There's something so funny about watching Rich Garces pitch. I think its why he was regarded as a cult hero in the late 90's with the Sox. Sure, the guy was legit- in the 115 innings "el Guapo" threw in his heyday ('99-'00), he posted a 2.67 ERA and a 13-2 record out of Boston's 'pen. Watching the stout Guapo running out of the bullpen is appealing to baseball fans not because it's an oddity, but just the opposite. If a guy who looks like the objext he's throwing can strike out Derek Jeter, it refreshes the possibly that anyone can. The human gordito defies odds, and thats why we love him. I recently talked to Garces, who at age 36 is resurrecting his career in the Can-Am league, the lowest rung of professional baseball. Meet(all over again) the man who shatters every athletic stereotype known to man- "el Guapo"...
I talked to Nashua pitching coach Dan Lemon about his mighty righty (he's converted all nine of his save chances as of 6/28), and Lemon says that Guapo is checking as high as 90 mph. Apparently, he was throwing a tad harder than this over the Winter in the Venezuelan winter league, where he was honored as the league's releiver of the year. his velocity dipped after a five month rest period before agreeing to throw for Nashua, suggesting that someone should take a chance on him.
That said, another source close to the Pride and Garces told me that he believes that even if a major league club wanted to take a flier on Guapo, he'd decline. Guapo has two young daughters that he might not want to relocate so soon, and according to Guapo himself, "They treat me like a president who just got off the plane here."
1 comment:
el guapo is muy gigante.
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