, pitching coach Don Cooper maintains.

 

"In the past, it seemed as soon as something happened we'd go get him," Cooper said. "Last year, for the first time, I thought that was unfair because I thought he earned the right [to stay in games]."

 

If Cooper thought that, Manuel didn't. In his 32 starts last season, Garland went eight innings just four times.

 

Twice he went seven innings and ended up with a no-decision, pulled once with a 3-1 lead after throwing 94 pitches and removed once from a 2-2 tie after 99 pitches.

 

"He probably could have had two or three more wins if he had stayed in the game a little longer," teammate Mark Buehrle said.

 

Garland has just one complete game in 94 career starts. He won't criticize Manuel's decisions, although the apparent lack of faith did upset him.

 

"If the manager or pitching coach doesn't think I'm getting it done, they're going to come get me," Garland said. "There's nothing I can do about it. That's not my decision."

 

Perhaps more than any other pitcher, Garland should benefit from Ozzie Guillen replacing Manuel. Guillen said early in spring training that he wants his starting pitchers ready to throw nine innings from Opening Day—Garland included.

 

"I will give him an opportunity," Guillen said. "I'm going to believe in him."

 

That's exactly what Garland wants to hear.

 

"It definitely gives you confidence when the manager is coming in and already backing you up," Garland said.

 

Assuming Buehrle has a typical year and Loaiza isn't a one-year wonder, Garland can make a huge contribution as the No. 3 starter if he becomes a more consistent winner. He was 12-13 last season after going 12-12 in 2002. The Sox are counting on a breakout year from him.

 

"I feel I should have had it [already]," Garland said. "I put so much pressure on myself. I want to do well."

 

Considering how much he has pitched—571 major-league innings—it's easy to lose sight of the fact Garland is just 24.

 

"You see the potential for a guy to win 17 ballgames and you want it now," Sox general manager Ken Williams said. "It doesn't work that way."

 

Garland, whom the Cubs picked 10th overall in the 1997 draft, believed he would be a consistent winner right off the bat. Seven years later, he appreciates how hard it is to win in the majors.

 

"The more time I spend in the big leagues the more I realize it's not as easy as people think," he said. "It's not easy to go out there and win 18 games. That's a select few."

 

A lot has to happen for a pitcher to win a game, including some things he can't control, Cooper said.

 

So instead of focusing on a number, Garland said his goal is to give the Sox a chance to win each game he starts. Cooper, in turn, is looking for more consistent starts.

 

The Sox would like to see what Garland did in his final 25 starts last year over a full season.

 

He went just 10-10, but had 17 "quality" starts with an ERA of 3.97. That was a major turnaround from his first seven starts, only one of them "quality," when he had an unsightly ERA of 6.88.

 

"Garland's the key guy," catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. said.

 

If Garland is going to take the next step, he'll have to learn to put bad pitches or bad innings behind him.

 

"It's learning how to deal with failures and mistakes," Alomar said, citing the unflappable Buehrle as an example.

 

"When Buehrle has a bad inning, he comes back and says, 'Hey, that's over with,' and he controls himself," Alomar said.

 

Buehrle is one year older than Garland, which suggests the maturation process varies from player to player.

 

"I don't know if there is a formula to accelerate it," Williams said.

 

If there is a formula, the Sox would love to find it. They hope their patience with Garland will reap rewards this season. Williams believes he's capable of winning 15 games.

 

"I'm expecting big things," Cooper said. "I'm expecting no less than what he's expecting. The bottom line is Jon Garland is ready to step up."

Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune

 

I agree. Manuel always seemed ready to pull the plug on Garland, and showing no confidence in him whatsoever. I think Oz will be far more patient and we'll see more W's coming from JG.

[DBAHO]

Good article there, right on da money. Jerry had no faith in Garland at all, and I think now with Ozzie lettin him go deeper in games, a lot of ppl are expecting Jon not Judy to step up this year.

[Ishmookie]

FOR ONCE THE TRIBUNE HAS A GOOD ARTICLE ON THE SOX.

