Matt Garza trade discussions have heated up over the past few days, but there's not yet any favorite to obtain the Cubs right-hander, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, who adds that the Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers, Red Sox and Marlins are all in the mix.
With the Cubs thought to be seeking young pitchers to replenish their farm system, the Yankees, Blue Jays and Tigers may ultimately hold an edge in pursuing Garza, Heyman speculates, as those clubs have pitching prospects and may be willing to spare them.
The Red Sox previously cited Garza as a compensation target for losing former GM Theo Epstein to the Cubs, according to Heyman, although it's not known whether they would pursue Garza as part of that compensation deal or separately.
So no news is news? Is this really worthy of its own story?
If it’s a slow day, and it is.
If it isn’t is it worth this comment?
Burnnnn
Triple Hawpes Burned, to be exact.
Couldnt care less about making friends on a message board. Everyone has a right to their opinion.
So you just had to let everyone know that your opinion is that you don’t really have one?
No you simpleton. CLEARLY my opinion was that this wasn’t worthy of its own story. Apparently you are the one with the vacuous insight.
I know your opinion is that you don’t give a %$*#, but then why share it in the first place. Never mind though. Not really sure why I even commented in the first place either. Also not that I care, and not that you need to be/should making friends on a message board, but hiding behind your computer and calling people simpleton;s with vacuous insight after you needlessly complained about a post is kinda unnecessary. Good night though. Happy new year to you too
cyber bully
You should expect news like this. After all, it is a site dedicated to rumors, not actual news.
I’d like one, ONE off-season move that the Blue Jays “are in the mix for” that they actually pick up. I like the off-season moves so far, but maybe one big name can come here?
Darren Oliver
While true, he did say big name at the end of his post, and Oliver hardly qualifies as a big name free agent.
Garza isn’t a big-name player either. He is a number three in many rotations, unless you are talking about the Astros, Pirates, or Orioles. Then he becomes their number 2. Contrary to public belief, a pitcher that has 23 starts of six innings and gets blown off the mound in eight other starts – giving up 6 or more runs isn’t anything more than a number three.
The Jays probably offered Jenkins, McGuire, and Sierra. The Tigers are rumoured to have offered Turner, Smyly, and another prospect, and the Yankees are said to have offered Betances, Warren, Phillips, and perhaps another low minor. That is what Epstein has to choose from. None of the teams are offering more than one top ten pitching prospect, which is what Garza is worth.
Better let Lincecum know he’s only a number 3… same number of QS as Garza. A pitcher with a FIP and xFIP at or below 3.00 is a big name player – trying to argue otherwise is stupid.
Also, you need to look at WHY Garza didn’t last 6 innings in some of those starts. At least two were rain shortened, which is not any fault of his. The others had a lot to do with the Cubs defenders extending the innings for him through terrible defense.
That would be a great argument if you were just looking at them from the perspective of 2011 and not including the two Cy Young years that Lince had. Great argument. By that logic then what would Ian Kennedy net?
Think the original poster may have missed their mark with Garza being a #3 in many rotation. Like maybe 3-4 at best teams he would, like Philly, Rays, Anaheim and maybe the SFG.
Ouch, what does that say for the Cubs? He’s our #1 starter. :'(
Wilson was the number one pitcher on Texas. He is now the fourth starter on Anaheim, behind Weaver, Haren, and Santana, who are all better than he is. He becomes the fourth starter on Detroit, behind Verlander, Fister, Scherzer.
The point of the post is a pitcher is only as good as those in front of him in a rotation. Garza would be the fourth or fifth starter on Philly, he wasn’t seen in the top five of Tampa, leading to his trade to the Cubs. On Baltimore, he falls in behind Guthrie. On the Giants, he is the fourth starter behind Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner.
It is hard to put his value on Florida if Johnson comes back healthy, since they also have Buehrle, the ace of the White Sox. In Milwaukee, he is likely a third or fourth starter behind Greinke, Gallargo, Marcum, etc. Garza is third on the Yankees, fourth on the Red Sox. Every team is different and he has to outpitch the guys ahead of him to move up a notch.
A bad year can just as easily knock players off rosters that were aces, as seen in 09 with Feldman in Texas. He won 17 games, but in 2010, he fell off the map and is now a spot starter at best, because other pitchers outperformed him in the rotation. Garza was in a rotation with the volatile Zambrano, Dempster didn’t do anything to warrant being in the one slot and Wells wasn’t much better. Garza got the spot through default as the best of the bunch. That doesn’t make him any better or worse than he is in reality.
