Friday, March 26, 2004
Freddy Garcia - 2004 AL Cy Young
The fantasy pundits are chiming in with rave reviews and high expectations for Once and Future Staff Ace Freddy Garcia.
USA Today's John Hunt says:
USA Today's John Hunt says:
Catch those spring games on TV if you can't make it in person. After seeing Mariners pitcher Freddy Garcia, who was nearly non-tendered in the winter, I'd be absolutely shocked if he didn't finish in the top 10 in ERA this season.And today at subscribers-only BaseballHQ.com, Freddy is made the sleeper choice for AL Cy Young. (CTL = walks per 9 innings; DOM = strikeouts per 9 innings)
After his terrific 2001 season, great things were expected from Freddy Garcia (SP, SEA). He has largely failed to deliver on the promise of that 18-win, 3.06 ERA, 1.13 WHIP season that he recorded as a 25-year old. But in the 2nd half of 2003, his DOM rate spiked, reversing a two-year decline. Could this be the sign of a return to 2001 form? He has had a terrific spring (1.84 ERA, 3.1 CTL, 7.4 DOM), and he still plays in a good ballpark for his increasingly fly-ball tendencies. If he keeps the ball in the park, the sky (or a Cy) is the limit.Fantasy Baseball Headquarters is also on the Freddy bandwagon.
Sure, it's just March and he's only thrown 14.2 innings this spring, but Freddy is back. He's got a new pitch, a slider, mixing with his fastball and curve, and it's making him look even more dangerous than 2001.So is Spring the harbinger of a great year for Freddy Garcia, or is this just fantasy?
