Impact Analysis: Freddy Garcia, Detroit Tigers

October 9, 2008 @ 16:31:13

By Owen Kinsky
Edited by Herija C. Green

The Detroit Tigers, who struggled with pitching for most of the 2008 season, reached to the scrap heap to pick up former All-Star pitcher Freddy Garcia. He displayed his newly healthy arm to numerous teams down the stretch, but it was the underperforming Tigers that decided the 32-year-old could improve their rotation. Though he only made three starts with Detroit at the end of the season, he looked solid and could hold some fantasy value in 2009.

The injury and his return

Garcia, a two-time All Star with the Seattle Mariners, struggled with a severe shoulder injury in 2007. He made 11 starts, many through pain, earning only one win for the Philadelphia Phillies. He suffered from a frayed rotator cuff along with abnormalities in his labrum, which he first attempted to rehab with rest before the Phillies finally shut him down for the season. He underwent surgery in the hopes of being ready to pitch in 2008, but as a result of his poor performance and concerns over his health the Phillies decided not to re-sign Garcia. Several clubs showed interest once Garcia hit the open market, but it seems that ultimately they were also wary of his injury as no one signed Garcia during the offseason despite his career 117-76 record and 17-9 mark with the Chicago White Sox in 2006.

As it turned out, Garcia wasn't ready to play on a major league team until well past the midpoint of the 2008 season as he recovered from his surgery. While he originally wanted to sign with a club before the trade deadline, a hamstring injury set him back and it would take Garcia more than a month after being signed Aug. 12 to get into a major league game. He made just two minor league starts during a five-week stint before Detroit deemed him ready to pitch in the majors Sept. 17.

In three games down the stretch, Garcia went 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA in 15 innings of work. Garcia won his first start back in impressive fashion but faltered in his second outing, allowing three homers and five runs to the Kansas City Royals. It was obvious that Detroit didn't want to overuse Garcia, as he didn't throw more than 77 pitches in any of his starts. He made some mistakes in his limited action and didn't pitch well against a bad Royals lineup, but he showed that his arm was better and that he could still pitch at the major league level.

Looking ahead

So, could Garcia be a good option in 2009? He was only signed to a one-year deal with the Tigers and is a free agent this offseason. His solid work in September has likely helped his standing in the player pool, as he can add a veteran presence to any rotation.

As it turns out, the Tigers are one of the teams with questions in their rotation. Detroit has a legitimate ace in pitcher Justin Verlander and young starter Armando Galarraga is expected to fill a spot following his strong work (13-7, 3.73 ERA) in 2008. However, the rest of the rotation is filled with questions. Does 43-year-old southpaw Kenny Rogers has any good innings left in his tired arm? Can pitcher Jeremy Bonderman (shoulder) rebound from a blood clot that cost him most of 2008? Is young hurler Zach Miner ready to be a full-time starter? And can lefty Dontrelle Willis regain his All-Star form? On top of all that, pitcher Nate Robertson, a starter most of the last five years, could also vie for a spot in the rotation.

Though Verlander and Galarraga seem set, the question is can Garcia be a better option than the others? Garcia is much younger than Rogers and it's obvious that Rogers is past his prime, while Garcia may still have some good years left in him. He brings a veteran presence that Miner and, to a lesser extent, Willis don't, and the Tigers simply can't be sold on Willis at this point. Garcia could be a good option to shore up the Tigers rotation, lending a veteran presence to help mold their young arms.

Of course, starting pitching is always a valuable commodity in the free-agent market so there are certain to be other bidders for Garcia's services. Prior to 2007, he threw more than 200 innings in all but one of his first eight seasons and registered double-digit wins each time. If teams believe his shoulder is healthy there should be a lot of interest in the 32-year-old.

Fantasy baseball outlook

Obviously Garcia's fantasy value is directly related to the team he signs with. If Garcia joins a contending club and is inserted into their rotation, he should be worthy of a late-round flier with obvious injury risks in deep leagues. Were he to join a team that didn't offer as much hope for wins, he'd be better suited to league-specific formats on draft day and would be then watched to see how he produced. Monitor Garcia's offseason movement, as a healthy Garcia in the right situation could be a solid pick late in drafts.

KFFLians are saying....

Comment

 

---

What do you think? We want to hear from you!

Name: E-mail: Please, enter the number that you see

Comment Guidelines

Owen Kinsky
Owen Kinsky is a KFFL contributor that has been an avid sports fan his entire life. He began playing fantasy sports, both football and baseball, back in 2000. His love of writing and the game of baseball brought him to KFFL in 2008.

Talk Sports 24/7!
KFFL Sports Forums: Over 24,000 strong and growing!

One Day FREE Fantasy Contest - $350 in cash prizes (05/25)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: John Danks placed on DL (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: The substandard Roy Halladay (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Player Prospecting: Danny Hultzen, Roger Kieschnick, more (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Austin Jackson headed to DL (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: Addison Reed, J.J. Putz, Ernesto Frieri, more (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Brian Roberts seeing the light at the end of the rehab tunnel (05/24)
I am not afraid of Hakeem Nicks' foot injury (05/24)
Fantasy baseball closer depth charts - AL (05/24)
Fantasy baseball closer depth charts - NL (05/24)