Matt Garza

The latest addition to the Chicago Cubs roster with a busy 2010 off season is pitcher Matt Garza. The Cubs have completed a large trade with the Tampa Bay Rays to bring in the starting pitcher to the organization. It's a trade that seems well-designed for both clubs, as there is a lot of upside on both sides of the trade, and each had to give up some major value. For the Cubs, they are hoping not only to bring in a solid, innings-eater style of pitcher for the top of the rotation, they hope to be bringing in a potential new number 1 pitcher, and one with big game and postseason experience to help direct the young team in the right direction.

 

Matt Garza has earned that reputation with his last few seasons with the Rays. In July of 2010, he pitched a complete game no-hitter, and it's the third complete game shutout of his career. The 2010 season was one of his best for a number of reasons, including a career-best 15 wins, a solid 3.91 ERA and a career-high 204.2 innings pitched, to go along with that shutout.

 

But Garza also has more accomplishments, including most notably, his 2008 ALCS MVP award. In that series against the Boston Red Sox, Garza went 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 14 strikeouts to help get the Rays into the World Series. All told, he has made 5 postseason starts and has a 3.48 ERA. That experience and that high level of performance on the biggest stage are both key assets to Matt Garza and what he brings to the table with the Chicago Cubs.

 

The Cubs though did have to part with a number of high value players in return though. They sent five prospects to the Rays, including a number of very highly touted players within the organization. The team had to part with its 2010 minor league player of the year and minor league pitcher of the year, in outfielder Brandon Guyer and pitcher Chris Archer, respectively. Additionally, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee was also included in the trade, and he's also an extremely highly rated prospect.

 

So the team definitely did give up a lot in the deal, but they hope that in Matt Garza they have a player who can make an immediate impact. Plus, at just 27 years old, he figures to still be coming into his own, and he can be with the team for potentially a very long time while performing at a very high level.

 

Besides his postseason experience, Matt Garza is also known to be a fiery and passionate player. You always know how he is feeling and what he's thinking on the mound, and that can be construed as either a positive or a negative depending on who you ask. From his perspective, it's all about giving your maximum effort both physically and emotionally, each and every time he steps onto the mound, and that's certainly a plus.

 

It's also interesting because he joins a Chicago Cubs rotation which features the fiery and combustible Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano's passion has both served him well and been to his own detriment throughout his career, but in 2010, the Cubs saw more of the latter. While Zambrano has been the number 1 starter and the staff ace for quite some time, the Cubs are hoping that his new fiery counterpart can challenge him for that number 1 spot, and potentially win it from home.

 

If they each push each other and use that passion to improve and focus their performances, then suddenly the Chicago Cubs have a very strong 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation that could help improve the club dramatically. The rest of the rotation features Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva. With those six pitchers, it's necessary that either somebody moves to the bullpen, or perhaps there is another trade in the works.

 

Matt Garza is the second player formerly of the Tampa Bay Rays to join the Chicago Cubs after the 2010 season, and they each filled a major hole in the team. The first was first baseman Carlos Pena, and he filled a gaping hole at that position with the departure of Derrek Lee. Garza helps to instantly improve the rotation, and in doing so and sending one of the other starters to the bullpen, also helps to shore up that area of the team, another weak spot.

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