Following a delay in negotiations which lasted several days, the club has agreed to terms with free agent right handed starter Matt Garza. The deal guarantees Garza $50 million over four years, with performance incentives of $1 million available each season. The contract also contains a $13 million vesting option for a fifth year. It is the richest contract for a pitcher in team history.
In parts of eight Major League seasons, Garza, 30, has compiled 67 wins with as many losses. He has averaged 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings while owning a 3.84 ERA.
Garza helped lead Tampa Bay to the fall classic in 2008. The right hander earned two victories in the NLCS against Boston, allowing just two earned runs while striking out 14 batters in 13 innings of work. Garza's dominant performance earned him NLCS MVP honors.
Garza's best season came in 2010, when he went 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA in his final season with Tampa Bay. On July 26 of that season, Garza allowed one walk and no hits in a complete-game gem against the Tigers, the first no-no in Rays history.
Despite his accolades, health has been a concern for Garza, who has made four trips to the Disabled List since 2009.
Garza's Dominant Start Against Crew
Garza had been considered one of the top starting pitching options on the free agent market. The move comes just days after the Yankees' mammoth signing of right handed Japanese phenom Masahiro Tanaka for seven years at $155 million. Several teams had been waiting for Tanaka to sign before exploring other options at starting pitcher.
The Brewers represent the fifth team for Garza, who has spent time with the Twins, Rays, Cubs, and Rangers. The hurler has been traded three times since being drafted 25th overall by Minnesota in 2005.
Garza bolsters a rotation that finished strong in 2013. He joins a starting staff which includes Yovani Gallardo, Kyle Lohse, Wily Peralta, and Marco Estrada. Prior to the Garza signing, Doug Melvin had indicated that Tyler Thornburg would have every opportunity to land the final rotation spot.
Though Garza possess a good, live arm, he also carries a bit of baggage. He has a tendency to wear his emotions on his sleeve and occasionally lose control of his temper.
In August 2013, Garza used Twitter to make derogatory comments about Athletics second baseman Eric Sogard, as well as Sogard's wife, Kaycee. The interactive war of words stemmed from a game in which Sogard executed a safety-squeeze bunt on Garza. It was the fourth Oakland bunt against Garza, who felt insulted and exposed for his fielding deficiencies.
The signing of Garza certainly comes as a surprise to Brewers fans. Melvin previously reiterated that he was disinterested in pursing a starting pitcher via free agency. It is possible that owner Mark Attanasio was the man behind this move, as he allegedly was with last year's signing of Kyle Lohse for $33 million over three years.
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Barrel Man
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