He was 89-92 last night. He as 93-94 in the big leagues 2020-2023. So he’s down 2-3 mph from before the injury. After a 2 year layoff it’s not impossible that he can still add it back but it is not a good sign.
Someone he respects needs to pull him aside and explain the importance of strength and core training to him.
I know you keep harping on this, but surgical complications happen. his work ethic issues were well documented before the injury… but blaming solely that as the cause for setbacks, that have required him to completely change his arm slot and re-learn new mechanics, is a bit biased on your part. Javier had/has the same work ethic issues and fitness concerns.
Walter and Arrighetti need to come through. The loss of a mph or two might still get guys out in AAA but I think Javier, Garcia and McCullers are all going to struggle as starting pitchers in the majors until they can get back to throwing 95.
I don’t think all of his issues are related to his fitness - but I do believe that some of the complaints and issues he has had are likely related to his lack of fitness. I don’t even really like calling it work ethic because he will pitch as long and as often as they ask him to. He does work on his delivery etc. it’s really a situation of fitness. As for Javier - his work ethic was strong, he just did not view fitness as part of being a pitcher. What I have been told is that he has learned his lesson and now has a regular regime. I don’t know how many of Garcia’s current issues are related to his lack of conditioning and training - especially over the last few years. However, when he complains of lack of explosion on his fastball and stamina related issues, that is something that is often related to conditioning - so can lengthy recovery times. Garcia is a very talented pitcher, and is hard to hit. I know the Astros felt he had another couple levels in him performance wise.
And when you’re paid that much with your whole job being a 1% of the 1% elite athlete, there’s just no excuse to not be in elite shape
He's clearly in better shape than non-athletes, so that's not really relevant. The comparison we'd be using is his conditioning vs the other 1% of the 1% elite athletes. And of those people, some have to be the best and some have to be the worst.
Thanks… not really separating “work ethic” and “fitness” as much because those things should go hand in hand when you’re a professional athlete (even moreso when a team makes a major investment in you). For Garcia to have to rebuild his entire mechanics from scratch… that’s not an insignificant accomplishment. That takes major work. And from talking to everybody (in the medical field) he did have a surgical setback that has delayed his comeback (and likely led to these entirely new mechanics). All these guys do need to focus on staying in shape. Too bad they couldn’t just emulate JV and what he did. But I just hate the narrative that Garcia had a setback (and taking more than a year longer than expected) simply because he’s “fat”.
And it was much needed, long overdue. He’s been pitching here since 2020 and had stamina issues from the get go.
