Freddy Garcia was released by the Padres in spring training. Just two months ago, he was pitching in Triple-A for the Orioles. in his first start in Triple-A Gwinnett, after the Braves took a chance on him in late August and sent cash to Baltimore for him when Brandon Beachy had more elbow problems, he got pounded for eight runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Yet here he is, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez’s unwavering choice to start Game 4 of the NL division series against the Dodgers on Monday.
If anybody is looking for Garcia to be fazed by this, they’ve got the wrong guy. He’s been here before, a veteran of eight postseason series, more than twice the experience of any other player on the Braves roster.
“I just have to go there and pitch the way I’ve been pitching and try to do my best,” Garcia said at his Sunday afternoon press conference.
Braves bullpen coach Eddie Perez couldn’t help but take notice of Garcia during the Braves all-important 4-3 win over the Dodgers Friday in Game 2.
“He was in the bullpen, acting normal,” Perez said of his fellow Venezuelan. “Everybody was excited. He was just sitting there. I don’t know if that’s the way he is. He’s excited to be here but he’s not showing it, which is pretty good.”
Garcia has started 10 postseason games, including the 2005 World Series clincher for the Chicago White Sox. Perez asked him about that game and Garcia told him a story about being out to eat at a restaurant the night before. He ran into White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, the former Braves shortstop, who told Garcia to go home and go to bed.
“He goes ‘Hey, I got it, don’t worry about it,’” Perez said.
And he did, pitching seven shutout innings of a 1-0 win at Houston’s hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park.
Garcia doesn’t have the same powerful stuff he had at age 28, when he threw in the mid-90s. But a similar mentality has served him well with the Braves. He has a 1.65 ERA in six games, including three relief appearances. He has a 1.83 ERA in his three starts, allowing only four earned runs in 19 2/3 innings.
Garcia had shoulder surgery in 2007 and, at age 36, averages about 87.1 mph on his fastball, according to fangraphs.com. But he’s proven he can still pitch with what he’s got.
“I had to find a way to get people out,” Garcia said. “I learned to throw that split-finger (pitch) and I just pitched backwards (using the breaking ball to set up the fastball).”
Gonzalez says Garcia can “maneuver” through a major league lineup. Perez said he can throw his change-up, his splitter and his two-seamer for strikes. He’s still imposing at 6 foot 4, 255 pounds and uses that to his advantage.
“He’s a big kid,” Perez said. “People wait for the fastball because he looks big out there. He throws home like he’s going to throw a fastball but he throws a change-up.”
