Garza could be solution to 5th spot in rotation...

[CWSOX45]

I saw this on Roto World, Garza was dominate in AAA last night. I guess the Twins are trying a guy named Mike Smith tomorrow, if he doesnt do well it appears Garza will crack the Big Leagues.

 

If he's anything like they're speculating him to be, I'm going to be REALLY concerned.....

 

Here's a link:

 

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress...ts/15203603.htm

[3E8]

It's a couple years off, but a rotation of Santana, Liriano, Garza, Slowey, and Swarzak is shaping up to be hell on the Central division.

[BFirebird]

It's a couple years off, but a rotation of Santana, Liriano, Garza, Slowey, and Swarzak is shaping up to be hell on the Central division.

By then they might have to pay Santana and he might be gone..but still scary nonetheless.

[Heads22]

And all of them could be the next Jon Rauch.

[3E8]

And all of them could be the next Jon Rauch.

Not bloody likely. The only one whose minor league stats are close to Rauch's is Swarzak, and he's on a progression path one year ahead Rauch. Even if he fails to live up to expectations they still have Bonser, who would make a more than capable fifth starter.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(3E8 @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's a couple years off, but a rotation of Santana, Liriano, Garza, Slowey, and Swarzak is shaping up to be hell on the Central division.

How come Scott Baker is no longer mention? He was always lumped in with Liriano the past couple of years.

 

What are the odds that one of Garza, Slowey, and/or Swarzak become the next Scott Baker where they get slurpped before the big leagues, and can't cut it?

[Flash Tizzle]

How come Scott Baker is no longer mention? He was always lumped in with Liriano the past couple of years.

 

What are the odds that one of Garza, Slowey, and/or Swarzak become the next Scott Baker where they get slurpped before the big leagues, and can't cut it?

You're right about Baker being endlessly slurped before promotion, but I don't recall anyone comparing him to Liriano. Brad Radke was the comparison I heard.

 

That was a prime example of Minnesota's reputation preceeding its product on the field. People assume -- as I often do -- their minor league totals will automatically transfer to the majors.

 

However, that's quite a situation to find yourself in -- having several quality pitching prospects lined up and only needing one to succeed. Personally, I'd be surprised if Garza didn't atleast duplicate Radke's current numbers upon promotion. His stuff is simply too good not to succeed.

 

In the upcoming seasons, if Minnesota's pitching prospects continue producing we're going to need to step up our minor league output. It's not even a passing joke anymore. You can't just shrug your shoulders at the combination of Garza/Liriano/Santana. Something must be done to offset this. Call it impossible, or unlikely, but something must be done. Detroit's pitching staff isn't exactly over the hill either. We're competing within a tough divisiona need legitimate talent to arise.

[Jake]

His stuff is simply too good not to succeed.

 

That's what they say about Javier Vazquez.

[3E8]

How come Scott Baker is no longer mention? He was always lumped in with Liriano the past couple of years.

 

What are the odds that one of Garza, Slowey, and/or Swarzak become the next Scott Baker where they get slurpped before the big leagues, and can't cut it?

To be honest I forgot about Baker. I don't think it's fair to say he can't cut it in the big leagues. He's had a rough transition so far, giving up way too many hits, especially home runs (15 in 60 innings??). But the strikeouts are still there and his control is a plus. Over time he will adjust.

 

The Twins have just put themselves in a nice position with a youthful, highly talented rotation that we will see developing over the next couple years. Santana/Liriano is the most dominant one-two and will only be held back by injury. So then there are three spots to fill with five pitchers, and those three spots are traditionally the lowest in terms of talent so there is less pressure. All five pitchers that they have to fill the three holes project as good pitching prospects, while two of them are among the very best in the game.

Edited August 5, 2006 by 3E8

[R.J.]

Garza is scary.

 

The real concern here is this:

 

We all know that the Twins are being carried by their pitching and need their bats to stay this hot to make the playoffs.

 

And that's what they are - HOT - they're playing above their heads. Except for Mauer, who could do this every year, and Morneau, who the jury is still out on, most everyone else shouldn't be this good. It's chemistry, hey, that's cool. The White Sox fed off of it last year and the Tigers and Twins have it going now.

 

BUT, if they do make it to the playoffs, who would want to face them? There's not a team that would look forward to going into a 5 game series and knowing you'll have to see JOHAN SANTANA in games 1 and 4 and FRANCISCO LIRIANO in games 2 and 5. That's a horrifying thought. Even if you know you can torch Radke in that third game, you have to find a way to beat those guys who are filthy when they're on and just slightly less filthy when they aren't.

