By Dave Van Dyck, Chicago Tribune –
CHICAGO — The better Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster pitch, the more value they have for the future of the Cubs in a trade.
But the better they pitch, the better it is for the current club as well. And the current club suddenly is doing very well after Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks that was their 12th in the last 16 games.
Future is bound to win out over present by the time the trade deadline comes July 31, although manager Dale Sveum isn’t necessarily in that corner.
(PHOTO: Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matt Garza (22) pitches in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday, July 15, 2012.)
“When your starting staff is doing what ours is doing … you think about that a lot,” Sveum said. “You don’t dwell on it, but having a streak like this and winning a lot of ballgames, you don’t want to lose pieces of that puzzle.”
Pieces are bound to be lost — most likely Garza and Dempster — despite the starting staff posting a 1.13 ERA in its last five games.
It was Garza’s turn to show off for the scouts Sunday and he followed Dempster’s six shutout innings from the day before with seven of his own.
And that is sure to heat up the rumor mills even more, although Garza said he isn’t paying attention.
“No, man, I’ve got a (pregnant) wife who’s due in 23 days,” he said. “(Rumors) are the last thing on my mind right now. I got a wife who’s ready to pop so … I don’t care where I’m going to be right now. When she calls, I’m going to be next to her. That’s all I’m worried about right now.”
Garza, who already has been traded twice, was as good as Sveum has seen him. His seven shutout innings came with five hits and only one walk. He struck out seven before giving way to Shawn Camp (one run), James Russell and Carlos Marmol (10th save).
Garza, who has lacked run support almost all season, got all the runs he needed in the first two innings, the first coming on Anthony Rizzo’s RBI single and the next two on Darwin Barney’s fourth homer.
The result means Garza has allowed three or fewer runs at Wrigley Field in 18 consecutive starts, most since Kerry Wood in 2002.
In his last 18 starts at Wrigley, Garza is 7-4 with a 1.97 ERA.
“I don’t know what it is,” he said, “but as soon as you (media) guys figure it out, I’d like to know too.”
Popular thinking is that Dempster will be the first Cubs starter traded and that getting Garza moved could be a little more complicated because he has a year left before free agency, which increases his value.
Either way, if both go, Cubs brass will be breaking up what has become a good thing, with Dempster and Garza teaming up with Paul Maholm and Travis Wood.
“We can’t control that,” Garza said. “All we can control is what we do between the lines and how we prepare. Every time out get ready for the next (one).
“We’ve still got 21/2 months left and a lot of things can happen in 2½ months.”
