MLB Free Agents 2012: Yankees Will Re-Sign Freddy Garcia as Rotation Insurance
November 24, 2011 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The Yankees‘ priority for this winter has been pitching.
They re-signed CC Sabathia to a contract extension and have been in negotiations with Texas Rangers ace C.J. Wilson.
According to David Waldstein of the New York Times through his Twitter account, the Yankees will bring back one of their surprise pitchers from 2011.
The Yankees and Freddy Garcia are nearing a one-year agreement for 2012 and likely will be used as insurance for the rotation, especially if they do not sign Wilson and miss out on a starter this winter.
Garcia was 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA and 146.2 innings in 25 starts for the Yankees in 2011.
Garcia was originally signed by the Yankees over the winter to a minor league deal and given an invitation to make the team during spring training, which he did by pitching very well.
Garcia’s strong spring carried over into the regular season; he gave the Yankees some quality innings and rotation depth, considering they dealt with injuries to Phil Hughes and inconsistency from A.J. Burnett.
The 35-year old right-hander will give the Yankees some options in 2012.
He can be used as their fifth starter, or if needed can be used out of the bullpen as a long reliever and occasionally make spot starts.
With the signing of Garcia, I don’t think the Yankees will be done in their search for starting pitching this winter…
…because if so, Yankees GM Brian Cashman will have done nothing except the same thing he did last year. And it paid off once for the Yankees.
But twice? I don’t think the Yankees can afford to just go “bargain shopping” again this winter.
Re-signing Garcia is good. But Cashman cannot stop there.
Whether it be signing Wilson or making a trade, the Yankees still need to bolster the rotation.
But it looks like Freddy Garcia will get a second chance to perform in pinstripes when 2012 comes along.
Only now, he will get a guaranteed contract because of how successful he was in 2011.
Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.
And from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!
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