Tag Archives: Freddy Garcia

Gio Gonzalez Agrees to One-Year, $5 Million Deal with the Chicago White Sox

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It’ll be a White (Sox)Christmas for Gio Gonzalez…

The 34-year-old Cuban American MLB player and veteran free-agent left-handed pitcher has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the Chicago White Sox, the team has announced.

Gio Gonzalez

The White Sox will pay Gonzalez $4.5 million in 2020 and hold a $7 million option for the 2021 season, with a $500,000 buyout. He can make an additional $500,000 with incentives over the two years, according to ESPN.

Gonzalez will finally get a chance to pitch for the team that took him with the No. 38 overall pick in the 2004 amateur draft. Chicago dealt Gonzalez to the Philadelphia Philliesfollowing the 2005 season as part of the trade that sent Aaron Rowandto the Philliesfor Jim Thome, then reacquired Gonzalez a year later along with Gavin Floydfor Freddy Garcia.

The White Sox traded Gonzalez to the Oakland Athleticsfor Nick Swisherin January 2008.

Gonzalez debuted with the Athletics in 2008 and is 130-99 with a 3.68 ERA over 12 years with Oakland (2008-11), the Washington Nationals (2012-18) and the Milwaukee Brewers(2018-19). 

He was an All-Starin 2011 and 2012, when he won a career-high 21 games and had a 2.89 ERA.

“We view Gio as an important addition to our pitching staff,” general manager Rick Hahnsaid in a statement. “He brings an impressive resume to our club as a veteran left-hander who has enjoyed success and should have a positive impact on our younger pitchers in terms of competing, battling and helping us win games at the major league level.”

Gonzalez was 3-2 with a 3.50 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 17 starts and 19 appearances last season for the Brewers, who signed him last year to a second option on a contract that wound up being worth $65.5 million over seven years.

He made only six starts before spending more than a month on the injured list with left arm fatigue, recording a 2-1 record with a 3.19 ERA and 25 strikeouts. But he did return to make 11 more starts and log 56⅓ innings in the second half as the Brewers won the wild card.

Gonzalez also spent the final month of the 2018 season with the Brewers, who acquired him in an August 31 trade with the Nationals. He was 3-0 in five starts for the Brewers down the stretch, then started Games 1 and 4 of the NLCSagainst the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was pulled after two innings of the opener and one inning of his second appearance, allowing one run in each.

Chicago went 72-89 in its seventh straight losing season and missed the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 years since its 2005 World Seriestitle. But with young players establishing themselves in the majors and promising prospects in the minors, the White Sox expect to contend for a postseason spot.

Right-hander Lucas Giolitowent from the highest ERA among qualifiers in 2018 to his first All-Star season, going 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA in 29 starts.

Mariano Rivera Among 20 New Candidates on the MLB Hall of Fame Ballot

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Mariano Rivera is on the ballot…

The 42-year-old Panamanian former Major League Baseball pitcher is among 20 new candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, joined by 15 holdovers headed by Edgar Martinez.

Mariano Rivera

Nicknamed “Mo” and “Sandman,” Rivera played 19 seasons for the New York Yankees. He spent most of his career as a relief pitcher and served as the Yankees’ closer for 17 seasons.

Rivera had 652 regular-season saves and 42 in the postseason that included five World Series titles. He was 8-1 with a 0.70 ERA in 32 postseason series.

Rivera was named the 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the 2003 American League Championship Series MVP, and he holds several postseason records, including lowest earned run average (ERA) (0.70) and most saves (42).

Players remain on the ballot for up to 10 years, provided they receive at least 5 percent of the vote annually. Martinez and first baseman Fred McGriff (23.2 percent last year) are on the BBWAA ballot for the final time.

Other Latino players making the ballot include Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher Freddy García, Dominican former professional baseball player Plácido Polanco, Dominican former professional baseball outfielder Manny Ramírez, Dominican American former professional baseball right fielder Sammy Sosa, Dominican former professional baseball shortstop Miguel Tejada, and Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop Omar Vizquel.

More than 400 ballots are being sent to eligible voters from theBBWAA, and a player must receive at least 75 percent for election. Ballots are due by December 31 and results will be announced January 22, 2019. Voters must have been members of the BBWAA for 10 consecutive years.

Here’s a look at the players on this year’s ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame:

Hall of Fame Ballot List

  • Rick Ankiel
  • Jason Bay
  • Lance Berkman
  • Barry Bonds
  • Roger Clemens
  • Freddy García
  • Jon Garland
  • Travis Hafner
  • Roy Halladay
  • Todd Helton
  • Andruw Jones
  • Jeff Kent
  • Ted Lilly
  • Derek Lowe
  • Edgar Martínez
  • Fred McGriff
  • Mike Mussina
  • Darren Oliver
  • Roy Oswalt
  • Andy Pettitte
  • Juan Pierre
  • Plácido Polanco
  • Manny Ramírez
  • Mariano Rivera
  • Scott Rolen
  • Curt Schilling
  • Gary Sheffield
  • Sammy Sosa
  • Miguel Tejada
  • Omar Vizquel
  • Billy Wagner
  • Larry Walker
  • Vernon Wells
  • Kevin Youkilis
  • Michael Young

García Signs Minor League Contract with the Atlanta Braves

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It’s a Braves New World for Freddy García…

The 37-year-old Venezuelan veteran professional baseball pitcher has reached an agreement on a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, giving the team potential depth to its rotation, according to ESPN.

Freddy Garcia

García’s deal includes an invitation to the team’s major league spring training camp.

Garcia is 156-108 with a 4.15 ERA over 15 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers.

Garcia spent the bulk of last season with the Baltimore Orioles‘ Triple-A Norfolk club, posting an 8-3 record with a 2.84 ERA for the Tide.

The Braves acquired Garcia for cash considerations in August after a season-ending injury to Tim Hudson, and he went 1-2 with a 1.65 ERA in six appearances down the stretch.

Garcia pitched well enough that manager Fredi Gonzalez gave him a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Now that Hudson has left Atlanta for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta’s projected 2014 rotation consists of Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, Kris Medlen, Brandon Beachy and Alex Wood, with David Hale also in the mix for a spot.

Garcia Heading Back to the Yankees…

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He emerged as one the New York Yankees’ most dependable starting pitchers… And, now it looks like Freddy Garcia will be returning to the team’s pitching line-up next season.

The 35-year-old Venezuelan right-hander has signed a one-year contract with the team that will pay between $4 million and $5 million guaranteed, according to the New York Daily News.

New York Yankees Freddy Garcia

Garcia had expressed a desire to return to the Yankees, even though he could’ve signed a two-year deal with another team.

He arrived in New York after signing an incentive-laden contract without a guaranteed roster spot, and succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations. Garcia posted a 3.62 ERA, the third-lowest of his 13-year career, despite pitching in the difficult American League East.

At the general managers’ meetings in Milwaukee last week, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he knew he would need to pay well to re-sign a player like Garcia, or fellow overperformer Bartolo Colon, after both put together improbable comeback seasons.

“They did a good job,” said Cashman. “I can’t get those guys on non-roster invites again. No way. That’s a credit to what they did. I know my conversations this time are a little bit different than what they were before.”