| Freddy García | |
|---|---|
 Garcia with the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1976-10-06)October 6, 1976 (age 49) Caracas, Venezuela | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 7, 1999, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 2013, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 156–108 |
| Earned run average | 4.15 |
| Strikeouts | 1,621 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Freddy Antonio García (born October 6, 1976) is aVenezuelan former professionalbaseballpitcher. He is best known for his many seasons with sevenMajor League Baseball (MLB) franchises, including theSeattle Mariners,Chicago White Sox, andNew York Yankees. García has also pitched in theChinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL),Mexican League, andVenezuelan Professional Baseball League.
García's best year was in 2001 in which he led the American League in innings pitched and ERA. He made theAll-Star team in 2001 and 2002. He was a member of the2005 World Series-winning White Sox and started the series-ending Game 4.
Originally signed by theHouston Astros as an internationalfree agent in 1993, García was acquired by Seattle in 1998, along withCarlos Guillén andJohn Halama in the trade that sentRandy Johnson to the Astros.[1]
During García'srookie season, he pitched 201innings, compiling a 17–8 record with 170strikeouts and a 4.07ERA in 33 starts. After going 9–5 in his second season, he went on to compile a 45–42win–loss record over the course of the next three and a half seasons with Seattle. His strongest season was in2001, when he earned 18 of the Mariners' American League record-setting 116 wins and led the AL with238+2⁄3 innings pitched and a 3.05 earned run average. He finished third in ALCy Young Award voting that year.
On June 27, 2004, García and catcherBen Davis were traded to theChicago White Sox forMichael Morse,Miguel Olivo, andJeremy Reed.[2] As a Mariner, García had a 76–50 record with a 3.89 ERA and 819 strikeouts.
García was the starting pitcher in Game 4 of the2005 World Series for the Chicago White Sox, pitching seven scoreless innings against theHouston Astros. The White Sox won the game and the World Series, completing a four-game sweep.
Before the 2006 season, García tested positive for marijuana during theWorld Baseball Classic.[3]
In 2006, he surpassed 1,000 strikeouts for his career. In eight post-season games, he was 5–2 with a 3.56 ERA in 48 innings. Also during 2006, on April 29, García recorded his 103rd career win in a game against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim, surpassing former White Soxleft-handerWilson Álvarez as the Venezuelan native with the most career wins in Major League history. He finished the season 17–9 with a 4.53 ERA.[1] He was given the nickname "Big Game" while a member of the White Sox.
In December 2006, García was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for prospectsGavin Floyd andGio González.[1][4]
García experienced a shoulder injury that limited his performance for the first several months of the season.[5] He was placed on thedisabled list (DL) in June, and had shoulder surgery in August.[6] García made 11 starts before being placed on the DL and earned one win.[7]
In August 2008, García signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. In his first 2 minor league starts with the Tigers he pitched 5 innings, gave up no runs, and struck out 5. In his Tigers debut in late September, García, with a limited pitch count, threw 5 scoreless innings to get the win.
In January 2009, García agreed to a minor league deal with theNew York Mets.[8][9] He was released on April 28, 2009, after two bad starts for theBuffalo Bisons.[10][11]
On June 8, 2009, the Chicago White Sox signed García to a minor league contract.[12] García started on August 18 against theKansas City Royals for the first time with the White Sox since 2006.
In his first game back with the White Sox, García went4+1⁄3 innings allowing 5 earned runs in a losing effort. He finished the season with a 3–4 record and a 4.34 ERA.[13]
On October 5, 2009, the Chicago White Sox exercised their 2010 option on García, a $1 million base salary with $2 million in possible incentives.[14] He became a free agent following the 2010 season.
On January 31, 2011, García agreed to a minor league contract with theNew York Yankees worth $1.5 million.[15] On March 25, 2011, the Yankees announced that García would be in the Yankees' starting rotation.[16] He finished the 2011 season with a solid 12–8 record and a 3.62 ERA,[17] however, he was consistently hammered by teams with winning records, most notably theBoston Red Sox. García was on the mound in relief as the Sox won their second game of the season on April 10, as well as 2 other losses on May 15 and June 7. However, García did manage to defeat the Red Sox on September 24.
