Roberto Garza (minors04)

Roberto Julián Garza Medellin

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 200 lb.

• Born June 20, 1972 in Monterrey, Nuevo León Mexico

BR register page

Biographical Information

Roberto Garza pitched for the Mexican national team for a couple years then spent eight seasons in the minors.

Garza played for Mexico in the 1990 Goodwill Games. In the 1990 Baseball World Cup, he was 1-1 with a 6.94 ERA but he tied Jesus Orbalejo for the team lead in wins, was second to Orbalejo in ERA, led the team with 10 strikeouts and his 11 2/3 IP tied Leodegario Longoria for second, two behind Victor Gaxiola. He got the decision in a 5-4 victory over Italy and Paolo Ceccaroli, Mexico's only win in the first round.

The right-hander easily led Mexico in ERA in the 1991 Intercontinental Cup, allowing one run in seven innings (8 H, 1 BB, 2 K); his 1.29 was 4.39 ahead of #2 Edmundo Garcia. He went the distance in a mercy rule win over the USSR national team. Signed by the Cleveland Indians, he saved 11 games and had a 1.86 ERA for the 1992 Burlington Indians, with a 0.97 WHIP and 36 whiffs in 29 innings. He was two saves behind Appalachian League co-leaders Gus Gandarillas, Eric Miller and Jim Nix; while he had a better ERA than all three, Gandarillas was named the league's All-Star relief pitcher.

With the Watertown Indians in 1993, he slipped significantly, to 1-2, 6.05 in 11 games with a 1.76 WHIP. Let go by Cleveland, he returned to his native Mexico. He was 1-0 with two saves and a 3.00 ERA in 25 games for the Industriales de Monterrey in 1994. In '95, he fell to 2-3, 6.71 for the Broncos de Reynosa. During 1996, he was 2-4 with a save and a 6.50 ERA for the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos.

Garza improved to 2-3 with a save and a 3.95 ERA in a career-high 49 games for the 1997 Tecolotes. In '98, he was 5-8 with a save and a 6.55 ERA for Dos Laredos and he ended his career a year later by going 1-1 with a save and a 5.00 ERA for the club. He was 1-2 with 11 saves and a 3.54 ERA in 34 games in the US minors and 13-19 with 6 saves and a 5.40 ERA in 199 games in the Mexican League.