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| The Guap-Meister |
Before
David Ortiz donned the uniform number 34, it belonged to a somewhat maligned relief pitcher named
Rich Garcés. At 6' and (generously) 250 pounds, he earned the nickname
"El Guapo" (the handsome one) and was warmly greeted by fans whenever he took to the hill. He toiled out of the bullpen for
The Carmine Hose from 1996-2002. Over that seven-year span, he complied an amazing 23-8 record, with a 3.78 ERA. Over 307.1 innings pitched, he gave up only 257 hits—striking out almost eight batters per nine innings (7.9). His contorted delivery was always fun to watch—but the guy sure was effective. Happy birthday,
"El Guapo" !