Wilson is better than Santana. He was 7th in pitcher WAR last year in all of baseball, just ahead of Weaver. Garza was tied for 12th. Both of them had career years last years, so I would not rank them that high for 2012. I would rank them both in the top 30 pitchers in baseball which would make them #1s by definition.
Yeah, got all that the first time. I was just lamenting the pathetic state of the Cubs roster. Thanks for wasting my time though.
do you know what you’re talking about?
Hey, if you don’t agree, who cares. I presented the facts and you have the right to disagree, but prove me wrong. Prove that what I said isn’t accurate, leading to your opinion. If you prove that I was wrong, then I will admit I’m wrong. Will you do the same if you can’t? According to major league baseball rankings, Garza placed 26th out of the top forty pitchers in 2011. He was ranked lower than most of the pitchers I mentioned, leading to my opinion. I tend to trust major league baseball facts over someone’s opinion. lol.
Tigers laughed at the offer involving Turner and Smyly.
Yanks will get him
I don’t know…Yanks usually ask other team to pay for part of the salary if they have to give up good prospects.
LOL @ the Yankees asking for salary relief.
It’s absolutely nonsensical unless they’re taking on a legitimately bad/pricey contract.
They were doing it with Astros on Wandy Rodriguez at trade deadline. Phillies did it to Blue Jays on Roy Halladay.
The thinking behind it is, we give good signing bonuses to get these prospects, so we expect you to ante up when we send them your way.
Yeah but Wandy had negative value so the request to have the Astros pick up his salary was a trade off if the ‘Stros wanted a real prospect. As for Halladay they were demanding a really big prospect return so it’s a bit different than the Garza situation.
Even still, I don’t see the Yanks demanding the Cubs to eat any of his salary. I don’t even see them being willing to give up what Theo is asking for unless he’s willing to accept a deal with Betances being the best player (not that they couldn’t make it a great deal with some combo of other pieces like Mason Williams, Austin Romine, Adam Warren, Hector Noesi or Ravel Santana included).
Do you see anything motivating Cubs to deal Garza by spring training?
I think Theo wants to move him now while his value is at it’s highest but it doesn’t mean he will accept what he might feel is a subpar deal to do so.
The question is, are his demands right now even realistic?
his demands couldnt be realistic. he wants to clean out another teams farm to fill his up for only one player. the yankees should offer AJ for carlos zambrano, their salary is close to each others, although it would be one head case for another, the yankees pitching coach had fixed zambranos mentality for a couple months 2 years ago, maybe he can do it again in new york? but as far as garza goes, i would rather see betances and banuelos maybe even phelps up in the majors first before trading them off
I agree with your demands question but might rephrase it to “Does Theo have the right buyers for what he expects in return?”. As much as people like to talk about Yankee payroll, Yankees know how to value shop with the best of them. I also believe AA moved Blue Jays into that category. Red Sox have been one of the best value shoppers and seem to remain on that track with new management.
In my opinion, Cubs need a central or NL West division team who see Garza as a final piece for their pennant push. Many of them already made their move this year or last year to get “that” pitcher. Without these type of buyers, it will be hard for Theo to get “full value” for Garza.
speculation and a completely different organization, wonderfully supported argument
ok…if you disagree…put down your ideas…or…do you just have an empty head
Regardless of payroll, asking for salary relief is NEVER nonsensical.
come on rockies.
I don’t see how the Tigers aren’t favorites if they are willing to include Jacob Turner. Between all these teams, Turner is the best player available and the Yankees prospects are very overrated.
It has to be hinging on the Rangers and Darvish. You have to bet that if the Rangers aren’t able to sign Darvish, they’re going to make a really nice offer for Garza.
there’s a better chance of darvish getting struck by lightning than him not signing
I once learned in math class that you have a 1 in 560,000,000 chance of being struck by lighning while riding a unicycle in Nebraska. I’m not sure where my teacher got that stat from but I imagine it is from the same person as wherever you heard that from.
it’s a small world
I’m curious to know who sits down and figures these things out…
Buster Olney or John Hollinger
That’s completly false. I’m on mlbtraderumors mobile right now on a unicyle in Nebraska and there isn’t a cloud in the gnagbwprhngmgl;engwanbqg3
Judging by that last line, you are the lucky 560,000,000th guy. CONGRATS!!!!
can i have your unicycle?
