It's a lost cause, so perhaps there's no point in even bringing it up. After all, Freddy Garcia has already signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees, so he's off the table. But it's interesting to note that one of the better free agent starters on the market was also one that flew under-the-radar -- so much so that there were only two teams interested in him. The question that still warrants discussion is this: why weren't the Royals interested?
If Dayton Moore had at least checked in on things, no one has any indication. As MLB Trade Rumors reports, the only known teams in on Garcia were the two biggest fish in the MLB aquarium -- the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. The Yankees signed Garcia, who pitched for them last year, to a one-year deal worth $5 million. But it's interesting that no other team went in on the pitcher.
Garcia went for about the same money that the Royals paid Bruce Chen per year, so Garcia was getting a fair market deal. Just last season, he went 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA competing in the AL East of all places. After injury concerns in 2008-9, he's pitched over 300 innings the last two seasons combined, which is a rather Chen-like performance. In other words, he's another solid veteran pitcher who would require minimal commitment for decent market value.
Garcia is not the front end pitcher the team is trying to ultimately grab, but there are many franchises who lack an ace pitcher. Instead, the Royals now have Chen, Jonathan Sanchez and then several candidates the Royals hope will step forward. Adding a guy who can still hold his own in the AL East for a deal like he signed with the Yankees would have given the Royals a more stable, predictable rotation -- the very thing the team needs most.