Garza will be ready when the bell rings

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Monday, March 14, 2011
Posted: 6:53 p.m.

By Patrick Mooney
CSNChicago.com

PEORIA, Ariz.Until now, Matt Garza has spent his entire career in small markets like Minnesota and Tampa Bay. The Cubs focused on the pitcher who wasnt afraid to go into Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park.

There will almost certainly come a point this season where the fans turn on Garza and he gets booed at Wrigley Field. They will wonder about the prospects the Cubs had to give up to get him, and how expensive it will be to lock up a 27-year-old frontline starter throughat least2013.

That Garza entered Monday with a 14.85 ERA and hadnt yet stretched out to three innings wasnt alarming. But it will be interesting to see what the reactions will be if he doesnt get off to a good start in April.

My own fans getting on me about one or two outings is not that important, Garza said. I got 33 starts I got to make this year, so Im pretty sure one or two or three arent going to be up to their liking.

Ill go in and do my job. You cant really worry about anything else. All I can worry about is trying to get 27 outs and trying to get them as fast as possible.

Garza does not like to slow down and he barreled through Mondays 5-3 loss to the Mariners at Peoria Stadium. He allowed one run on three hits across four innings, using all his pitches and getting closer to where he needs to be.

So much of the spring-training coverage has focused on what the Cubs will do at the back end of their rotation that Garza has flown under the radar at times. On Tuesday Randy Wells and Andrew Cashnerthe two leading candidates to be the fourth and fifth starterswill pitch at the same time some 10 miles apart in split-squad games.

Im no closer to nailing stuff down, manager Mike Quade said. Until I have to make a decision, lets let this thing play out.

That is what the Cubs are essentially doing with Garza, giving him space to bond with new teammates, work on game plans and build his relationship with pitching coach Mark Riggins.

Physically, I feel great. Mentally, Im in a good spot, Garza said. When that bell rings, Ill be ready to go.
Grabow close to return

While the Cardinals and Brewers scramble to deal with injuries to aces Adam Wainwright and Zack Greinke, the Cubs have remained fairly healthy this spring.

Yes, Augie Ojeda (back spasms), Brad Snyder (oblique) and Brett Jackson (shoulder) are dealing with issues, but the Cubs were encouraged by reports on John Grabow, who could be a critical bullpen piece.

The left-handed reliever hasnt appeared in a game since Feb. 27. He threw again Monday and is scheduled to test his sore shoulder on Thursday against the As. The expectation is that Grabow will be ready by Opening Day.

Given his role and given what we need from him, Quade said, he should have enough time, (assuming) no more setbacks.

Catching Hell

In his Oscar-winning work, filmmaker Alex Gibney has targeted scandals: Enron; corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff; and Eliot Spitzers fall from power. So Steve Bartman is a leap, but the long-anticipated ESPN documentary on Cubs fans and Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS is set to make its world premiere. The Tribeca Film Festival announced Monday that Catching Hell will be screened as part of its New York lineup, which runs from April 20 to May 1.

PatrickMooney is CSNChicago.com's Cubs beat writer. FollowPatrick on Twitter @CSNMooneyfor up-to-the-minute Cubs news and views.

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