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| Daniel García |
Two Styx song titles sum up the 2014 season for Montreal Bandits prospect Daniel García: Grand Illusion and Best of Times.
Daniel García, 26, was the 984th pick in the inaugural draft, and he is now the third baseman with the El Paso Diablos, the Triple-A affiliate of the two-time champion Montreal Bandits. He is currently hitting a robust .360, leading not only Triple-A but the entire minor leagues.
Daniel García, 26, was the 984th pick in the inaugural draft, and he is now the third baseman with the El Paso Diablos, the Triple-A affiliate of the two-time champion Montreal Bandits. He is currently hitting a robust .360, leading not only Triple-A but the entire minor leagues.
Now here’s the rub. On May 19, the Bandits gave him his shot and called him up The Show. The Big Time. The A-B-L. At the time of his call-up García was hitting .327.
The next day Garcia found his name on the lineup card playing third base and batting eighth. With his family watching from the stands (sitting in a press box made available by Montreal GM Christian Latulippe), he went hitless in four at-bats.
A few days later, he got another chance. In what might have been his most difficult assignment, García got to face then-Minnesota ace Bob Rudyard. García played admirably. He reached base in the via a walk against the 35-year-old legend, and he almost snagging a hit. In the second inning, García hit a smash up the middle, but the ball deflected off the mound right to the shortstop who easily tossed him out.
His last game in the ABL was on June 16 against The Georgia Grays. Montreal wins, 10-2, banging out 12 hits in this game. Only two Bandits don't get hits. The nine-hole batter, catcher Gene O’Reilly, and Daniel García. In the eighth inning, in his final at-bat, García rips a shot into the hole. Georgia shortstop Michael McFarland backhands and makes the long throw over to first to nip García.
On July 15, we caught up with Daniel García at the House of Pain in Reno, site of the Triple-A All Star Game. When asked about his ABL experience, Garcia gushed: “Oh man, it was great! Planes, not buses. Crowds of fifty-thousand, not five thousand. The Montreal fans were so good to me there and so supportive.”
We asked how Harris broke the news to him and how he took it, and Garcia replied, “How could I take it? I was 0-for-23 man! I was pressing. I was trying to be the player I’m not instead of just doing what got me there. I’ll get another shot, another opportunity, and I’ll be better prepared. I’m just hoping for myself I’m on the roster on August 31 so I can be part of the run for Montreal's championship.”
More than likely, before the month of July is complete, Daniel will surpass his best single season home run total. In 2012, he hit 22 homers in 581 at-bats. In 2013, he hit 23 in 539 at-bats. This year, he's doubled his pace, hitting 23 in only 250 at-bats.
It’s only a matter of time before Garcia finds himself a permanent member of the ABL.
That day, the Bandits played the New York Mafia. Like most rookies that get called up, he didn’t start the game, but he was brought into the game late as a defensive replacement. The game went into extra innings, and García got his first major league at-bat. In the bottom of the 10th, with two outs and two aboard and his team trailing by three, he popped out to end the game.
The next day Garcia found his name on the lineup card playing third base and batting eighth. With his family watching from the stands (sitting in a press box made available by Montreal GM Christian Latulippe), he went hitless in four at-bats.
A few days later, he got another chance. In what might have been his most difficult assignment, García got to face then-Minnesota ace Bob Rudyard. García played admirably. He reached base in the via a walk against the 35-year-old legend, and he almost snagging a hit. In the second inning, García hit a smash up the middle, but the ball deflected off the mound right to the shortstop who easily tossed him out.
After the game, all Garcia wanted to talk about was batting against Rudyard. “I was such a fan of Bob’s in high school. You look at him and see this string bean take the mound, and with all the movement he has the best 'Bugs Bunny' changeup in the league since like forever! I was hoping I’d get a chance to play with him when he came over last season for the World Series drive, but he was traded away right after the season ended.”
The next night against Minnesota, Montreal lost, 1-0, and Garcia took the collar again.
Montreal, at the time sitting six games in front of San Diego, could afford to with a struggling rookie for a bit longer than most teams, but their patience with García was starting to run thin—not because of lack of effort, just lack of results. On May 31, García has his worst game as an ABL, and quite possibly his worst as a professional. Against San Diego and their starting pitcher Mike Joyce, Garcia suffers through an 0-for-4 effort with three strikeouts and a weak ground out.
The next night against Minnesota, Montreal lost, 1-0, and Garcia took the collar again.
Montreal, at the time sitting six games in front of San Diego, could afford to with a struggling rookie for a bit longer than most teams, but their patience with García was starting to run thin—not because of lack of effort, just lack of results. On May 31, García has his worst game as an ABL, and quite possibly his worst as a professional. Against San Diego and their starting pitcher Mike Joyce, Garcia suffers through an 0-for-4 effort with three strikeouts and a weak ground out.
García rode the pine for a week before he saw his name back in the lineup card.
"The kid's got a good head on his shoulders and will figure this out," said Bandit manager Dave Harris, "But I have a responsibility to the other 24 players in that locker room, as well as ownership and the fans to bring home our third straight championship. I’d love to see the Garcia succeed, and he will, but I think it’s starting to wear on him”.
His last game in the ABL was on June 16 against The Georgia Grays. Montreal wins, 10-2, banging out 12 hits in this game. Only two Bandits don't get hits. The nine-hole batter, catcher Gene O’Reilly, and Daniel García. In the eighth inning, in his final at-bat, García rips a shot into the hole. Georgia shortstop Michael McFarland backhands and makes the long throw over to first to nip García.
García's hitless streak in the ABL now stood at 0-for-23, and he was soon demoted back to Triple-A El Paso.
García didn’t dwell on the results of his brief stay in the ABL nor did he let his demotion affect his mental attitude. Actually, the demotion made García even more determined to get back to the ABL.
García didn’t dwell on the results of his brief stay in the ABL nor did he let his demotion affect his mental attitude. Actually, the demotion made García even more determined to get back to the ABL.
In the one month since, he has been on a torrid stretch, raising his average 33 points to the minor-league leading .360 it sits at today. July has also seen him hit in 11 straight games, score a run in six straight games, get an RBI in six straight games, and homer in three consecutive games. Not surprisingly, he was the Triple-A Kade Stenson League Player of the Week for July 7-13. He was also named to his second straight Triple-A All Star Team.
On July 15, we caught up with Daniel García at the House of Pain in Reno, site of the Triple-A All Star Game. When asked about his ABL experience, Garcia gushed: “Oh man, it was great! Planes, not buses. Crowds of fifty-thousand, not five thousand. The Montreal fans were so good to me there and so supportive.”
We asked how Harris broke the news to him and how he took it, and Garcia replied, “How could I take it? I was 0-for-23 man! I was pressing. I was trying to be the player I’m not instead of just doing what got me there. I’ll get another shot, another opportunity, and I’ll be better prepared. I’m just hoping for myself I’m on the roster on August 31 so I can be part of the run for Montreal's championship.”
More than likely, before the month of July is complete, Daniel will surpass his best single season home run total. In 2012, he hit 22 homers in 581 at-bats. In 2013, he hit 23 in 539 at-bats. This year, he's doubled his pace, hitting 23 in only 250 at-bats.
It’s only a matter of time before Garcia finds himself a permanent member of the ABL.
That pretty much matches the results of every minor league batter the Mustangs bring up to generate some offense. German Hernandez is the only one to have any semblance of success.
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