 

Now, Garza looks ready to pitch in the majors. Slot him in for game 3 and 6 and this team's odds of winning the Series go way, way up.

 

Yeah, yeah, I understand that pitching prospects are unpredictable and there are no sure bets and Garza could come up and stink up the place for 2 starts before getting a bus ticket back to Rochester and hoping he can make some waves in 2007. I say that's at least partly wishful thinking.

 

Even if Garza isn't ready right now, it'll be awful for the central division if they have all 3 of those guys on top of their game in '07 and beyond.

[DBAHO]

Don't forget Glen Perkins as well.

 

The Twins just scare the hell out of me for the next 5 to 10 years, more than Detroit, and that's saying something in itself when the Tiggies could have a future rotation with Bonderman, Verlander and Andrew Miller as permanent fixtures.

 

IIRC Baker has been mishandled quite a bit by Gardy this season. Like to get benchwarmerjim's thoughts on this.

[Flash Tizzle]

Don't forget Glen Perkins as well.

 

The Twins just scare the hell out of me for the next 5 to 10 years, more than Detroit, and that's saying something in itself when the Tiggies could have a future rotation with Bonderman, Verlander and Andrew Miller as permanent fixtures.

 

IIRC Baker has been mishandled quite a bit by Gardy this season. Like to get benchwarmerjim's thoughts on this.

And how do you picture our future rotation competing with Liriano/Santana/Garza and Bonderman/Verlander/Miller? McCarthy is one. Lumsden would have been another. Aside from that, I don't forsee Garcia, Contreras, Vazquez remaining for this club beyond their contracts. Buehrle all depends on how he finishes this season and the price he's commanding.

 

You can't continue to say, "every team would love any one of those pitchers," becuase we're entering a period of time where immediate production is required or we're going to be looking up for a LOONNG period of time. This isn't your American League central division from 2000-2005.

 

If not from our minors, two venues I imagine our club competing with those pitchers is from free-agent signings and trading prospects/players for established veterans. You can cite Garcia's success -- and the failures of past prospects traded -- but when a Javier Vazquez move occurs you begin to think about making drastic moves to bolster a rotation.

[witesoxfan]

If not from our minors, two venues I imagine our club competing with those pitchers is from free-agent signings and trading prospects/players for established veterans. You can cite Garcia's success -- and the failures of past prospects traded -- but when a Javier Vazquez move occurs you begin to think about making drastic moves to bolster a rotation.

 

You must also receive prolonged success. Garcia put up a good year for the Sox last year, but he was mediocre in coming to Chicago(something like an ERA to the tune of 4.48), and he has been bad this year.

 

I'm still not entirely sure you can write off Vazquez either. Contreras was horrible his first two months in Chicago, was good the next two, horrible the next two, and he turned into a horse that helped us win a World Series in the 3 following that. It takes time for pitchers to adjust, and if Vazquez can keep up what he did in his last outing, it may end up worth it in the long haul. I tend to doubt it, as you usually see the law of averages come into play, but if Jason Schmidt can deny the law of averages, so can Javier Vazquez.

[DBAHO]

And how do you picture our future rotation competing with Liriano/Santana/Garza and Bonderman/Verlander/Miller? McCarthy is one. Lumsden would have been another. Aside from that, I don't forsee Garcia, Contreras, Vazquez remaining for this club beyond their contracts. Buehrle all depends on how he finishes this season and the price he's commanding.

 

You can't continue to say, "every team would love any one of those pitchers," becuase we're entering a period of time where immediate production is required or we're going to be looking up for a LOONNG period of time. This isn't your American League central division from 2000-2005.

 

If not from our minors, two venues I imagine our club competing with those pitchers is from free-agent signings and trading prospects/players for established veterans. You can cite Garcia's success -- and the failures of past prospects traded -- but when a Javier Vazquez move occurs you begin to think about making drastic moves to bolster a rotation.

You still have to remember with Lumsden, most experts think he won't be anything more than a 3rd or 4th starter in the future.

 

As for your prediction, despite your feelings on Broadway he is getting better at AA with every start, and would probably be the logical replacement right now for a minor leaguer that's going to fill in the rotation for the next couple of seasons.

 

I still think the Sox could sign a Mark Mulder type of SP on a 1 year deal with incentives with team options for the next few years. Some high risk / high rewards type of seasons. We've had success with those type of deals before with Jermaine Dye and Iguchi etc. so the Sox have a pretty good track record in FA over the past few seasons.