[dasox24]

If Garland's record is mediocre this year but has a good ERA and a lot of quality starts, then I'll be very happy. To me, those two things are more important than his W-L record. Now, if Garland has a mediocre W-L record, but a good ERA and a lot of quality starts, then I guess that would suck because that means that either our team would be really bad or Garland just had a lot of tough breaks b/c our offense couldn't score him runs.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Garland given some rope

Guillen to let him go deeper in games

     

By Bob Foltman

Tribune staff reporter

 

February 28, 2004, 1:43 PM CST

 

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The pattern had been predictable in games Jon Garland started.

 

Cruise through a couple of innings and then have a runner or two get on. The bullpen would start to get ready and, pretty soon, manager Jerry Manuel would come out to take the ball, not trusting Garland to work out of a jam.

 

"I don't think he had that opportunity to go that extra inning or to face that extra hitter to get out of the inning because Manuel always pulled him," White Sox starter Esteban Loaiza said.

 

A pitcher can't learn to work through tough situations if he's not around to deal with them. But he also has to earn the trust of the manager and the pitching coach if he's to be allowed to try to clean up his own mess.

 

Garland hadn't earned that right until last season, pitching coach Don Cooper maintains.

 

"In the past, it seemed as soon as something happened we'd go get him," Cooper said. "Last year, for the first time, I thought that was unfair because I thought he earned the right [to stay in games]."

 

If Cooper thought that, Manuel didn't. In his 32 starts last season, Garland went eight innings just four times.

 

Twice he went seven innings and ended up with a no-decision, pulled once with a 3-1 lead after throwing 94 pitches and removed once from a 2-2 tie after 99 pitches.

 

"He probably could have had two or three more wins if he had stayed in the game a little longer," teammate Mark Buehrle said.

 

Garland has just one complete game in 94 career starts. He won't criticize Manuel's decisions, although the apparent lack of faith did upset him.

 

"If the manager or pitching coach doesn't think I'm getting it done, they're going to come get me," Garland said. "There's nothing I can do about it. That's not my decision."

 

Perhaps more than any other pitcher, Garland should benefit from Ozzie Guillen replacing Manuel. Guillen said early in spring training that he wants his starting pitchers ready to throw nine innings from Opening Day—Garland included.

 

"I will give him an opportunity," Guillen said. "I'm going to believe in him."

 

That's exactly what Garland wants to hear.

 

"It definitely gives you confidence when the manager is coming in and already backing you up," Garland said.

 

Assuming Buehrle has a typical year and Loaiza isn't a one-year wonder, Garland can make a huge contribution as the No. 3 starter if he becomes a more consistent winner. He was 12-13 last season after going 12-12 in 2002. The Sox are counting on a breakout year from him.

 

"I feel I should have had it [already]," Garland said. "I put so much pressure on myself. I want to do well."

 

Considering how much he has pitched—571 major-league innings—it's easy to lose sight of the fact Garland is just 24.

 

"You see the potential for a guy to win 17 ballgames and you want it now," Sox general manager Ken Williams said. "It doesn't work that way."

 

Garland, whom the Cubs picked 10th overall in the 1997 draft, believed he would be a consistent winner right off the bat. Seven years later, he appreciates how hard it is to win in the majors.

 

"The more time I spend in the big leagues the more I realize it's not as easy as people think," he said. "It's not easy to go out there and win 18 games. That's a select few."

 

A lot has to happen for a pitcher to win a game, including some things he can't control, Cooper said.

 

So instead of focusing on a number, Garland said his goal is to give the Sox a chance to win each game he starts. Cooper, in turn, is looking for more consistent starts.

 

The Sox would like to see what Garland did in his final 25 starts last year over a full season.

 

He went just 10-10, but had 17 "quality" starts with an ERA of 3.97. That was a major turnaround from his first seven starts, only one of them "quality," when he had an unsightly ERA of 6.88.

 

"Garland's the key guy," catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. said.

 

If Garland is going to take the next step, he'll have to learn to put bad pitches or bad innings behind him.

 

"It's learning how to deal with failures and mistakes," Alomar said, citing the unflappable Buehrle as an example.

 

"When Buehrle has a bad inning, he comes back and says, 'Hey, that's over with,' and he controls himself," Alomar said.

 

Buehrle is one year older than Garland, which suggests the maturation process varies from player to player.

 

"I don't know if there is a formula to accelerate it," Williams said.

