HURAY: Blue Jays Damaso Garcia Celebrates Birthday…

Damaso Garcia was born in Moca, Republic of the Dominican. He was a bigger fan of soccer than baseball when he was

little. In 1974, he captained the national football (soccer) team of the Dominican Republic during the Central American

and Caribbean Games. In 1975, the Yankees signed him as a free agent.

In 1978 and 1979, Damaso played a few games in the major leagues, but Garcia was unable to transfer Yankees second

baseman Willie Randolph. Thus, in a deal that benefited both teams, the Yankees sent him, Chris Chambliss, and Paul

Mirabella to the Jays in exchange for Ted Wilborn, Rick Cerone, and Tom Underwood. Chambliss was promptly traded

by the Jays to the Atlanta Braves.

Garcia was an upgrade at second base over the Jays’ poor pairing of future Boston Celtic star Danny Ainge and

Canadian Dave McKay. After hitting.278/.296/.381, Damaso’s debut season with the Jays was mediocre. That may

not be so good when you consider that in addition to stealing 13 bases, he was also hit into 14 double plays and

caught 13 times. Damaso achieved thirty doubles. Despite receiving three first-place votes, he came in fourth in the

Rookie of the Year poll. That year’s rookie class was extremely thin. The winner, Joe Charboneau, wasn’t even a very

good player.

Garcia’s 1981 season was cut short by strikes; he hit.252/.277/.304 and stole 13 of 16 bases. His first successful

season, and the finest of his career, was 1982. It was.310/.338/.399 for him. In terms of runs (89), doubles (32), and

stolen bases (54, second most in the AL), he achieved career highs. In terms of bWAR, it came to 4.6, the only

occasion in his career where he was over 2. He was the first Jay to ever pilfer fifty bases. If he had learned to walk, he

could have been a good player. Nevertheless, he stated, “I don’t like to bunt, and I don’t like to walk.” He and I agree

on the second section. You should be disqualified from batting leadoff after the first phase. Is it something a leadoff

batter would say in the modern era? The majority of Dominican athletes at the time disliked walking. “You couldn’t

walk off the island,” was the statement. It was thought to be less than manly or something when someone took a base

on balls.

Slugger award. The Jays had a number of young, talented players at that time, including Dave Stieb, Jim Clancy,

Jesse Barfield, Lloyd Moesby, Alfredo Griffin, and Willie Upshaw, who may lead them into the postseason.

The batting line for 1983 was almost identical to that of 1982,.307/.336/.390. Although he was stealing fewer bases

(31) that year, he was still establishing himself as a respectable middle infielder. However, perhaps most tellingly, he

drew his career-high 24 walks in that season.

Damaso’s number started to decline in 1984. He had 46 thefts and a.284/.310/.374 average. He batted.354 against

lefties but.255 versus righties, exhibiting a remarkable left/right difference. He was consistently superior against

LHP. He got into the All-Star game. A leadoff hitter with an on-base percentage of.310 may perhaps make the All-

Star squad in the modern era. That year, three of our players made the All-Star squad. Dave Stieb began the AL’s

game, and Alfredo Griffin made the squad primarily because he went to the game with Garcia and, well, Griffin was

there when Alan Trammell got hurt. Garcia was named to the All-Star squad once more in 1985. Why? I’m not sure.

He made a huge hit.28 steals,.302/.377, and 15 catches, although he was caught 15 times and 70 runs were scored.

He was also nominated twice for MVP. The Jays’ biggest accomplishment in 1985 was our first-ever postseason

appearance. Garcia batted first in each of our seven series losses against the Royals, going.233/.303/.367 with four

doubles, three walks, and four runs scored.His final season with the squad ended in 1986. Although he always had a bit of a surly personality, he hit very much

the same as usual (.281/.306/.375), but he set a new record for the most temper tantrums. Distressed by losing his

starting position, the off-season trade of his friend Alfredo Griffin, and his lackluster performance, Garcia built up a

small bonfire in the clubhouse with some bats and his uniform. The Jays traded Craig McMurtry to Atlanta along

with Luis Leal for Garcia after the season. Neither team benefited from the transaction. Garcia played poorly in the

few games he played in 1988 and missed the whole 1987 season. He was a free agent before the 1989 season, and the

Expos signed him. In 80 games, he hit.281/.306/.375, stole nine, and was caught six times. He was signed by the

Yankees as a free agent following that season, but he was never included in the squad and left after 11 seasons.

Damaso had all he needed to be a great player. He was a good defensive player, but he was restricted by his

unwillingness to accept guidance or, well, a walk. He was ranked as the 101st greatest second baseman in baseball

history by Bill James in his New Historical Baseball Abstract. That was a few years back. He probably would have

fallen by now.

I like this remark from Ernie Whitt: “He was the best second baseman in the game when he was healthy and wanted

to play.” However, there were times when he just wasn’t in the mood to pla

He experienced problems with double vision after retiring, and a brain tumor was discovered. He was given six

months to live when it was removed. However, he bounced back.