[Steve9347]

The Twins just straight up know how to scout pitching...

[southsideirish71]

The Twins just straight up know how to scout pitching...

 

And considering we took Broadway instead of Garza what does that say about our scouting.

 

I remember Flash's comment during that draft, well whomever the twins pick will be here to dominate us in a few years. Garza is ready to come out with a 97mph fastball.

[GoodAsGould]

And considering we took Broadway instead of Garza what does that say about our scouting.

 

I remember Flash's comment during that draft, well whomever the twins pick will be here to dominate us in a few years. Garza is ready to come out with a 97mph fastball.

 

A lot of teams passed up Garza. Broadway has done better than most prospects taken ahead of him in that draft. So what does that say about every other team ahead of the twins scouting? Also I still have high hopes on Whistler. He has 4 really good pitches and he has finally been able to use them effectively. Id say Whistler, Broadway, and Mcculloch are all something to look forward to and possibly Harrel as well.

[Rowand44]

We really have to wait until either of them make the majors to declare Garza>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Broadway, which seems to be the opinion around here. Broadway sure does take a beating from this site and he's probably the last one of our prospects to deserve it.

[Heads22]

We really have to wait until either of them make the majors to declare Garza>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Broadway, which seems to be the opinion around here. Broadway sure does take a beating from this site and he's probably the last one of our prospects to deserve it.

 

 

I think a lot of people are disappointed in Lance's periphrials. I'd like to see the Sox promote him soon, as I think we can be a little agressive with him.

[Rowand44]

I think a lot of people are disappointed in Lance's periphrials. I'd like to see the Sox promote him soon, as I think we can be a little agressive with him.

Yup, I understand that. To me it just doesn't make sense to come to all these conclusions before either makes it to the majors.

[SoxAce]

I think a lot of people are disappointed in Lance's periphrials. I'd like to see the Sox promote him soon, as I think we can be a little agressive with him.

 

If your gonna use a big/non common word Alex, at least spell it right.

[Heads22]

If your gonna use a big/non common word Alex, at least spell it right.

 

And yet, everyone respects the FutureSox knowledge of the man who hasn't grasped the difference between the words "than" and "then". I don't understand it.

[R.J.]

I don't think anyone is declaring that Matt Garza will always be a better pitcher than Lance Broadway, because such a statement would be ridiculous and speculative.

 

But come on, if there was a draft tomorrow, who in their right mind would draft Broadway ahead of him? Not a soul. I like Broadway and you can NOT blame the Sox for drafting him ahead of whoever - hindsight is 20/20, how many teams passed on Pujols, etc. etc. - the draft is not an exact science. But is Broadway the kind of pitcher you can get excited about? If he is, not on the level of Garza, at least not until he stumbles a little bit.

 

The Twins, if they can get a rotation of Santana/Liriano/Garza/Perkins/Someone Else should try and use their other "lesser" pitching prospects to acquire another bat or two (for 2007 and after) to try and put them over the top.

[Benchwarmerjim]

Don't forget Glen Perkins as well.

 

The Twins just scare the hell out of me for the next 5 to 10 years, more than Detroit, and that's saying something in itself when the Tiggies could have a future rotation with Bonderman, Verlander and Andrew Miller as permanent fixtures.

 

IIRC Baker has been mishandled quite a bit by Gardy this season. Like to get benchwarmerjim's thoughts on this.

 

 

At the begining of the year, he was the Twins most consistant pitcher, but his defense was horrible behind him (Batista at 3rd, Castro at short, rotating RF) and had longer inning than he should of. Then he got sent down, then brought back up and stuck at the 5th spot in the rotation, which meant he'd pitch every 10th day (there was something up with the schedule) then he didnt do very good.

 

Hes been jerked around this year. I think he'll probably spend the rest of the year in Rochester and come back up next year with a fresh start. From what I understand of such things, his ERA numbers are not that good, but his strikeout ratio and secondary numbers suggest he can be a decent pitcher

 

 

As for Garza, Terry Ryan has been quoted in the last weeks about not rushing Garza up, but I guess this 5th spot in the rotation is too much of a glaring hole not to give him a chance

 

You could also see Matt Guerrier pitch in that spot. I guess Garza starting is not a concrete thing

[farmteam]

I agree about Glen Perkins. I've always liked him. Perhaps it's because he's one of the few prospects I've seen live.