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Garza Seeking More Consistency In '09

Tribune file photo by CHRIS URSO

Matt Garza hopes his regular-season starts will closely resemble his postseason efforts of 2008.

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By MARC LANCASTER

mlancaster@tampatrib.com

Published: March 15, 2009

Updated: 03/16/2009 02:03 am

PORT CHARLOTTE - Anyone who watched the Rays regularly over the course of the 2008 season and into the playoffs witnessed at least once or twice just how dominant Matt Garza can be.

Even beyond his MVP effort in the American League Championship Series against the Red Sox, the young right-hander turned in some of the most breathtaking pitching displays the Rays produced last season. Like his complete-game shutout of the Blue Jays (who had Roy Halladay on the hill) in late July. Or the two-hit, complete-game whitewashing of the Rangers in Arlington - one of the most hitter-friendly environments in the game - on a hot August night.

As Garza continues to progress, the goal isn't necessarily to have more performances like that - even if he probably is capable of doing so. It's more to even things out.

In the three starts he made around those brilliant outings in Toronto and Texas, for instance, Garza didn't make it out of the sixth inning as he gave up a combined 25 hits and 13 runs. Not bad efforts, but not the kind of six- or seven-inning, three-run showing you'd like to see from a frontline starter. With that in mind, Rays manager Joe Maddon's buzzword for Garza this season is easy to figure out: "Consistency."

"I think as he matures and he's able to adjust to situations a little bit quicker and not have to wait until the inning's over and then realize, 'Hey, I should have done that about five minutes ago,'" Maddon said. "I think he's arriving at the point where he's going to be able to make more or better in-game decisions or adjustments as the moment occurs."

Garza's efforts to better harness his emotions on the mound last season have been well-chronicled. He points out - and it is easy to forget - that 2008 was his first full season in the majors. The implication is that he still has some developmental steps to take, and turning in strong outings even when everything isn't necessarily going his way would be a significant step forward that Garza believes he is ready to take.

"I have the confidence knowing that I can do it. I know I can do it now," Garza said. "Even without my best stuff, I know I can go out there and do it. It's fun to have that feeling, knowing that on any given night I can go out there and throw a one-hit shutout or a complete-game shutout."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227.

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