WHY MY GUT SAYS FREDDY GARCIA IS LEAVING THE BRONX

I stated that once Freddy Garcia got hit in the hand back on March 14th by the comebacker, all eyes would then be on Phil Hughes. I suggested he needed to be perfect to nail the 5^th spot in the rotation because no doubt, Freddy would miss a start and Phil could capitalize. It worked out that way. Read WHY HUGHES NOW GETS A CLOSER LOOK.

That being said, In Freddy Garcia’s return outing just a few days ago, he did damn good and at least for us bloggers and writers, we had something to write about.... we all blew up the rumored “competition” between Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia again. Now, after much guess and info gathering by many of us, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says, while it won't officially be announced until next week, Phil Hughes has won the 5th spot in the rotation. Good for Phil...read HERE. Look, when it comes to Freddy Garcia, a guy whom the Yankees really like, it may not be in the cards anymore. Is it fair? No, but it’s business. I think back to that ridiculous report by Joel Sherman a few weeks ago when he suggested that the Yankees already had chosen Phil Hughes as their 5^th starter but won’t announce it because they didn’t want Garcia to be offended. Read HERE. Sure, the report before a spring training game was even played seemed silly to me, but now that story makes more sense weeks later.

It’s smoke and mirrors with the Yankees sometimes, or that scene in Enter the Dragon when Bruce Lee walks into the mirror filled room to fight the enemy...you never know what to expect. Look the Yankees are all about what’s best for the Yankees, but even they respect their players. At the end of the day though, they don't truly tell you what's going on, until they do it. That being said, I believe they've always been rooting for Phil Hughes. I believe they needed it all to unfold the way it did. They wanted it appear like everyone was competing for a spot and then they’d narrow it down behind the scenes, and then publicly presented it as fair and square. Sherman seemed to have nailed it all along, and Feinsand confirmed it. Bravo. When Garcia got smacked in the hand, that was a bonus for them, it just made their decision easier. Couple that with Andy Pettitte un-retiring and returning to the Bronx and it’s clear that the writing is on the wall for “The Chief.” Sure, I have no proof, it's my opinion.... then again...maybe I'm just reading into it.

Then, suddenly, reports surface that the Yanks and Marlins briefly talked about a trade, and suddenly, Freddy Garcia’s on the trading block. Read HERE. The Marlins don’t seem interested, but mark my words, if Garcia was offered to the Marlins, no doubt he’s being offered elsewhere, because that’s how the Yankees work. And that’s why some of these Yankee sports writers are so good, because they always sniff out the story in some capacity. There were even talks that perhaps there's a fit for Garcia in Los Angeles with the Angels and the Yankees could get Bobby Abreu in return. It's interesting and it makes sense too. Read HERE.

It’s my opinion that based on all of my speculating above, Freddy Garcia will get traded. I don't know when, I don't know how, but the Yankees are sniffing around the hydrant. Look, Brian Cashman is a smooth operator. He may tell us all 1 thing, but he is always working the phones to do another, sometimes just keeping us off his scent totally. Don’t be surprised if one day you wake up and Freddy is gone.

And that being said, know this, Freddy is a damn good pitcher and he may deserve more respect, but this is baseball and it’s business. I'd love him to stay, I love him in the Bronx, but things are quickly changing as we are 1 week away from opening day. Sure, if the Yankees can use Garcia in the pen as a long-man, or in a starting capacity, I'm all for it. After all, I know he’ll do that too, he just wants to pitch, but at 35 let’s not forget that he can become a pretty valuable trading chip for something else the Yankees could use. Yeah it sucks, but it’s business. No… I don’t want to trade Freddy, but I see it happening, to better the team, that’s all, nothing more.

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