Freddy Garcia Signs with Yanks on Minor League Deal

Like I predicted, the Yankees added competition to their fight for the fifth starter's role as the signed former Mariner and White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor league contract.

Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre are among the other candidates in the mix for spots in manager Joe Girardi's rotation. Garcia, Nova and Mitre will have to fight off challenges from recently acquired right-hander Bartolo Colon and several prospects the Yankees believe are nearly big league ready.

Garcia will receive a $1.5 million base salary if he makes the big league club. He can earn $3.6 million in possible incentives, topping out at 30 starts, according to a source. It also lets Garcia opt out by March 29, according to a report.

This move is a better signing and potentially more rewarding than the signing of Bartolo Colon but as the saying goes "the best of people come out when there is competition for their job." Garcia has fought through numerous shoulder injuries over the last few seasons, three to be exact.

He bounced back from three injury-interrupted seasons to pitch well for the White Sox last season. The Yankees got a close-up look at him when he threw seven impressive innings to beat them in Chicago on Aug. 27. Garcia also lost at Yankee Stadium in late April.

Garcia enjoyed successful, durable years early in his career with Seattle. He went 17-8 as a rookie in 1999 and was 18-6 with an American League-leading 3.05 ERA and 238 2/3 innings in 2001. He was an All-Star for Seattle in 2001 and 2002.

Garcia has the ability to be a lights out starter when he's on, but the problem is he isn't always on because of his ongoing shoulder injuries. Garcia's deal is a better deal for the Yankees than the Colon deal because Garcia is younger, weighs less and has a better repertoire than Colon does.

I think Garcia is possibly the best candidate to win the fifth starter's role because of his experience and his big-game ability. He has pitched in the postseason and has experience in a playoff run, as he was a part of the Mariners team that won 116 games in the 2001 season.

My prediction is that Freddy Garcia will be sticking around longer than Bartolo Colon will be this Spring Training.