Freddy García
New York Yankees – No. 36
Pitcher
Born: (1976-10-06) October 6, 1976 (age 35) Caracas, Venezuela
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 7, 1999 for the Seattle Mariners
Career statistics (through 2012 season)
Win–loss record	145–97
Earned run average	4.15
Strikeouts	1,486
WHIP	1.303
Teams
Seattle Mariners (1999–2004) Chicago White Sox (2004–2006) Philadelphia Phillies (2007) Detroit Tigers (2008) Chicago White Sox (2009–2010) New York Yankees (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (2001–2002) American League ERA champion in 2001 Led American League in innings pitched in 2001 World Series champion (2005)

Freddy Antonio García (born October 6, 1976 in Caracas, Venezuela), nicknamed "The Chief", is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees. During his major league career, he has also pitched for the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago White Sox.

García throws a fastball that can get into the 90s and a hard slider. He also throws a two-seam fastball, a curveball, a split-finger fastball and occasionally uses a changeup.^[1] Garcia's best year was in 2001 in which he led the American League in innings pitched and ERA. He made the All-Star team in 2001 and 2002. In 2005, he was a member of the World Series winning Chicago White Sox and started the series winning game 4.

Major League Baseball career[link]

Seattle Mariners[link]

Originally signed by the Houston Astros as a non-draft amateur free agent in 1993, García was acquired by Seattle in 1998, along with Carlos Guillén and John Halama in the trade that sent Randy Johnson to the Astros.^[2]

During García's rookie season, he pitched 201 innings, compiling a 17–8 record with 170 strikeouts and a 4.07 ERA in 33 starts. After going 9–5 in his second season, he went on to win 18, 16, 12, 13, and 14 games over the course of the next five seasons. Garcia was the American League pitcher on the mound when the 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was called after 11 innings, and ended as a 7–7 tie. The other pitcher was Vicente Padilla of the Philadelphia Phillies.

At the July 31 trading deadline in 2004, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Mike Morse, Miguel Olivo, and Jeremy Reed. As a Mariner, Garcia posted a 76–50 record with a 3.89 ERA and 819 strikeouts.

García with the Chicago White Sox in 2005.

Chicago White Sox[link]

Garcia was the starting pitcher in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series for the Chicago White Sox, going 7 scoreless innings. The White Sox later won the game and swept the Astros by winning the World Series.

Garcia experienced a bit of controversy at the beginning of the 2006 season when he tested positive for marijuana during the World Baseball Classic.^[3]

In 2006, he surpassed 1200 strikeouts for his career. In eight post-season games, he was 5–2 with a 3.56 ERA in 48 innings. Also during 2006, on April 29, García recorded his 103rd career win in a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, surpassing former White Sox left-hander Wilson Alvarez as the Venezuelan native with most career wins in Major League history. He finished the season 17–9 with a 4.53 ERA.^[2]

Philadelphia Phillies[link]

García with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007.

In December 2006, Garcia was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez.^[2] While Phillies fans eagerly anticipated Garcia's 2007 season, he failed to live up to expectations. He hid a shoulder injury for the first several months of the season and was finally placed on the disabled list (DL) in June. Garcia made 11 starts before being placed on the DL and earned one win.

Detroit Tigers[link]

In August 2008, García signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. In his first 2 minor league starts with the Tigers he pitched 5 innings, gave up no runs, and struck out 5. In his Tigers debut in late September, García, with a limited pitch count, threw 5 scoreless innings to get the win.

