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Why David Price is hoping Matt Garza gets traded back to the AL East 07.11.12 at 4:09 pm ET
By Alex Speier

Cubs right-hander Matt Garza could be a candidate to be traded back to the AL East (AP)

KANSAS CITY — Chances are, David Price and Matt Garza have talked in recent days. And chances are, the subject of Garza’s destination in a potential trade came up.

“Honestly, I talk to him about that every single day,” Price said of his former Rays teammate prior to the All-Star Game. “He’s one of my best friends in baseball. I hope he comes to the East, just so I can hang out with him. I told him whether he goes to New York or Boston, I hope he doesn’t go to Detroit, because the only time I’d see him then would be in the postseason. We’re done with [the Tigers on the schedule]. I hope he does. I hope he goes to one of those teams and I get to see him again. I told him if he goes to New York or Boston and we come there, I’m just going to stay with him. He said that was fine. I would like to see him pitch.”

Price and Garza were teammates with the Rays from 2008-10. The two collaborated for arguably the most significant pitching performance in Rays history, with Garza dominating the Red Sox for seven innings and Price recording the final four outs of Tampa Bay’s 3-1 win over the Sox in Game 7 of the ALCS in 2008. And so, Price is well aware that his former teammate — who is currently 4-7 with a 4.32 ERA but with strong strikeout (8.3 per nine innings) and walk (2.8 per nine) rates for a terrible Cubs team — can be a difference maker in both the race for the postseason and, potentially, in the playoffs themselves.

Indeed, Garza’s track record of excellence in the AL East (and, perhaps most notably, his consistent dominance against the Sox, against whom he is 7-4 with a 3.83 ERA), along with the fact that he will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2013 season, could position him as the most valuable player on the trade market this winter. The Cubs will undoubtedly seek a haul if they do part with the right-hander, and with good reason.

“He stepped up for us in big game after big game, in Game 7 of the ALCS against Boston in 2008, he gave up the home run to [Dustin] Pedroia in the first inning and then shut the door. That was huge,” said Price. “He threw the no-hitter against Detroit. He threw some pretty good games for us.”

And now, Price is willing to embrace the possibility that Garza could pitch against the Rays as well. The competitor in him relishes the idea of facing his close friend.

“I would like to pitch against him,” said Price. “It would be fun. It’s always fun whenever you’re matched up against one of your buddies. I think it would be cool, it would be good for him to get back into a winning environment.”

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  • http://twitter.com/Zj_6 Zack Jones

    I would love to see him in a sox uniform. I don’t think ben c. has the balls though

  • Gpearsoll

    Likely he ends up with the Jays.. Red Sox don’t have the assets the Cubs want without destroying the farm system and threatening the team’s future. Remember, the Red Sox also have to have room for John Lackey when he returns in the 2013 season.

  • Gpearsoll

    And the Sox have no pitching prospects close to the majors either.. remember, the Sox have little near ready depth in AAA and AA. However, they have many position players.. but many need to be kept, with future holes at C, SS, CF and RF in the coming years, as Aviles, Salty, Ellsbury and Ross hit free agency.

  • miked

    HATE GARZA HIM AND HIS SPITTING EVERY TIME BUTTTT WOULD TAKE HIM ANY DAY ON THE SOX OVER ANY OF OUR PITCHERS.. GIVE BECKETT TO THEO LOL

  • Matt Moerth

    If he would really end up in the AL the biggest chance would be Baltimore, and those chances are not big. Yankees have zero prospects for a trade. Boston doesn’t have a spot for him, they cant move becket or lester in to the bullpen, the backend doesn’t worry me. Blue Jays allready have a very young promising rotation. Rays…. no explanation necessary. So the Orioles are the only team that would make sense to me, but i have no idea if they have prospects or the could afford him, but their rotation is definetly after sending matusz down and a horrible arrieta shaky.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_J6CSXCU4KVZJYCXEG3AIW3GNRA Paul Sousa

    Theo would take less from NY than Boston in order to ship him to the Yankees. Especially if Boston makes some sort of wild card run.   Without a doubt.  Any guy who takes the time to text Ken Rosethal, during the middle of the Sox Yanks game on Saturday to make sure Cherington does not get credit for Mauro Gomez and Pedro Ciriaco (as if it really matters) has issues.   

  • Timmy T

     Boston doesn’t have a spot for him? Really?  Beckett is always a start away from the DL, and Buchholz hasn’t made it thourgh a season healthy yet either.  Doubront has also had injury problems in his career.  Out of the current rotation, only Lester has proven durable.  If you have the ability to get a guy like Garza (and re-sign him), you make the room for him or the room makes itself.  The other option if (big if) all five of them are healthy is to move Doubront back to the bullpen.  He’s likely to show effects of the innings count he’s at pretty soon anyways, and it would be a way to maximize talent and keep him fresh down the stretch.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1397387078 Ed Duffy

    Future holes due to Free agency? Aviles? Doubt they are worrying about that thinking long term. If Iglesias stayed healthy this here he might be there now. Ross? Nice player but outfielders are a dime a dozen as the team has proved this year. Ellsbury? Sadly, doubtful they can sign him with albatross contracts of Lackey and Crawford and in my mind Gonzalez, but Bradley is coming fast. Salty? If he continues the upward trend they will sign him unlesss they feel Lavarnway is ready at the time. One thing to remember about prospects is that things can change in a hurry. Nobody talked much about Middlebrooks until last season when he turned the corner, and nobody thought Reddick was a potential star, the majority liked Kalish much better and he still could prove it to be so despite what he showed this time up.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1397387078 Ed Duffy

    Price is a stud and from what I see and hear a good guy, but i hardly want to hear my guy hoping a top of the rotation starter comes over to compete against us in the division so he can “hang out.” That defines the mentality of todays athlete. Its not rec league dude!

  • Anonymous

    They might be able to get him without Henry knowing. After a,week he will email the press from London with his comments.

  • Anonymous

    They need to get someone like Reed Johnson to platoon with Nava or Sweeney. Neither can hit left handers. and, if Crawford comesback, neither can he.

  • Michiganman171

    Where did you read that on Epstein? Just curious.

  • trollhunter

    other than bill”s and jags buckel up your chin straps some tough games ahead!

  • nick122528

    Boy those late season night games against two of the elite teams in the NFL should really show who and what the Patriots are made of this year.

  • GB

    Chris-

    I am surprised that you did not give any kind of prediction on the wins and losses for teh remaining games.

  • Burnthrowbacks

    They need 6 – 2 to clinch the east. With the loss by Miami last Sunday, one of those loses can come in a divisional game. If Miami loses to anyone else or loses both games to the Pats then 5-3 will be enough..

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