Freddy Garcia

[DBAHO]

First the article from the Daily Herald;

 

OAKLAND, Calif. — Two days after pitching the best game of his life, White Sox starter Freddy Garcia was not a happy man.

 

“This is the worst season I’ve ever had,’’ Garcia said Friday.

 

On Wednesday, Garcia was working on a perfect game against the Los Angeles Angels before Adam Kennedy ended the bid with a two-out single in the eighth inning.

 

Garcia received a well-deserved win, improving his record to 14-9.

 

The 30-year-old pitcher was 14-8 last season, so why does he consider this to be the worst season in his eight-year career?

 

“Look at my ERA,’’ Garcia said.

 

Even after pitching 8 shutout innings Wednesday, Garcia’s ERA is 4.82, the highest he’s ever posted. Last season, he came in at 3.87.

 

Before the Sox played the Athletics on Friday, Garcia finally admitted last year’s heavy workload, and his involvement in this spring’s inaugural World Baseball Classic, has taken a physical toll.

 

“I’m fine, I’m feel healthy,’’ Garcia said. “Everybody talks about my fastball. They don’t pay me to throw fastballs. They pay me to get people out and win games. But with all of the pitching, last year, this year, the fastball hasn’t been there. Next year, I’ll be back up to 93, 94 (mph).’’

 

Garcia used a nasty split-finger fastball against Los Angeles. It’s a pitch he experimented with last season and started throwing more regularly this year.

If his fastball does come back in 2007, Garcia is going to have quite an arsenal. But he’s also owed $10 million in the final year of his contract, which has fueled plenty of trade speculation.

 

“It happened to me before,’’ said Garcia, who was acquired by the White Sox in a deal from the Seattle Mariners on June 27, 2004. “I know they want to make (Brandon) McCarthy a starter, so they’ll have to make a move. Hopefully, I stay. I love it here.’’

 

Now I mean IF Garcia were to regain his fastball, he could very well improve next season, and if the Sox traded him now, they may not get full value for him.

 

Do you still trade him and get less, than say if you traded a Buehrle or Contreras instead? These are the type of questions KW needs to be asking himself right now.

[BamaDoc]

With the exception of Garland, none of our pitchers has had a great year thus it will be hard to get full value for any of them.

[SoxHawk1980]

Since he is admitting that his fastball just isn't there for him, can this finally end the stupid talk on this board that he has been choosing to throw softer on purpose? Finally.

[G&T]

In my opinion, the chance that he can regain his fastball is a possible selling point that could help his value. If KW can get another team to believe that this is a result of the WBC (which it may be) then he might be able to pull a good move.

The Sox aren't going to trade MB unless they can definitely get a lefty starter to replace him, and I don't see that happening.

Contreras won't be traded because he's old and he has yet to pitch like an ace for a whole season.

That leaves Freddy or Javy to be traded. The likelihood that Freddy can regain his fastball is better than Javy becoming tougher.

[kapkomet]

no, Freddy's going to say, "I'm never going to get my fastball back..."

 

How stupid is this?

[Kalapse]

Ugh, he's going to be back here next year I can just feel it. I'm not sure I can watch a team with Freddy Garcia and Juan Pierre for a full season. It seems all my worst nightmares about this team are comming true. If Freddy can save his job just by saying he'll likely gain 6-7 MPH on his fastball over the offseason then what stops Podsednik from saying he'll likely get his speed, plate discipline and contact swing back this offseason and keep his job?

 

And what happens if Freddy comes into next year throwing 84-87 MPH? The Sox would likely be completely screwed it would be another season with a 5 ERA 1.48 WHIP soft tosser in the middle of the rotation because he'd have no trade value.

[southsideirish71]

When I went from throwing 88-90 in my junior year of college to low 80s I also thought that it was going to magically come back, because I threw that hard before.

 

Then I had an MRI, and so ended my pitching career.

