View source for Rich Garcés

{{Short description|Venezuelan baseball player (born 1971)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{BLP more citations needed|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name        = Rich Garcés
| image       = Richgarces.JPG
| caption     =Garcés holding a Rich Garces bobble belly that was given away at a [[Nashua Pride]] Game
| position    = [[Relief pitcher]]
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1971|05|18}}
| birth_place  = [[Maracay]], [[Venezuela]]
| bats        = Right
| throws      = Right
|debutleague = MLB
| debutdate   = September 18
| debutyear   = 1990
| debutteam   = Minnesota Twins
|finalleague = MLB
| finaldate   = July 20
| finalyear   = 2002
| finalteam   = Boston Red Sox
|statleague = MLB
| stat1label  = [[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
| stat1value  = 23–10
| stat2label  = [[Earned run average]]
| stat2value  = 3.74
| stat3label  = [[Strikeout]]s
| stat3value  =  296
| teams       =
* [[Minnesota Twins]] ({{mlby|1990}}, {{mlby|1993}})
* [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{mlby|1995}})
* [[Florida Marlins]] ({{mlby|1995}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|2002}})
|hofcolor = #ffd700
|hoflink = Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = Venezuelan
|hofdate = [[Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum#2024|2024]]
|hofvote = 78%
|hofmethod = Contemporary Committee
}}

'''Richard Alan Garcés Mendoza, Jr.''' [gar-CESS] (born May 18, 1971) is a former right-handed [[relief pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. Nicknamed "El Guapo" (''The handsome one''), he played with the [[Minnesota Twins]] (1990, 1993), [[Chicago Cubs]] (1995), [[Florida Marlins]] (1995) and [[Boston Red Sox]] (1996–2002). More recently, he's spent time coaching at various programs in the Connecticut area.

==Career==
Garcés was signed by Minnesota as an amateur [[free agent]] in 1987. After stints with the Twins, Cubs and Marlins, he pitched for the Red Sox, turning into one of the [[American League]]'s premier [[setup pitcher|setup]] men. He quickly became a favorite among Red Sox fans, as much for his large size as his performance. His weight was listed at 215&nbsp;lbs, although it is widely believed to have been significantly higher. The Red Sox asked Garcés to lose weight over an off-season, which he did. His numbers were never the same after that, however, leading many to believe the drastic weight loss negatively affected his mechanics.

In [[1999 in baseball|1999]], Garcés posted a 5–1 record with 33 [[strikeout]]s, a 1.55 [[earned run average]], and two [[save (baseball)|saves]]. This was followed with a mark of 8–1, 69 SO, 3.25 ERA, and one save in [[2000 in baseball|2000]].

Although only 31 years old in 2002, Garcés' performance displayed a much-weakened arm strength. After his disappointing ERA of 7.59 in 21 [[innings pitched|innings]], he was released by Boston.  On January 22, 2003, he signed with the [[Colorado Rockies]] as a free agent, but he was released in March 2003 before the regular season started.

In a ten-year career, Garcés compiled a 23–10 record with a 3.74 ERA, seven saves, 53 [[hold (baseball)|holds]], 296 strikeouts, 164 [[base on balls|walks]], and {{frac|341|1|3}} innings pitched in 287 [[games pitched|games]], holding opponents to a .227 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]].

In June 2005, Garcés signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox, pitched in the [[Gulf Coast League]] for the [[Gulf Coast Red Sox]]. He was released in October 2005.

Garcés played for the [[Venezuelan Winter League|Venezuelan Professional Winter League]] in 2006, finishing 3–1 with 11 saves and a 2.31 ERA in 24 appearances for the [[Aguilas del Zulia]]. Based on this performance, Garcés signed a contract in February 2007 to pitch for the [[Nashua Pride]] (of the independent [[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am League]]) with the hope of working his way back to the major leagues.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://redsox.bostonherald.com/otherMLB/view.bg?articleid=184131 | title = El Guapo maps his comeback: Ex-Sox reliever Garces signs with Pride | first = Dan | last = Duggan | work = Boston Herald | date = 21 February 2007 | accessdate = 21 February 2007 }}{{dead link|date=May 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> He served as a relief pitcher for the Pride in 2007 and 2008.

On November 1, 2024, Garcés was elected to the [[Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame]], receiving 78% of the votes from the Contemporary Committee.<ref>{{cite web|title=RICHARD GARCÉS, RAMÓN HERNÁNDEZ Y JUAN CARLOS PULIDO ELEVADOS AL SALÓN DE LA FAMA DEL BÉISBOL VENEZOLANO EN LA CLASE 2024
|url=https://www.museodebeisbol.com/detalle_noticia/get/richard-garcs-ramn-hernndez-y-juan-carlos-pulido-elevados-al-saln-de-la-fama-del-bisbol-venezolano-en-la-clase-2024|website=museodebeisbol.com|publisher=Prensa Museo de Béisbol|date=November 1, 2024|accessdate=November 14, 2024|language=spanish}}</ref>

==Coaching==
In recent years, Garcés has spent time coaching in various baseball programs around the Connecticut area. In 2017 he was the pitching coach for the [[Bridgeport Bluefish]]. In November 2020 he joined the staff of the CT Edge Baseball Academy.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.facebook.com/103635528204654/posts/we-want-to-welcome-to-our-staff-richard-garces-aka-el-guapo-richardgarces34-rich/125302026038004/ | title = CT Edge Baseball Academy - Facebook| website = [[Facebook]]}}</ref>  In 2022 he worked as the Pitching Coordinator for the CT Mets,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://ctmetsbaseball.com/about-us/ | title = About US - CT METS}}</ref> and also worked with Gap2Gap Baseball.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck0-CwSJdvF/?hl=en&g=5&img_index=1 | title = Instagram @teamgap2gapct}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=114581|br=g/garceri01|fangraphs=189|brm=garces001ric}}, or [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/G/Pgarcr001.htm Retrosheet]

{{Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garces, Rich}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Águilas del Zulia players]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs players]]
[[Category:Elizabethton Twins players]]
[[Category:Florida Marlins players]]
[[Category:Gulf Coast Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Iowa Cubs players]]
[[Category:Kenosha Twins players]]
[[Category:Lowell Spinners players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Venezuela]]
[[Category:20th-century Venezuelan sportsmen]]
[[Category:Mexican League baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Minnesota Twins players]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Nashua Pride players]]
[[Category:Nashville Xpress players]]
[[Category:Navegantes del Magallanes players]]
[[Category:Orlando Sun Rays players]]
[[Category:Pawtucket Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Maracay]]
[[Category:Portland Beavers players]]
[[Category:Potros de Tijuana players]]
[[Category:Tigres de Aragua players]]
[[Category:Visalia Oaks players]]
[[Category:Venezuelan baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Mexico]]
[[Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States]]