Freddy Garcia has not pitched in the major leagues since June 2007, with Philadelphia. Chuck Solomon/SI

If Freddy is ready, Tigers will benefit

The low-cost, low-risk signing of big-game pitcher Freddy Garcia is a great move for the Tigers. Some scouts suggested that they are unsure whether Garcia's ready after watching him throw Aug. 5 in a Miami showcase, when his radar readings topped out in the mid 80s. But gun readings are not what Garcia's about. He was a big winner with the White Sox in 2005, becoming the only pitcher ever to win the clinching game in the regular season, Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series.

Garcia and the Tigers have a long way to go, as Garcia will start at Class-A Lakeland while the Tigers were 7 1/2 games out when they made the deal (8 1/2 now). However, Garcia has extra incentive. He surely hasn't forgotten his former manager, fellow Venezuelan countryman and Miami neighbor Ozzie Guillen predicting a few weeks ago that Garcia wouldn't be ready this year. If he is, he hopes to become a thorn to Guillen's White Sox.

Boston's split decision on Manny

Word is that the original vote at the top of Boston's hierarchy about whether to trade Ramirez was 2-2, with GM Theo Epstein and chairman Tom Werner voting for a trade and club president Larry Lucchino and owner John Henry voting against. It isn't known what caused Henry to change his mind and favor a deal. But it could have been any of the following: 1) Henry's natural inclination to let the baseball people decide, since they are more attuned to what's going on in the clubhouse, 2) Henry's great faith in Epstein, 3) Ramirez's absurd and unfounded claim to the Boston Herald that Red Sox people were "two-faced'' with him (that was dead wrong, at least until someone "leaked'' the apparent misinformation that Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, called an hour after the trade to try to undo the deal), or 4) all the Manny misdeeds heading up to the deadline.

In any case, the latest split vote may be behind growing speculation Lucchino could leave after the year, speculation that was reported in this space on Monday. Lucchino responded to that report by issuing this statement to WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show on Tuesday: "That's news to me, I love Boston and the Red Sox and my family has sunk its roots here. Speculation like this pops up every once in a while, I just tend to ignore it!''

While many in baseball have heard the speculation, there is one major impediment that could prevent a Lucchino move to the Dodgers, the most logical landing spot. As one baseball person pointed out, "What about the wife?'' Indeed, that is the biggest question regarding the Dodgers. McCourt's wife, Jamie, is the Dodgers' omnipresent club president.

Sheffield shuffle should surprise no one

Gary Sheffield is back at it, telling Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he isn't happy platooning or DHing. He also claimed he only cares about winning (we'd agree, but only if the word "winning'' was changed to "whining.'')

All in all, it was Sheffield's usual mix of excuses, half-truths and complete fabrications. Anyway, his latest round of complaints couldn't have surprised a soul, except maybe his manager, Jim Leyland, who claimed he was "flabbergasted'' by them.

Leyland pointed out that Sheffield OK'd a DH role upon accepting his trade from the Yankees and his new three-year contract with the Tigers, that he isn't in a platoon situation and that when he tried to fulfill Sheffield's wish to play the outfield, 1) Sheffield couldn't do it, and 2) Sheffield got hurt. And also that Sheffield isn't platooning, since he's played 36 of 43 games since returning from injury.

All of what Leyland said is the truth. But what's flabbergasting about this is that Leyland would be surprised in the least. If anyone should know Sheffield, it's Leyland, who managed him for years in Miami.

Around the Majors

• While the Rays offered a $1.5 million contract to Kenny Lofton this spring and briefly considered Barry Bonds around the same time, someone familiar with their thinking said he believed it was "highly unlikely'' the team would turn to either veteran now, even though Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria are out. Crawford told the St. Petersburg Times that he expected to be out until mid-October, while the Rays are saying they expect Longoria back in three weeks.

• Mets closer Billy Wagner gets a lot of heat for blowing saves (he has blown seven of 34), but he's badly missed now that he's out with a forearm injury. New manager Jerry Manuel was so upset with the latest debacle against the Pirates on Monday that he said anything was possible. And apparently it is. Word is that the latest plan includes increased important opportunities for recently promoted rookie Eddie Kunz and just-promoted journeyman Brian Stokes. Kunz was in fact warming up when Pedro Feliciano recorded the save in the 4-3 win over Washington on Tuesday.

• Things are bad when a victory over Washington is cause for celebration. "They are absolutely terrible,'' one scout said of the Nats. "I can't even believe some of their players are in the majors.'' There is increasingly speculation that GM Jim Bowden's days could be numbered. (It can't help that Bowden is being investigated in the scout skimming case, though the Nationals-owning Lerners seem to be supporting Bowden in that investigation.)

• Meanwhile in Philly, Wagner's good buddy Brad Lidge sounds determined to tough out his shoulder pain. There's a lot of focus on the fact that Lidge warmed up six times in the All-Star Game. Managing an All-Star Game may be the most difficult job in sports now that the game counts.

• Even if Brian Giles had accepted a deal to Boston it might have been difficult to consummate one. "He's not just a giveaway. He can still play,'' one competing GM said about Giles. That GM said he expects the Padres to pick up his $9 million option rather than buy him out for $3 million.

• Robinson Cano needs to get his act together. It's not just his .264 batting average but his mental mistakes and occasional failure to hustle.

• Mariners pitcher Jarrod Washburn (5-12) has reportedly cleared waivers, no surprise considering his $10.35 million salary for next year. But the Yankees don't seem quite as enthused as before. "Starting pitching isn't our problem,'' one Yankees person pointed out.

• Twins closer Joe Nathan continues to show that he's one of the good guys, donating $500,000 to his alma mater, Stony Brook University, on Long Island. Nathan was a scrawny shortstop when he arrived at Stony Brook but has since developed into one of the best closers in baseball.