http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-doug27.html

 

Absolutely no regrets for Garcia one year later

BY DOUG PADILLA

 

Freddy Garcia was recognizing his one-year anniversary with the White Sox on Sunday, marveling at how time flies when you are exactly where you want to be.

 

Today marks the date Garcia and Ben Davis were acquired for Miguel Olivo, Jeremy Reed and Michael Morse, but the deal was done last season on a Sunday and announced right after the Cubs and Sox completed a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

You can forgive Garcia for trying to get a jump on the anniversary. When he learned he was leaving the Seattle Mariners, the only team he had ever played for in the major leagues, he was thrilled. That he was coming to the Sox, where his good friend Ozzie Guillen was the manager, only made it that much better.

 

''I don't imagine to still be there because I was ready to leave,'' said Garcia, who is slated to pitch Thursday at Detroit. ''I was ready to get traded. When you're in some place and you don't feel worth it, you don't want to be there. I always pitched good ... and they're always looking for some reason to write something bad about you or whatever. I was ready to leave.''

 

Seattle wasn't completely worthless to him, just most of it.

 

''Yeah, it has nothing to do with the team,'' he said. ''It might be the media and the [front] office, I don't know. But I wasn't feeling good over there. The only thing I miss over there are my friends. Other than that, I'm happy here.''

 

It didn't take long to get happy, either. Eight days after arriving, he signed a three-year extension with the Sox. And despite the fact Garcia almost certainly would have made more than the $27 million he signed for had he been a free agent last offseason, he has no regrets.

 

''They ask me and I said right away what I wanted, and we made a deal,'' Garcia said. ''That wasn't hard.''

 

On the day Garcia arrived last season, the Sox moved into a tie for first place, but then they faded.

 

''I came here and it didn't work; we didn't go nowhere,'' Garcia said. ''This year is different. We're trying to go all the way now.''

 

NATIONAL PRIDE: Despite losing the final two interleague games, Guillen was pleased with his team's effort against the National League. The Sox went 12-6 in interleague play, tied for second best and trailing only Cleveland's 15-3 mark.

 

''We really did a good job playing in the National League parks because I was two men short,'' Guillen said about being unable to use Damaso Marte and Frank Thomas on a recent West Coast trip. ''The way we handled it ... was fine. The way Carl Everett played in the outfield, he gave me that opportunity to play him. But I think we really played good against the National League this year.''

 

MCCARTHY TO START: Brandon McCarthy no longer is on long-relief duty as he prepares to start Wednesday at Detroit.

 

McCarthy would have been on schedule to start Sunday, but the Sox switched to Jon Garland so Garland and Mark Buehrle (Tuesday's starter) wouldn't have six days off between starts.

 

''I feel good about the things I've been working on,'' McCarthy said. ''I'm not worried what's going to happen. What's in my hands is how well I throw when I go out and the effort I put toward that. If I do good with that, good things should happen.''

ALMOST READY: Juan Uribe was available Sunday in case of an emergency, but the Sox did not have to go that route. Uribe, who has missed the last five games with a strained lower back, is on track to start Tuesday against the Tigers.

 

NO ELBOW ROOM: The crowd of 39,143 was the Sox' third sellout of the series and fifth of the season. It also marked the fifth-fastest the Sox have reached 1 million in attendance (39 games), and the fastest since 1994.

we paid a hefty price for him, but IMO it was WELL worth it.

we paid a hefty price for him, but IMO it was WELL worth it.

 

Yep, it's a bargain, when you look at what FA pitchers got on the market last winter.

Yep, it's a bargain, when you look at what FA pitchers got on the market last winter.

 

That can't be said enough. Even if Reed, Olivo, and Morse end up being good players, Freddy Garcia would have cost a kings ranson in the off-season, and we got a steal when you include the $9 mil/yr contract. You just don't find pitchers like him that cheap.

To get talent, you have to trade it away; this was one of those rare exceptions where both teams walk away happy. Freddy was always one of my favorite MLB pitchers and despite trading away The Chosen One, I feel awfully good watching Freddy trot out every fifth day--not to mention the absolute steal we were able to re-sign him for.

I thought there was always talk of him loving Seattle and that he wouldn't want to leave and abandon ship if it was his choice. That's what I remember reading somewhere and some people thought(at least Mariners' fans) thought that he would be a rental for the White Sox and come right back and sign a long term deal with Seattle.

To get talent, you have to trade it away; this was one of those rare exceptions where both teams walk away happy.  Freddy was always one of my favorite MLB pitchers and despite trading away The Chosen One, I feel awfully good watching Freddy trot out every fifth day--not to mention the absolute steal we were able to re-sign him for.

