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Solid Start Has Veteran Pitcher Looking for Houses
August 24, 2045: YELLOW SPRINGS – Looking at him at age 27, it’s hard to remember that Jorge Garcia has been in the major leagues for seven seasons now, but it’s true. He broke in with Valencia at 20, going 5-5 in 20 starts, and hasn’t looked back.
Earlier this year he was included in a trade that moved him to Yellow Springs, where he and his soon-to-be wife have taken a serious shine to. Rumors are they’ve been looking for a house in the community, which, of course, would be a suggestion that he was staying with the club longer term. . His contract is up this year, and rumors are that Garcia has asked his representation to see what they can do about keeping him in the red and black uniforms of the Nine.
“I like Yellow Springs,” he said yesterday after throwing his second respectable start. “It’s a wide open area, the fans are the best, and the ballpark is just great. I mean, who wouldn’t love a Big Niner at Utopia Field?”
One would think that if he keeps pitching like this, the club's front office lukewarm reception might heat up.
“I could see him sticking with the team,” said pitching coach Alberto Sanchez. “He’s a bit of a jabbermouth, but the clubhouse can use that sometimes, and he’s got that versatility about him. He wants to start, but he’s been happy to play the swing role and throw long innings out of the bullpen. So I could see him as the right handed compliment to Josh (lefty reliever Josh Henson).”
The question, as always, would probably boil down to money and salary cap, something the Nine are in scarce supply of. If Garcia is truly wanting to stay, he’d probably have to take a not insubstantial discount from the $5.2M his contract currently calls for. No one is hearing him say that, yet.
In the meantime, real estate agents have been lining up to show him and his fiancée a series of the city’s better housing options. Yes, they’re working on spec, but at the moment he’s a lottery ticket that could pay off big in the near-term future.
“Showing them around the city is always a fun afternoon,” said Mindy Mason of Landings Realtors. “Those two are just so cute.”
