This past weekend certainly featured a rollercoaster of emotions for the White Sox and their fans. On one hand, franchise favorite Mark Buehrle saw his number 56 retired in White Sox lore for the rest of time. On the other, the White Sox got swept by the lowly Oakland Athletics. Aside from these two highs and lows, a recent rumor that started quietly has slowly picked up steam over the past 48 hours. That would be the fact that former White Sox pitcher Jon Garland is seriously eyeing a comeback.
Wait…What?!
Yep. Jon Garland, member of that electrifying 2005 pitching staff, is seriously thinking about returning to the MLB. For those of you saying, “wait a minute…Jon Garland is just too old!” I hear you. But remember that pitchers Bartolo Colon (44) and R.A Dickey (42) are still pitching. Pretty badly I’ll admit, but hey, at least they’re out there. Garland is younger than both at the ripe age of 37. Many people out there are sure that this is just made up fun. Hell, at first I did as well. But then this was reported.
Jon Garland is throwing pain-free and in the contemplating stage of a comeback. He threw for Don Cooper this morning
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) June 25, 2017
Garland was in town for Buehrle’s number retirement, and with Coop being his pitching coach when he was 19-years-old, he probably thought what the hell? I’ll admit that even when I saw this I was still skeptical. Maybe just some fun and games before he left Chicago. But then more and more news outlets started posting about it as well.
Out of the big leagues since 2013 Jon Garland is weighing the possibility of a comeback https://t.co/eYobCEhw5s
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) June 26, 2017
Former #WhiteSox starter Jon Garland contemplating comeback. @scotgregor has the story. #MLB https://t.co/2RHWAzhlWW
— Daily Herald (@dailyherald) June 26, 2017
In short, the articles say that he has been throwing the baseball for about a year now, and his surgically repaired shoulder is pain-free. If Garland actually does return, you can fully expect him to sign with the White Sox. Don Cooper has been his coach for essentially his whole life, why would that change now?
But Why???
If Garland does return to the South Side, there is sure to be a mix of reactions. All of the nostalgia triggered fans would surely love to see the World Series champ return and pitch for the White Sox again. On the other hand, the fans that want to see the team get younger and save money are sure to be irate with management. Especially since a lot of fans also didn’t really like him as a person, as Garland was widely known as being arrogant. While there are definitely points to be made for both sides, I think it would be awesome to see Garland on the White Sox for a few reasons.
-
Championship pedigree
The guy helped the White Sox a damn World Series. Old, asshole, whatever excuse you want to throw at the wall, just stop. The guy knows what it takes to win the last game of the season. With good young talent heading to the South Side sooner than later, who better to learn from than a former World Series champion?
2. Excitement!
If you live under a rock, you might not be aware that the White Sox aren’t necessarily the best at putting butts in the seats on a consistent basis. Sure they sell out Opening Day, the Crosstown Classic, and the occasional Yankee and Red Sox series, but that’s essentially as good as it gets at Guaranteed Rate Field. Now, I’m not saying that every Jon Garland start would sell out, but those nostalgia triggered folks that I previously mentioned would absolutely flock to the ballpark to see a handful of Jon Garland starts for the rest of the year.
3. Win-Win Scenario
If the White Sox sign Jon Garland, it is literally a win-win scenario. First of all, we have to remember that Rick Hahn is never going to break the bank for a pitcher like Jon Garland, no matter what past history he has with the franchise. I would imagine any contract involving Garland would be just a year with maybe a team option. In short, he won’t be expensive. Secondly, if he sucks, then all the #tankforbeer fanatics will be even happier! In a lost season, each win is great, but each loss honestly improves the longterm outlook for the team. Thirdly, if he is good or even great, so what? I sincerely doubt any team would trade for Garland, but I suppose crazier things have happened before. I think he could especially help eat innings, especially if a starter struggles on a given day. If Garland comes out of the bullpen and can throw 5-7 innings a week, is that really the worst possible move the front office can make? I’ll answer that: No.
Final Thoughts
Right now, it is still too early to tell if Garland will actually return to the MLB, or the South Side for that matter. As it stands, we can only speculate and go off of what we know. We know that he wants to return, he is pain free, and he essentially has a lifelong connection with Don Cooper. If the White Sox add Garland, great. If they don’t, that’s fine too. Basically I don’t think he will drastically help or hurt the team even if he does sign, which is why I say the hell with it. Bring him back! At least we can all take a trip down memory lane and bask in 2005 memories one last time.