New York Mets[link]

In January 2009, García agreed to a minor league deal with the New York Mets. He was released from the Mets on April 28, 2009 because of two bad starts with the Triple-A farm team, Buffalo Bisons.^[4] He was released without having appeared on the club's regular season roster.^[5][6]

Second stint with the Chicago White Sox[link]

On June 8, 2009, the Chicago White Sox signed Garcia to a minor league contract.^[7] Garcia started on August 18 against the Kansas City Royals for the first time with the White Sox since 2006. In his first game back with the White Sox, Garcia went 4.1 IP allowing 5 ER in a losing effort. Garcia finished the 2009 season with a 3–4 record and a 4.34 ERA. On October 5, 2009, the Chicago White Sox exercised their 2010 option on Garcia, adding that the 34-year-old made a $1 million base salary, plus a possible $2 million in incentives.^[8]

New York Yankees[link]

On January 31, 2011, García agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees worth $1.5 million.^[9] On March 25, 2011, the Yankees announced that García would be added to the major league starting rotation.^[10] He finished the 2011 season with a solid 12–8 record and a 3.62 ERA^[11], however, he was consistently hammered by teams with .500 or better records, most notably the Boston Red Sox. Garcia was on the mound as the Sox won their first game of the season, as well as a number of other losses in May and June. However, Garcia did manage to defeat the Red Sox in September. Garcia also lost his only playoff start as the Yankees were defeated by the Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series in five games. Despite this, the Yankees offered him a one-year deal worth $4 million with incentives for the 2012 season. The deal became official on December 9.^[11][12]

Garcia was expected to challenge for a starting spot with Phil Hughes, A. J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Michael Pineda. However, Burnett was traded in the offseason, and Pineda was diagnosed with a shoulder injury, thereby allowing Garcia into the rotation.^[13] However, on April 29, García was moved to the bullpen after going 0-2 in his first 4 starts with a 12.51 ERA, averaging 3.1 innings per start. David Phelps was moved into the starting rotation.^[14]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Freddy García

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal
	Venezuela portal

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Tommy Hanson
Hanson pitching for the Braves
Atlanta Braves – No. 48
Starting pitcher
Born: (1986-08-28) August 28, 1986 (age 25) Tulsa, Oklahoma
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 7, 2009 for the Atlanta Braves
Career statistics (through April 21, 2012)
Win-Loss record	34-24
Earned run average	3.29
Strikeouts	454
Teams
Atlanta Braves (2009-present)
Career highlights and awards
AFL Most Valuable Player (2008) Rookie of the Month NL winner (June 2009)

Thomas J "Tommy" Hanson^[1] (born August 28, 1986, in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. Hanson was considered by Baseball America to be the top prospect in the Braves farm system going into the 2009 season. That was affirmed by Minor League News, which tapped Hanson as the number one prospect to mid-season in the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2009 rankings.^[2] He was called up to the majors on June 3, 2009.^[3]

Early life[link]

Tommy was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After moving to California at a very young age, Hanson graduated from Redlands East Valley High School in June 2004, electing to continue his post-secondary education at Riverside Community College. He played for the Corvallis Knights in the West Coast League, an independent summer collegiate baseball league. In 2005, he was selected in the 22nd round (677th overall pick) by the Atlanta Braves as a draft-and-follow pick.^[4]

Minor league career[link]

The following year, in 2006, Hanson began playing for the Danville Braves of the Appalachian League. In Danville, he began the season as the league's fourth-best prospect according to Baseball America. That season, Hanson ended up starting Game 2 of the Appalachian League Championship Series, finishing the season 4-1 with three wins coming in relief.^[5] He also had a 2.09 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP.^[6]

2007[link]

Before the 2007 season began, Hanson was named the best pitching prospect in the South Atlantic League and the ninth-best prospect in the Braves system.^[7] Hanson began the 2007 season in Class A, playing for the Rome Braves. When in Rome, Hanson amassed a 2-6 record with a 2.59 ERA in 14 starts (and one relief appearance). Midway through the season, Hanson was called up to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, also a Class A team for the Atlanta Braves. He ended up finishing the season at 3-3 with a 4.20 ERA in 11 starts.