It's not rare with KW (atleast recently), he pulled off a trade a couple months later that both the Sox and Brewers are pretty happy about.

im just glad that ozzie was friends with freddy or we probably would still be searching for a fifth man

We should reach 2 million fans this year without a problem. Should be our best attendance since 1993.

Both teams should be happy without a doubt. Morse and Reed look like being good players for a long time for the M's, they just have to get Miggy hitting now.

 

And then there's Garcia. Russ Ortiz got over $30 million this off-season. Nuff said.

Both teams should be happy without a doubt. Morse and Reed look like being good players for a long time for the M's, they just have to get Miggy hitting now.

 

And then there's Garcia. Russ Ortiz got over $30 million this off-season. Nuff said.

 

Put it this way. If we still have Olivo, Reed and Morse with the Sox, do you REALLY think the Sox's record would be this good: 50-24? Without Garcia, NO WAY!

 

I take this trade again, again, again and again...

Hell, if we didn't grab Garcia, there's a pretty good shot that the Yankees would have ended up with another world series trophy last year too...since most everyone seemed to think they were first in line with Seattle until KW jumped in, and 1 starting pitcher would almost certainly have made the difference for them in the ALCS.

 

I'm not so sure Seattle's too happy that they agreed to take Olivo though.

Both teams should be happy without a doubt. Morse and Reed look like being good players for a long time for the M's, they just have to get Miggy hitting now.

 

And then there's Garcia. Russ Ortiz got over $30 million this off-season. Nuff said.

Russ Ortiz got a lot of money because he was in the magic hands of Leo Mazzone and GM's haven't figured out yet that Leo's actually related to Jesus.

 

I swear that guy does for pitchers what Coors Field does for batters. Millwood, Neagle, Ortiz, Glavine, how much better were each of them when they pitched for Mazzone?

Hell, if we didn't grab Garcia, there's a pretty good shot that the Yankees would have ended up with another world series trophy last year too...since most everyone seemed to think they were first in line with Seattle until KW jumped in, and 1 starting pitcher would almost certainly have made the difference for them in the ALCS.

 

I'm not so sure Seattle's too happy that they agreed to take Olivo though.

 

The thing is if the M's had gotten Crede, they wouldn't have gotten Beltre in the off-season.

The thing is if the M's had gotten Crede, they wouldn't have gotten Beltre in the off-season.

How's that worken out for em.

The thing is if the M's had gotten Crede, they wouldn't have gotten Beltre in the off-season.

Beltre's being paid $11 million to bat .264 this season. He has 5 home runs.

 

Joe Crede's batting in the .240's with 10 home runs. For $400,000.

 

Yeah, I think Seattle would take that back in a split second if they could.

How's that worken out for em.

 

I think they are happy. Its just interesting to follow the progression of moves in an "if", "then" fashion.

Russ Ortiz got a lot of money because he was in the magic hands of Leo Mazzone and GM's haven't figured out yet that Leo's actually related to Jesus. 

 

I swear that guy does for pitchers what Coors Field does for batters.  Millwood, Neagle, Ortiz, Glavine, how much better were each of them when they pitched for Mazzone?

But still have a look at Ortiz's numbers from last season with Mazzone. He had an ERA over 4, 112 BB's, and only 31 more K's. Compared to Jaret Wright numbers, there's no way Ortiz should have gotten what he did, and now the D-Backs are paying for it. He's getting killed at the BOB (.349/.447/.544) and has 7 more walks than strikeouts.

 

But Mazzone is a genius, but he does have some failures as well. Danny Kolb has lost his job as the closer, but he'd only be one of only a couple that haven't succeeded under Leo.

Russ Ortiz got a lot of money because he was in the magic hands of Leo Mazzone and GM's haven't figured out yet that Leo's actually related to Jesus. 

 

I swear that guy does for pitchers what Coors Field does for batters.  Millwood, Neagle, Ortiz, Glavine, how much better were each of them when they pitched for Mazzone?

 

That is very true. I think you could throw the most recent examples of Mike Hampton and Jaret Wright in there as well. He's a great pitching coach.

Freddy's awesome, like it's been said both teams should come away pretty happy but that trade was and still is a no doubter for the sox, Freddy is a top of the line starter and we resigned for a very, very reasonable price.

Garcia hasn't been an Ace but he's been very consistent. His era has always been in the 3's. And when he's on the hill you know the Sox have a chance to win.