SAN FRANCISCO — Soon after he signed with the Giants, Aramis Garcia exchanged cell numbers with Buster Posey. He hasn’t reached out randomly during a season, but when Garcia found himself up in the big leagues this month, Posey, currently rehabbing after hip surgery, was waiting.
“He gave me some great advice before my first start," Garcia said. "He told me it’s going to feel pretty fast out there at times, but just to remember that I’ve done it a thousand times. I really feel like that put me at ease before my first start."
Garcia, a 25-year-old with just 10 games of Triple-A experience, has found quite the support system in the big leagues. Billy Hayes, a roving instructor for the organization, checks in often, and Eli Whiteside has Garcia out doing catching drills on a daily basis. Posey and Nick Hundley have helped quite a bit, too, and Garcia has sat in on strategy sessions with Hundley, that day’s starting pitcher, and pitching coach Curt Young.
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“He’s been as good a rookie as you could ask for,” Hundley said. “He asks questions and is also humble.”
Hundley prepares every day as if he’s the starting catcher. With Garcia, he has tried to get the rookie to prepare every day as if he is not a rookie.
“Let him be one on the plane or in the clubhouse. You can be a rookie there,” Hundley said. “But on the field you’re not. You’re out there to control the game and help us win.”
The Giants have not won a game this month, but Garcia has certainly opened some eyes. The organization cannot be sure that Posey will be ready for opening day, but in Hundley — a pending free agent — and Garcia the Giants could have a duo capable of holding things down until Posey is back to 100 percent.
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That’s a conversation for November and December. On this week’s Giants Insider Podcast, Garcia talked about his two weeks here in September and much more. You can stream it here or download it on iTunes here.