2008[link]

Hanson began the 2008 season in Myrtle Beach. In his first start, Hanson pitched five no-hit innings and recorded a then career-best 13 strikeouts (later broken in Double-A that year). Over his seven starts with the Pelicans, he allowed 15 hits in 40 innings. That stat, along with his 3-1 record and 0.90 ERA, earned him a promotion to the Braves' Double-A affiliate, the Mississippi Braves. At Mississippi, Hanson threw a no-hitter in his ninth start while also setting a new career high for strikeouts with 14. Hanson finished the 2008 season with Mississippi. He finished 8-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 18 starts. Following the Minor League season, Hanson won the MiLBY for Class A Advanced Single Game Performance. He won this award for his performance with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.^[8] Hanson was named the Atlanta Braves Pitcher of the Year and also placed on Baseball America's Minor League Team of the Year.^[9] Hanson was invited to the Arizona Fall League to showcase his pitching. He compiled a 5-0 record with a 0.63 ERA while racking up 49 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. Hanson was named the Arizona Fall League's MVP, the first pitcher to receive this award.^[10]

2009[link]

In the 2008 offseason, the Atlanta Braves were one of multiple teams that were interested in trading for San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy. Hanson's name was mentioned throughout the proceedings, but a trade for Peavy did not take place.^[11] Hanson began the 2009 season with the Braves' Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Braves.^[6] He was named the number one prospect in MiLB by Minor League News in the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2009 rankings.

Major league career[link]

2009: Rookie Year

Hanson was called up by the Atlanta Braves on June 3, 2009 after the team cut Tom Glavine.^[12] He made his debut on June 7 against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching 6 innings, striking out 5, giving up 6 earned runs, 3 home runs, and receiving a no decision.^[13] He gave up two home runs to Ryan Braun, the first being the first hit allowed in Hanson’s major league career.[1]

Hanson with the Braves in 2009.

On June 12, Hanson earned his first win against the Baltimore Orioles.^[14] On June 28, he threw six scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks to improve his career major league record to 4-0 and lowered his ERA to 2.48. In his first 4 major league victories, his combined ERA was 0.78. At one point in the season he had thrown 22 consecutive shutout innings and also became the first National League rookie pitcher to win consecutive starts against the Yankees and the Red Sox. For his efforts, Hanson was named June's NL Rookie of the Month. In his final 10 starts, Hanson pitched 60.2 innings and allowed just 17 earned runs in that span. Hanson finished third in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

2010

Hanson finished the 2010 campaign with a 10-11 record, 3.33 ERA, and 1.17 WHIP. He set a career-high in innings-pitched with 202.2, surrendering 182 hits while striking out 173 batters and walking 56.^[15]

2011

On June 12, Hanson set a new career high of 14 strikeouts in a game against the Houston Astros, which matched the most strikeouts recorded by a pitcher at Minute Maid Park. The pitcher who initially set the record of 14 strikeouts at Minute Maid Park was Bud Norris. At the all-star break, Tommy Hanson led the league in opponents' batting average (.190), was fourth in ERA (2.44), third in K/9 (9.5), second in WHIP (1.016), and tied for third in wins (10). Nonetheless, Hanson was not selected to the NL All-Star team.

Pitching style[link]

A tall right-hander with great mound presence, Hanson has four main pitches: a mid-90s fastball with good movement, an above-average changeup, an effective slider, as well as a 12-6 curveball which is his best pitch. His curveball is one of the best in the majors and frequently draws called 3rd strikes. Hanson throws his slider like a fastball with a different grip, aiming for the middle of the plate to allow the pitch to break over the outside corner. However, he has also had some control issues in the past.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tommy Hanson

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• MILB.com: Tommy Hanson Biography
• Mississippi Braves: Tommy Hanson Biography

Freddie Garcia (born July 7, 1952 in Guanajuato, Mexico) is a retired Mexican-American soccer forward who spent seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and two in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Born in Mexico, Garcia grew up in the United States. In 1973, he signed with the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League. He would play seven seasons with the Tornado, the last in 1979. He also played two seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League, the 1978-1979 season with the Cleveland Force and the 1979-1980 season with the Wichita Wings.

External links[link]

• NASL/MISL stats