Earlier this week, former Red Sox reliever Rich Garces signed with the Nashua Pride of the independent Can-Am League. The Immortal "El Guapo" hopes to make it back to majors. (I love that nickname, as it means, "The Handsome Man" in Spanish.)The 35-year-old pitched well in Venezuela over the winter, and says he's down to 230 pounds, from his majors playing weight of 250 (and that's being a bit generous). The Red Sox actually signed him to a minor-league contract in 2005 but was released at the end of the season and didn't make it back to Boston. He was originally let go by the Sox during the 2002 season and hasn't pitched in the majors since. He was always a popular cult figure among the Fenway Faithful.
Just before he was let go in 2002, I went to a game at Fenway and got an "El Guapo" shirt, as he was always one of my favorites. A few weeks later, the Sox let him go as he was having a truly awful season. My El Guapo shirt has basically been in mothballs since, and I'd love to resurrect it if he can make it back to Boston.
Good luck on your comeback try, El Guapo. I hope to see you back with the Red Sox.
But I would guess he'd have to pick a new number if he returns. I think someone else has his old number 34, right?
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