Freddy Garcia continues to indicate that he'd prefer to spend 2011 playing outside of Chicago, despite recent reports that the White Sox are still considering him. Last Wednesday, he stated his goal to pitch for the Yankees this season, while not explictly ruling out out Chicago or any other team. But in a recent interview with Leonardo Mendoza and Francisco Zambrano from the Venezuelan paper Lider en Deportes (link in Spanish), Garcia seemed ready to say goodbye to the South Side:
"I would love to stay in Chicago because I like the city and I have friends here, but I don't think I'm going to come back," Garcia said. "In any case, I appreciate them for trusting me last year; however, a team like New York would be ideal, and would match up with this stage of my career."
Were he to head East, Garcia would presumably slot behind Phil Hughes in the Yankees' rotation, leaving the fifth spot open for contention among a group including rookies Ivan Nova and Andrew Brackman and veterans Bartolo Colon and Sergio Mitre. With Andy Pettitte's return far from a sure thing, and Joba Chamberlain looking more like a trade chip than a starter, a healthy Garcia could help the Yankees buy time in the short term to continue weighing their long-term options.
Andrew Brackman would need a Spring Training like we’ve never seen before in order for him to break camp with the Yankees in the starting rotation. In fact, even if he does manage such a feat, the team still may be more inclined to have him spend time in the minor leagues to start the season. He has never pitched above AA and he’s just not ready yet.
Lots of pitchers skip AAA, going from AA to the MLB.. Not to mention the fact that he’s turning 26 this year so he’s over aged as a prospect. I don’t think him not pitching in AAA should work as a deterrent
The only reason he is older than everyone else at his level is because of his injury history. I don’t think it has much bearing on his “readiness” for the MLB.
Considering a lot of pitching is mental and ability to handle pressure I would argue his age and maturity have a lot to do with it.
Jays have a bunch of pitchers who went from AA to MLB, some of that has to do with the them not wanting to send their good prospects to vegas because its a hitters park and well, its vegas.. but also out of necessity some teams have made players make the jump, his age will help him handle the new surroundings imo.
I can’t really speak for Andrew Brackman because I do not know him, but since he’s missed so much time out of baseball, wouldn’t you consider his “mental makeup” to be different from a normal 26 year old pitcher? Considering all that he’s been through, I’d say this is a special case.
My overall point being, each pitcher needs to be treated on a case by case basis. You can’t just say “oh he’s 26, that means he should skip AAA”
I didn’t mean that at all, sorry if it came out that way
I meant if he makes the club out of spring training it would be easier for him to adjust to the mlb with out a season in AAA because he is 26…
I would rather see him then see someone else struggle in the 5th spot, I don’t think its totally outrageous to have him start in the bigs.
I disagree. In the limited action I’ve seen them, Phelps appears to be more ready.
Of course out of all best case scenarios, I would rather see Andy return and have Nova the 5th spot.
Brackman also signed a ML contract – if he’s in the bigs, he needs to stick.
That being said, I agree with most that the Yanks don’t want to rush Brackman. If anything, he would have to have an unbeleivable ST to break camp. I think the Yanks would prefer to go with Phelps, Noesi or maybe even DJ Mitchell (long shot) rather than rush the 3B’s or Warren.
I understand that lots of pitchers skip AAA but the chances of Brackman doing so are slim. His development has been slowed, despite his age and the Yankees aren’t going to rush him if he isn’t ready.
The fact that Nick even mentioned him in this post as a potential option in the rotation – something we have not seen anywhere this winter – surprises me. Read any Yankee blog out there and you’ll find more people who agree that the organization does not plan on rushing him past AAA.
I wouldn’t say he’s “overaged”. He’s 25 (doesn’t turn 26 until Dec of 2011). He was drafted in 2007 but didn’t pitch until 2009. He is older than most AA but I don’t think that plays as a negative. What the Yanks do have against him he needs to be on the mlb squad soon according to his contract.
It’s such a shame they are having these depth problems now because if it was next year, there would 3 guys looking to making it into the rotation with Noesi, Phelps, and Brackman. Then the year after that you probably have Banuelos, Betances, and Warren. And then Stoneburner after that.
All the farm work Cashman has done since he was given the reins of the team looks to be hitting the majors soon.
Joba for Slowey–there’s your #4 starter right there.
why would the twins trade pitcher for pitcher?
I would rather keep Joba.
i think that they should give joba a shot at the 5th starter spot. whats the worst that could happen, he bombs put him back in the pen. his value dosent go down any more than it already has. also you cant have all these “joba rules” and what not, just let him pitch
Yay. Give some new blood a shot.
It isn’t just that easy. If you rush prospects too much then you end up stunting their growth and possibly ruining their career.
Garcia will prob end up signing with the Phillies for less guaranteed money.
Zing!
i’m a Yankee fan but i appreciated this
NO! Please dear God no! I never want to see Freddy Garcia in red pinstripes again! He was wretched with the Phillies.
Bye bye Freddy – We’ll always have 2005. And game 162 in 2008 when you were a Tiger but helped the Sox into to “play in” game with the Twins. You were pretty good last year, too.
He’s certainly a better option than Bartolo Colon. Why not sign him and hope two of Nova, Garcia, Colon and Mitre pitch decently? Diversify the risk a little. With the money they have, the Yankees should be throwing as many guys like this out there as they can practically and see who sticks.
Very odd opinions at the end of this column – there’s nothing which says that Garcia would slot at #4 on the Yankees, that Brackman is the sole minor leaguer with a shot at breaking the rotation (frankly, Noesi and Phelps are probably ahead of him there), or that Joba is absolutely on the trading block. Sounds more like the words of a, um, commenter here than an actual poster.
Yankees depth chart has Brackman at four. Tough to see them “saving the spot” for anyone else in that group, so he makes as much sense as anyone.
Not bashing Garcia or New York, but as a White Sox fan you have to feel pretty good about the fact that the guy we want as a half-season 5th starter is being considered as a 4th by another very good team.
“however, a team like New York would be ideal, and would match up with this stage of my career.”
He must be talking about the Mets
Ok let me get this right, the headline says Garcia: Not returning to Chicago, then it quotes Garcia saying he would love to return to Chicago WTF?
Garcia=Great Move. Do you really want to see Mitre in tne rotation. Swisher is a better pitcher than him. Rotation Should Be: 1. CC Sabathia
2. Phil Hughes
3. A.J Burnett
4. Freddy Garcia
5. Ivan Nova/Andy Pettite
Better pair Pettitte with Garcia rather than Nova. Freddy has averaged slightly less than 13 starts a year over the past four seasons.