The Cubs will not wait for Texas, but if a package doesn’t come along and Texas lost the talks, then the Cubs will listen… But they’re plans wouldn’t wait a month to see what happens there..
Well, my birthday is tomorrow, so if Dombrowski wants to get me something good, then Garza would be a pretty nice gift.
Happy Birthday! And yes.. that would be a great birthday gift!
Thanks, bro. The only thing that would be better is if we got King Felix!
Boooooooooooooo! Isn’t Fister enough for you people?
Never!
The Cubs signed Alfonso Soriano on MY birthday. I was ECSTATIC. Careful what you wish for.
Lol
Hate disqus
Casper Wells hit his first M’s home run on my birthday. It was fantastic.
soriano helped the cubs but he does not now
Maybe Blue Jays Yankees & Red Sox are holding out to see if Brewers have difficulty extending Zach Greinke plus what will be the impact of K-Rod arbitration.
After all that off field stuff about him not wanting to play in a big market, I doubt it…
If the brewers dont hang around before the deadline, I could see them selling off a lot of pieces.
Actually Greinke has stated that he would pitch for the Yankees
didn’t/doesn’t he have them blocked in his ntc?
Players block the Yankees, because they know the Yankees will restructure their deals and give them more money so that the player will approve the deal.
has that ever happened?
Not sure, but I have heard that explanation given for many different players. It seems reasonable.
Ohhh, it was his other personality that said that.
Is next years draft a deep one?
no. Its top heavy with great high school talent, some college but you won’t find great talent after the 3rd/4th round like one could in this previous draft..or so i’ve read thus far.
Look at all these foolish teams interested in Garza: Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers, Red Sox and Marlins. Which one of these teams is going to make Epstein look like a Genius again? You’re all fools if you do! Maybe someone will take a flyer on Joe Blanton rather than get fleeced by Epstein.
//Which one of these teams is going to make Epstein look like a Genius again?//
It would be ironic if it was the Red Sox.
But . . . I don’t get this comment. Garza’s a good pitcher, and any of the teams in the mix would be happy to have him.
yeah i dont get this comment either. Garza has been a pretty good pitcher the last few years, and to be honest he would fit in the AL east, he is use to those teams and knows how to pitch to them. but does the redsox even have the prospects to give for garza? i mean after they delt for Gonzalez last winter, then delt for malancon and bailey this off season. i would think the sox would be looking for a RF instead of SP concidering their set 1 through 3.
From the Tigers viewpoint, I do not see how it makes sense to yield 6 year of Turner for two years of Garza at about $20MM total. The fact that the price seems to be Turner PLUS other pieces should make the Tigers extremely hesitant.
Six years of Turner, but at what price?
I like Matt Garza, but yea, someone will get hosed.
haters gonna hate
garza for inge.how’s that Tatro?
Super Cool Story Bro!!!
Theo doesn’t have to trade Garza. If Garza can’t bring the Cubs back what Theo wants, he can keep him. The Cubs need at least 3 and possibly 4 prospects for him. Period. At least one B+ or A- prospect, one B level prospect and one or two B-, C+ or C prospects for him. Period. If a team wants him, that’s what he’s worth. If not, the Cubs should keep him. Garza is a very good pitcher. He could be a difference maker for some team and Theo/Hoyer should not let him go for less than that type of package. Period.
Keep Matt Garza. Theo himself said that Garza is someone to build around. So start building.
The reason why is garza stinks and no one will give up all of there best prospects for a guy who can badly win 15 games
Because wins are an important stat for a pitcher. You clearly know nothing about assessing a baseball player’s value or talent. Maybe your new years resolution should be to educate yourself.
True story.
You might want to introduce yourself to pitching peripherals, unless you like making a fool of yourself that is.
Looks like Theo is driving up the price,
Taking in to account the compensation issue, perhaps the Sox could swing something like Ranaudo/Doubront and a few other prospects? Theo obviously knows the system well enough to pick out a couple young pitchers and a few other guys he likes personally. Even if the compensation doesn’t translate in too much of a discount…Sox NEED another starter and Garza fits the bill perfectly IMO.