García also lost his only playoff start in Game 2 as the Yankees were defeated by theDetroit Tigers in theAmerican League Division Series in five games. Despite this, the Yankees offered him a one-year deal worth $4 million with incentives for the 2012 season. The deal became official on December 9.[17][18]
In 2012, García was expected to challenge for a starting spot withPhil Hughes,A. J. Burnett,Andy Pettitte andMichael Pineda. However, Burnett was traded in the offseason, and Pineda was diagnosed with a shoulder injury, thereby allowing García into the rotation.[19]
García began the 2012 season with bad footing as he threw 5 wild pitches in his first start against theBaltimore Orioles. He was demoted to the bullpen after going 0–2 in April with a 12.51 ERA, averaging only 3.1 innings per start.David Phelps was moved into the starting rotation.[20]
García immediately improved once in the bullpen. In his two-month relief stint, he posted a 1.56 ERA in 17.1 innings.[21] Hissinker's speed also improved, from an average of 87.1 mph in April[22] to 88.6 in May/June.[23]
A fibula injury toAndy Pettitte in late June brought García back into the rotation. Overall, García finished the 2012 season with a 7–6 record and a 5.20 ERA in 30 games appeared (17 started). He became a free agent following the season.
On January 28, 2013, García signed a minor league deal with theSan Diego Padres.[24] He was released by the Padres on March 24.[25] He promptly signed a minor league contract with theBaltimore Orioles[26] and joined the Triple-ANorfolk Tides. He was called up on May 4 to make his Orioles debut on the road at Anaheim. He was designated for assignment on June 24. Three days later, García signed another minor league contract and returned to Norfolk.[27]
On August 23, 2013, the Orioles traded García to theAtlanta Braves for cash considerations.[28] He had his contract selected to the major league roster on September 1. García pitched effectively for the Braves, going 1–2 with a 1.65 ERA in September (1–1, 1.83 ERA in 3 starts). He started Game 4 of theNLDS. Although the Braves lost to theLos Angeles Dodgers, García pitched well, giving up 2 runs over 6 innings and was in line for the win when he left the game.[29] The 2014 postseason would be his last appearance in the majors.
He returned to the Braves on a minor league contract signed January 24, 2014.[30] He was released on March 24.[31]
On April 18, 2014, García signed with theEDA Rhinos of theChinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).[32] The seven-month deal included incentives that increased its worth up to $392,000,[33] and was the most lucrative in CPBL history untilLin Chih-sheng signed a 3-year deal for $1.36 million in January 2016.[34][35] In his first game for the Rhinos on May 10, 2014, García pitched six innings of shutout ball on four hits in a no-decision before being pulled after 77 pitches. The Rhinos won the game 5–0 against the ChinatrustBrother Elephants in front of a sellout crowd of more than 12,000.[36]
On February 25, 2015, García signed with theOlmecas de Tabasco of theMexican League. He made 6 starts throwing 33.1 innings going 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
On April 9, 2015, García signed a minor league contract with theLos Angeles Dodgers.[37] He was assigned to the AAAOklahoma City Dodgers.[38] He appeared in four games and made one start for Oklahoma City, allowing seven runs in 7.1 innings and was released on April 21.[39]
He rejoined the Olmecas de Tabasco in June,[40] then was traded to theSultanes de Monterrey. In September García was assigned to theTigres de Aragua. He spent the rest of 2015 with Aragua, where he won a league championship,[41] and started the first and final games of the2016 Caribbean Series.[42][43] He retired after the series concluded.[44][45] In 5 starts 35.1 innings he went 3-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
On April 8, 2016, García came out of retirement and signed with theSultanes de Monterrey of theMexican League.[46][47] He was released on May 3, 2016. In 5 starts 23.1 innings he went 2-0 with a 5.01 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
On March 5, 2018, García signed with theLeones de Yucatán of theMexican League.[48] He was released on April 23, 2018. He made 5 starts throwing 23.2 innings going 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA and 22 strikeouts.
García was eligible to be elected in theHall of Fame in 2019. He received no votes and became ineligible for the 2020 ballot.[49]
García threw afastball that topped out in the 90s in his prime and a hardslider. He also threw atwo-seam fastball, acurveball, asplit-finger fastball and occasionally used achangeup.[50]
García was once apower pitcher,[51] but as he got older, García lost velocity on his pitches and compensated by developing a broad repertoire of up to six or seven pitches. In the 2013 season, García threw the following pitches, in order of their use:[52]
García has also adjusted his approach to the strike zone, being especially careful not to leave pitches in the middle of the plate: "He doesn't really have the electric stuff, so he's going to stay on the corners and stay out of the zone."[53]
García and his wife married in 2004. They have two children.[54]
A local professional baseball team yesterday announced that it has sealed a deal with former Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star pitcher Freddy Garcia. The high profile ex-big league hurler with 150-plus wins is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan on April 25 to join the Kaohsiung-based EDA Rhinos (義大犀牛), the team said yesterday.
