Do Mariners keep Garcia or dangle him?
He can be a man of many moods on the mound.
But he’s already one of the best pitchers in baseball, on his way to becoming absolutely dominant.
He will find true happiness somewhere in this game, and Mariners fans are growing increasingly fearful that Seattle may not be the place.
Randy Johnson in 1998?
No, Freddy Garcia in 2004.
The Mariners are at a crossroads with their strong right-hander, who has shown this season that when there’s a true purpose to pitch, he can do it with the best.
He has been their most consistently successful pitcher in a season when you must look beyond the win-loss record (3-4). His 3.18 earned run average is third best in the American League.
Garcia is a free agent after this season and, with the July 31 trade deadline now in view, the Mariners must decide if they can afford to bring him back.
The question is, can they afford not to?
It’ll take at least $40 million over four years for anybody to get Garcia.
The Mariners need an ace, and the alternatives aren’t appealing.
Nobody in the organization is close to becoming a top-of-the-rotation starter.
If the Mariners decide they can’t re-sign Garcia, the field of potential free agents isn’t stocked with stoppers who’d be available at much more affordable prices. Garcia is making $6.875 million this year.
Right-hander Esteban Loaiza of the White Sox (6-3, 3.78 ERA) is making $4 million this year.
Left-hander Eric Milton of the Phillies (7-1, 3.78): $9 million.
Right-hander Brad Radke of the Twins (4-3, 3.55): $10.75 million.
Righty Matt Clement of the Cubs (6-4, 3.27): $6 million.
Righty Kevin Millwood of the Phillies (4-3, 4.39): $11 million.
Strong yearning?
If the M’s believe they can still get back into the division race, they must move Randy Winn to left field and end a period of tentative play and wrong routes in center field.
And even if they believe the season is over and it’s time to play for the future, put Winn in left, call up Jamal Strong from Class AAA Tacoma and let him play every day.
Nageotte right choice
With respect to Travis Blackley fans, rookie right-hander Clint Nageotte is the right man to pitch Monday against the Houston Astros.
The Astros’ lineup is dominated by right-handed hitters and it would be a mistake to give Blackley, a lefty, his first major league start against them. Nageotte, despite a rocky big league debut last Tuesday when he allowed four runs in relief of Gil Meche, should be more comfortable on the mound this time.