When the Texas Rangers traded two of their top prospects for Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza last July, it was said to be because he'd be the guy that put them over the top and they would work on extending him beyond his free agency because they'd always been after him and had always liked his abilities.
Funny what a half-season of mediocrity will do about a club's feelings about a guy.
That trade is now officially one of the worst in the Jon Daniels tenure, in hindsight, of course, as Garza came to Texas and put up a 4.38 ERA, struggling mightily down the stretch.
But make no mistake, Garza's still a solid pitcher and not everyone can pitch well in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington with consistency — clearly Garza couldn't.
Now, it seems the Arizona Diamondbacks and — you guessed it — the Los Angeles Angels are pursuing a deal with Garza.
MLB Trade Rumors has projected Garza's free-agent deal this winter at around four years for $64 million, and Daniels has said the Rangers aren't interested. Someone will be though.
