Ryan Dempster takes reigns from Carlos Zambrano as Opening Day starter

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB,

The new-look Chicago Cubs under the helm of manager Mike Quade have answered one of their many Spring Training questions on Monday: who will be their Opening Day starting pitcher? Since 2004 the team has handed the ball to Carlos Zambrano, but he’ll pass the “ace” designation to long-time teammate Ryan Dempster come April 1. Newly-acquired Matt Garza was also a long shot for the job, but seniority won out and Garza will act as the number three in the rotation.

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Matt Garza officially traded to the Chicago Cubs

Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, MLB, News, Trades,

Matt Garza will be pitching in the Windy City when the 2011 MLB commences. Garza, one of the Tampa Bay Rays top pitchers was officially traded to the Chicago Cubs for multiple prospects. He helped the Rays reach the 2008 World Series where they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies and should help the Cubs contend in the NL Central in 2011 and beyond as Garza has three years left on his contract. He is only 27-years-old and in his prime years, which should be successful considering his past production. He joins former teammate Carlos Pena whom the Cubs signed during this offseason.

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The Tampa Bay Rays pitching is driving the ship

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB,

The Tampa Bay Rays are picking a poor time to go through a team-wide slump. After a 17-11 thrashing from the Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon, the Rays have now lost four in a row; the longest losing skid of the season for the American Wild Card leaders. Despite the 17-run outburst, the Rays have some of the best pitching in baseball. The night before they lost 2-1, but both were unearned; just the second time in club history they have lost without giving up an earned run.

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Matt Garza continues the Year of the Pitcher with a no-hitter

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB,

When the media dubbed 2010 “The Year of the Pitcher,” they weren’t kidding. Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza continued the spectacular season for hurlers on Monday night by throwing the fifth no-hitter of the year. Garza joined Ubaldo Jimenez and Edwin Jackson in mere no hitters, as well as Dallas Braden and Roy Halladay who have both been perfect this season. Throw in Armando Galarraga’s 28-out not-quite-perfect game and you have one heck of a season, and it’s still July.

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Matt Garza Leads Rays to Win Over Orioles

Posted by Milo Taibi Categories: Athletes, MLB, Scoreboard,

A day into the month of May, the Tampa Bay Rays are still in first place in the American League East. In a 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, Matt Garza went 6 innings strong, surrendering just 2 earned runs on 3 hits. He’d strike out 3, and walk 2.

“His fastball had life, good velocity,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said of Garza. “He pitched just high enough to tease some guys. There were some at-bats where, obviously, we got ourselves out chasing some bad pitches.”

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