Cubs: Matt Garza feels like hes been locked in a cage

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Matt Garza would probably be on edge anyway.

Even if his season hadnt ended July 21 last year. Even if he wasnt about 10 days away from getting on the mound and throwing a bullpen session. Even if he wasnt pitching for a big contact in his platform year. Thats just how he rolls.

Ive kind of been locked in a cage for six months, Garza said Friday.

Garza is perhaps The Most Interesting Man at the Cubs Convention, because his health will be a major story line and from the beginning of the Theo Epstein administration what the front office did with him would say a lot about this rebuilding project.

Right now, Garza says he wont have any restrictions in spring training and expects to be part of the Opening Day rotation. In reality, whatever the Cubs decide to do with Garza is on hold as he recovers from the stress reaction in his right elbow.

Garza avoided arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a 10.25 million deal that should take him into free agency. Hes curious to see what direction the organization takes, and surely understands that the team will have to get off to a good startor else it will be time to sell-off the short-term assets. Hes open to a future in Chicago, but knows he will have to take control of the situation first.

Ive said multiple times I love this city, Garza said. My family loves this city, but at the end of the day its: Do I fit? My ability to pitch, is it there? Its all going to come down to me pitching. Thats kind of it. All of the decision will be based off that.

The Garza question has been asked so many different ways across the past 14 months: Trade? Extend? Play it out? But its pointless now to look anywhere beyond his rehab schedule and wonder if the Cubs would be willing to offer something north of the four-year, 52 million deal Edwin Jackson got this winter.

Its not the right time, general manager Jed Hoyer said. If theres a time in the future where he feels really good, thats a more rational time to have that discussion. I dont think right now is the time to enter those discussions. Were really happy with everything weve heard, both from the doctors and from Matt and were optimistic that hes ready to go.

When healthy, Garza is the ultimate win-now player, a big-game pitcher whos done it before in the playoffs and the American League East. That makes him an awkward fit for a franchise thinking 2015 and beyond.

They werent messing around when they came in last year and said they were going to rebuild from the bottom up, Garza said. Last year when we did rookie dress-up I bought like 27 costumes. I knew there was going to be a lot of new faces. (But) its like a breath of fresh air. These guys want to play, theyre hungry. And I know the front office wants to win.

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