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5 questions with Matt Garza

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 18, 2010

Matt Garza was scheduled to pitch Thursday night against the Yankees in Tampa. Instead, he pitched six innings in a Triple-A game at the Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte. Garza allowed four hits and two runs, and struck out seven.

Why the change?

I see (facing the Yankees) more as a useless outing. I'm going to go up there and I'm going to get upset when I start giving up hits, then I'm going to break out what I'm going to do (to get them out during the regular season), and that's not what I want to do right now.

What could the Yankees gain by facing you?

There's always video. Maybe I can be tipping something right now and they can pick it up and I wouldn't know. ... It's a mind game between both teams. I don't care. Mind games are something I'm pretty good at.

Could you have gained something by facing, say, Derek Jeter a few more times?

There's no reason for me to be showing him one way to get him out or two ways if I face him twice. How many more ways can I find to get this guy out? It's more like keeping your secrets hidden.

You will face NL teams in your final three spring starts. Is that by design?

That's where I'm going to experiment more. Can I use this (pitch) in this spot? Can I use this here? When I face an AL East team or an American League team, I want to come out and say this is what I'm doing. This is how I'm going to get you out.

Did you really benefit from facing minor-league hitters Thursday?

I went out there with a mission to get better and not to let the situation dictate how I was going to be. If I let that happen now, what's not to make me let it happen during the season? And I think that's been my downfall. I throw so well against teams that are hyped up, and when I throw against teams that aren't I tend to play to their level and I'm looking for that to change. I went out there with a mission, with the purpose of staying composed, and I think I accomplished that.

Roger Mooney

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