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Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports is reporting that the Reds are deep in trade talks with division rival Chicago Cubs for starting pitcher, Matt Garza. Reds sources, however, are casting doubt on the deal. The Rangers and Blue Jays are also reported to be talking to the Cubs about Garza.
Garza is 28 years old and right-handed. He makes $9.5 million this year and would be under team control in his final year of arbitration in 2013. He would then become a free agent in 2014.
Garza has pitched for the Twins, the smart Tampa Bay Rays and the stupid Cubs. He has a career ERA of 3.84 and this year it’s 3.91. His advanced stats diverge. Garza sports a 4.14 FIP and 3.60 SIERA. Garza does offer valuable post-season experience, having started five playoff games while compiling a 2-1 win-loss record and 3.48 ERA.
One major complication is that Garza is currently sidelined with a fluid buildup on his tricep muscles. Don’t worry, though. The Reds medical staff is on it.
Garza, 28, has not pitched since July 21 due to fluid in his triceps area, and will not pitch again until after the non-waiver deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. One source said earlier this week that it was “doubtful” that the Cubs would trade Garza because the club would not accept a discounted return due to his injury. However, a team such as the Reds could complete a deal for Garza if its medical staff determined that his injury is minor, and that he could join their rotation soon.
Garza apparently threw a problem-free bullpen session today.
No word yet on who the Reds would be sending to the Cubs. It would make sense for Mike Leake to be involved in the deal.
No word yet on who the Reds would be sending to the Cubs. It would make sense for Mike Leake to be involved in the deal.
Are you suggesting Leake might have heard something semi officially like through his agent as a possible explanation of his monumental meltdown in the 2nd inning?
Not sure if you’re serious or not. But no, I’m not suggesting that. I’m basing that bald-faced guess on the idea that the Reds wouldn’t need six starting pitchers and that the other four starters are either better than Garza (Latos, Cueto, Bailey) or too veterany (Arroyo) for the Cubs to be interested.
Don’t worry, though. The Reds medical staff is on it.
Gary Majewski’s ears are burning somewhere.
And Joey Votto’s knee.
I’ll believe it when I see it… trading valuable young players for a pitcher with arm trouble…
Looks like Garza might be a Blue Jay. The Jays just pulled Snider (not quite sure who that is) and he said goodbyes in the dugout. Could be any number of other trade though.
MLBTradeRumors is reporting that the Blue Jays sent Travis Snider to the Pirates for Brad Lincoln – so he’s not going to the Cubs. ESPN.com’s profile for Matt Garza recently mentioned the Blue Jays and Reds as the two suitor for Garza but maybe the Blue Jays are out of the running.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/07/blue-jays-pirates-swap-snider-lincoln.html
Snider to Pirates for lincoln
@redsfanman: Yeah I posted then refreshed MLBTR and that was the end of the Garza to the Jays idea.
They need to outlaw new news stories until the deadline tomorrow so I can get some sleep and have a productive day at work. But of course not. I’ll be refreshing MLBTradeRumors all morning…
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/07/latest-on-matt-garza.html
MLBTradeRumors lists the Reds, Blue Jays, and Rangers all as candidates to trade for Garza. It’d be interesting to see what kind of effect Monday’s start by Leake has on negotiations.
I know you dont want to make a trade just for trades sake, but its frustrating watching other teams make moves(see pirates), i want in on this action!
Lyle Overbay anyone?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/07/diamondbacks-designate-lyle-overbay-for-assignment.html
@redsfanman: Yeah I have a final tomorrow afternoon and here I am not doing much studying.
On the note of the trade though I pull the trigger as long as it doesn’t involve Corcino, Cingrani, or of course Hamilton. Might be able to package a couple of guys that the Cubs might covet and Walt and Co. might not be so high on with Leake. But I have a feeling Theo won’t be making a deal with the Reds that doesn’t involve one of Corcino or Cingrani.
id be all for overbay. Not a large contract. He could be a good bench player to fill in. Looks like they say he only can.play first base but who knows.
And a follow up to my previous comment. Walt needs to get something done. It seems like the pirates are picking up people left and right.
Overbay would be a nice bat off the bench but if he can’t play anywhere but first, is he that useful once Votto comes back? I’m all for it if he’s cheap, gotta be better than Cairo.
The problem with Overbay, from my perspective, is that he’d really need to play the OF to be fully useful. As a bench bat I like him, but I’m afraid he’d take time away from Frazier, as in (1) until Votto’s back, and (2) when Votto gets any time off.
He is an awfully good hitter to just get DFA’d, though. I guess he’s good enough that they figured there’d be multiple teams involved, and they needed a roster spot right away.