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(SoxHawk1980 @ Sep 16, 2006 -> 10:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Since he is admitting that his fastball just isn't there for him, can this finally end the stupid talk on this board that he has been choosing to throw softer on purpose? Finally.

Umm, it makes sense to me. In fact, Freddy was the one who said it. He can't hit 93-94, but can only reach 88 or 89, so he decided to throw 82-86 because he gets more movement.

[Flash Tizzle]

With the exception of Garland, none of our pitchers has had a great year thus it will be hard to get full value for any of them.

Of course.

 

We're never in a good position concerning the value of our players.

 

I want to know where the general manager is out there who is willing to overpay for Garcia because he's a "proven veteran?" Every damn offseason there's a literal steal -- why can't it be us? This is what aggrivates me. You just know we'll trade him for scraps.

[WCSox]

With the exception of Garland, none of our pitchers has had a great year thus it will be hard to get full value for any of them.

 

Considering April and May, Garland hasn't really had a "great year" either. He and Contreras have had "good" years, but certainly not great ones.

 

Freddy's fastball isn't coming back, so it looks like he's the odd man out.

[Balta1701]

Ugh, he's going to be back here next year I can just feel it. I'm not sure I can watch a team with Freddy Garcia and Juan Pierre for a full season. It seems all my worst nightmares about this team are comming true. If Freddy can save his job just by saying he'll likely gain 6-7 MPH on his fastball over the offseason then what stops Podsednik from saying he'll likely get his speed, plate discipline and contact swing back this offseason and keep his job?

 

And what happens if Freddy comes into next year throwing 84-87 MPH? The Sox would likely be completely screwed it would be another season with a 5 ERA 1.48 WHIP soft tosser in the middle of the rotation because he'd have no trade value.

I honestly don't care which pitcher we trade in the offseason as long as it's not McCarthy...as long as we get the right price back for him.

 

Freddy Garcia in the rotation and a top-15 prospect or two in our organization >> Freddy Garcia traded and a single top 75 prospect.

 

We need to get younger and cheaper in that starting rotation. McCarthy should be in it, even if he does wind up struggling. And we need to get some more talent on the way up, and one of those pitchers can do that.

[shoota]

Since he is admitting that his fastball just isn't there for him, can this finally end the stupid talk on this board that he has been choosing to throw softer on purpose? Finally.

 

QFT.

 

Those who believed that were very naive.

[Chisoxfn]

I honestly don't care which pitcher we trade in the offseason as long as it's not McCarthy...as long as we get the right price back for him.

 

Freddy Garcia in the rotation and a top-15 prospect or two in our organization >> Freddy Garcia traded and a single top 75 prospect.

 

We need to get younger and cheaper in that starting rotation. McCarthy should be in it, even if he does wind up struggling. And we need to get some more talent on the way up, and one of those pitchers can do that.

I'm to the point that if we get good value I have absolutely no problem moving Brandon.

[Balta1701]

I'm to the point that if we get good value I have absolutely no problem moving Brandon.

Because of the amount of money we have locked up in our starting rotation, it has to be better than good value, it has to be great value. Maybe better than Crawford value. Like Crawford-level-talent except at AAA this year...to the point where we could start someone off next season and still have several years before they hit arbitration.

 

We can't put $55 million into our starting rotation next year and expect that it won't cost us in the end unless we get really good and really young somewhere else.

[kapkomet]

I'm to the point that if we get good value I have absolutely no problem moving Brandon.

We need the cheap pitching. Mac is CHEAP.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Freddy can kiss my ass. I can't wait until this clown is gone.

[elrockinMT]

I'm to the point that if we get good value I have absolutely no problem moving Brandon.

 

 

The other side of this argument is the possibility we have just had a bad year and next they will all be on track again. We have 5 real good starters, or so history tells us. I was all in favor of trading Freddie Garcia, but with a new pitch and his game against the Angels he is changing my mind. We need a solid bullpen, but we have three pretty good ones and could add 1 or 2 more. I am not certain anymore more McCarthy fits in this equation.