 

If there is a formula, the Sox would love to find it. They hope their patience with Garland will reap rewards this season. Williams believes he's capable of winning 15 games.

 

"I'm expecting big things," Cooper said. "I'm expecting no less than what he's expecting. The bottom line is Jon Garland is ready to step up."

Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune

 

I agree.  Manuel always seemed ready to pull the plug on Garland, and showing no confidence in him whatsoever. I think Oz will be far more patient and we'll see more W's coming from JG.

A 3.97 ERA over his last 25 starts? WOW, not bad at all. I 100% agree that with Manuel gone, Garland will be a better pitcher and have a better year.

[SoxFanForever]

Lol did you really have to quote the entire article? Anyways, I think most of us here feel that a good season by Garland greatly increases our chances of a playoff birth and a good chance in the playoffs. Hopefully this is the year of the Jon. Judy needs to be gone

[Jordan4life_2007]

LOL...I didn't mean to quote it...My bad

[WillieHarris2]

i think now that jerry is gone Jon has a better chance to prove himself. I also agree with whoever said that this HAS to be Jons breakout year. we need him this year because we have shoney and we dont know what hes gonna do or how the 5th starter is gonna do.

[Ishmookie]

soxfanforever how did u get the frank picture as ur avatar? i wanted it!

[Pastime]

Jon Garland (Mike Morgan II) will finally have another above-.500 season, IMO.

 

He'll finish 16-14.

 

[ninetyfour]

Was anyone listening to Boers and Bernstien show last week when Jon Garland called in? Actually, Terry was on vacation, and what's his name was filling in. But anyway, Garland said that it's impossible for a pitcher to go out there and win every single game. I didn't see anything wrong with that statement, but Bernstien and what's his name chastised him, and the callers were furious. He did come across as kind of an asshole during the course of the interview, though. But I like that. I'd rather have an asshole out there on the mound as opposed to a nice guy. Most of the great pitchers right now are assholes. Schilling, Johnson, Martinez, Brown, Prior, etc. Dare I say, Bartolo Colon? Guys that are over the hill, like Clemens, Maddux, Glavine, etc. These guys have all proven to be assholes in one way or another. That's a good thing.

[SoxFanForever]

soxfanforever how did u get the frank picture as ur avatar? i wanted it!

Lol, I guess I am just awesome

[HuskyCaucasian]

Mabye Im wrong, because we have said this for the last 3 seasons, but this HAS to be Jon's breakout year.

Garland has been getting better year by year. It has just been a slow process, that is all. Last year he had more good starts than bad. THis year I look for a good improvement.

[CSF]

Was anyone listening to Boers and Bernstien show last week when Jon Garland called in?  Actually, Terry was on vacation, and what's his name was filling in.  But anyway, Garland said that it's impossible for a pitcher to go out there and win every single game.  I didn't see anything wrong with that statement, but Bernstien and what's his name chastised him, and the callers were furious.  He did come across as kind of an asshole during the course of the interview, though.  But I like that.  I'd rather have an asshole out there on the mound as opposed to a nice guy.  Most of the great pitchers right now are assholes.  Schilling, Johnson, Martinez, Brown, Prior, etc.  Dare I say, Bartolo Colon?  Guys that are over the hill, like Clemens, Maddux, Glavine, etc.  These guys have all proven to be assholes in one way or another.  That's a good thing.

It was Bernstein and Brian Hanley from the Sun-Times. I think Bernstein also said later on that because of the 2 hour difference between Chicago & Tucson, they had probably awakened him with that call. But I heard the rip jobs when the callers were pouncing on him, and I thought it was unfair. Perhaps 18 wins will shut them up this year.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

If Garland's record is mediocre this year but has a good ERA and a lot of quality starts, then I'll be very happy.  To me, those two things are more important than his W-L record.  Now, if Garland has a mediocre W-L record, but a good ERA and a lot of quality starts, then I guess that would suck because that means that either our team would be really bad or Garland just had a lot of tough breaks b/c our offense couldn't score him runs.

I'm with ya on that one. Quality starts and ERA matter more than wins do. Far too often I see guys like Burhle and Garland get screwed by the offense and lose 1-0 2-1.