Matt Garza

2013

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2012

He may have won only 10 games, and the Cubs probably gave up too much to get him, but Garza was every bit the pitcher the Cubs expected to anchor their staff. Garza struck out a batter per inning, walked just 63 and did an excellent job of keeping the ball in the park, thanks to a career-best groundball rate (1.47 GB/FB). Garza averaged 94 mph on his fastball and was clocked at 102 by one presumably generous radar gun in early July. The bottom line, Garza pitched like a staff ace last year, and given that he's in the National League Central which just lost Albert Pujols and almost certainly Prince Fielder (and perhaps Ryan Braun for 50 games), we'd expect another strong season.

2011

Garza headed into 2010 as the "No. 1-B" starter to ace James Shields and looked to fill the potential many thought he had. He started the season strong, posting a 2.06 ERA over 35 innings in April. However, his numbers dropped soon after and he only improved his overall ERA from the previous season by .04 points (3.91). Garza did win a career-high 15 games and eclipsed 200 innings for the second straight season. One particular concern is his declining K/9IP rate (down 1.7 from 2009). Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with his velocity so many feel his pitch selection was to blame. A move out of the AL East should boost his fantasy value, especially with the move to the National League after the Rays traded him to the Cubs in January. He'll only be 27 this season, so there's still room for improvement on the mound and a rebound in his strikeout rate seems like a good bet.

2010

Garza enters the season as one of the better No. 2 starters in baseball. He probably has the best stuff out of all of the Rays' starters, and he held opposing batters to a .233 BAA (fourth in the AL) in 2009. His improved control (2.16 K:BB in 2008 to 2.39 K:BB in 2009) coupled with a second straight season with a sub-1.300 WHIP suggests a drastic improvement for his 8-12 record is in store. Only 26, draft Garza with confidence as he has yet to reach his full potential.

2009

Garza made last winter's blockbuster trade with the Twins a stunning success for the Rays. After a mid-season tiff in a June game at Arlington with catcher Dioner Navarro, Garza emerged as a co-ace down the stretch for the Rays, posting a 3.07 ERA over his next 16 starts and holding batters to a .633 OPS. Garza followed that up with an MVP performance in the ALCS, including a Game 7 outing versus Boston that Rays fans have already bronzed on DVD. He'll return as the third starter in 2009.

2008

Garza will be the No. 3 starter for Tampa Bay after he was traded in six-player deal for Delmon Young. Before the trade, Garza was Minnesota's top pitching prospect (a 2005 first-round pick) and had established himself in the majors after he was called up in July after an up-and-down rookie season. Garza had outstanding strikeout and control numbers in the minors, averaging a strikeout per inning in Triple-A. While his strikeout rate wasn't as impressive initially in the majors, he's just 24 years old and should improve once he grows more confident with his breaking pitches. While he has a mid-90's fastball, Twins management wasn't happy with how little he used his off-speed stuff early in the season. One benefit from the trade is that Garza had a 5.91 career ERA at the Metrodome, so a new home ballpark certainly won't hurt.

2007

Garza is Minnesota's top pitching prospect and rose all the way from High-A to the majors last season. He dominated minor league competition with a 1.99 ERA and 154:32 K:BB in 135.2 innings across three levels. The Twins wanted to give him more seasoning in the high minors but a number of injuries thrust him into the big league rotation in early August. His first two months in the majors were inconsistent, including two quality starts and two horrible ones in which he didn't get out of the third inning. His strikeout rate and control were pedestrian compared to his outstanding minor league numbers. With a fastball that can hit the mid-90s and a strong slider, Garza will enter 2007 with a spot in the Minnesota rotation. His minor league numbers suggest he'll be a star, but will it be in 2007 with less than 100 career innings in the high minors?

2006

Garza, Minnesota's 25th pick in the first round of the 2005 draft, was dominant at Low-A with a 64/15 K/BB ratio in 56 innings. He has a fastball that can hit the mid-90s and has a strong slider. He was a bit old for his competition coming right from college, so Double-A will be a good test. His future may also be as a reliever, but he's another Minnesota pitching prospect to add to your minor league keepers who could make an impact in the majors in 2007.