I don’t think Leake’s game today will have any bearing on his value, if the Reds are at all inclined to trade him.
I really don’t get the Travis Snider thing for the Pirates. Is that what they’re going to count on to really upgrade their OF? I guess he’s better than what they have, but I was thinking they’d be more bold.
I really don’t get the idea of Garza. Greineke, I get. Lee, I get. Garza is obviously better than Mike Leake, but he’s not obviously better than Latos or Bailey. To me, if you’re trading for a starter and you are the Reds, you’re thinking of your postseason rotation. Who’s he going to pitch instead of?
I like him over Arroyo, but will the club really knock out Arroyo in the postseason? I think they should, but will they?
I wondered the same thing. What does Garza give the Reds above and beyond what they’d get from the current rotation? Not much, I’m afraid. And giving up a young promising player for “not much” doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I agree that if it were a potential #1 or #2 like Greinke or Lee, that’s a different story. But Garza would be more like a #4, or even a #5 depending on how Bailey pitches, and I don’t see the point unless they could get him for practically nothing.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/07/nate-schierholtz-requests-trade.html
Stubbs for Schierholtz? It really depends on whether Stubbs can stay hot or not. 28 years old, LH .247/.316/.418
Don’t know how he is defensively and you’re basically just getting a left handed bat with the same stats. Probably not worth it.
I like the idea of getting Garza, would be an apgrade from Leake and insurance incase Homer doesn’t pitch this way the rest of the year and we cannot put him in the postseason rotation…
Any word on Victorino, Pierre, or Span?
Yesterday I blathered on and on about how Pierre and Span were the wrong pieces for a post season roster. Now Garza? Better. Someone commented earlier, if you trade for a pitcher he needs to be a #1 or #2 type pitcher. It could be argued successfully by someone much smarter than me that Garza is a #2, but from a quick look at his stats and judging from memory of his pitching he seems more like a #3. @zippy: Not sure if you’re seeing something I’m not, but I would have never thought of him as a #5. With his stats a #4 even seems like a stretch.
Garza would definitely be a post season pitcher, whereas Leake would not. I’d prefer not to give up Leake (who has an option). Stubbs for Schierholtz seems likes the wrong direction. I wouldn’t make the deal straight up… not because I don’t like Schierholtz, but because then all you’ve got to play CF is Heisey with no backup on the 40 man?
I think Garza can be a two type, he just hasn’t over the past couple years… I know that could be who he is now, but I remember when he was with Tampa on a winning team, he was damn good… Def an upgrade from Leake, but how much is the question?
Count me as one of the “I don’t get it” votes. Garza has a career FIP of 4.00. He’s not a particularly good strikeout or groundball pitcher. His numbers are likely to go up in GAPB. He’s not even the best starter on the CUBS. Yeah, he’s an upgrade over Leake, and presumably it would be a post-season move, but does anyone for a second believe that Dusty Baker is not going to start Bronson Arroyo in a playoff series? Garza would be replacing LATOS. If we’re going to make a move for a starting pitcher, he’d better be as good or better than Latos or it’s a wasted move. Garza’s a solid #3 pitcher, btu I don’t see how that’s what we need. We need either a great leadoff hitter or a #1-2 type like Cliff Lee. If we can’t get one of those, I’d rather not make any move at all.
The idea of Mat Latos starting a playoff game sort of frightens me. This is the same guy who couldn’t handle the pressure of his first two starts in a Reds uniform.
I don’t think Garza happens but here is the real issue – Latos, Arroyo, Bailey as the other three SP candidates for game #2 of the playoffs. How can anyone feel good about that?
Mr. Fay getting catty with Garber for disagree that Ondrusek should not be the reason Victorino never came to Cincy, ha.
The leadoff spot is killing me. teh fay says it can be cured with BP but dusty shot that one down a week ago. Unless the Red’s grab someone, why should anyone believe Coz loses his spot?
@rightsaidred: As far as the Reds options for #2 and #3 in a playoff series, I’m not quite as worried as some. I think that Latos is “hit or miss” as is Arroyo but I feel that Bailey has turned a corner. I’ve been on the fence about Bailey but I really like what I’m seeing. When things go bad, he isn’t falling apart like he had in the past. He’s learning how to be a pitcher rather than a thrower as well. I’d take him against Garza… Also, aside from the Nationals, I don’t see a team in the AL that I think has a much better 1-3 than the Reds do. I used to worry about the Giants’ big three but with Lincecum’s troubles this year, I’m not so worried about them.
Garza or not Garza, the Reds will be OK if Dustman just changes his philosophy a little bit the Reds will win 93 games.