Rich 'El Guapo' Garces
Who is the largest man to ever wear number 34 at Fenway? The answer of course is not David Ortiz, but the man who donned the uniform for seven seasons prior to Papi's arrival, Rich Garces. He quickly became a fan favorite in Boston, a lovable character known as much for his husky build as much as anything he did on the mound. That of course is not enough to become an icon in this region, you also have to produce. El Guapo did just that, becoming a staple in the Sox bullpen. His career numbers in Boston are better than I realized, putting up a 23-8 record, never losing more than 2 games in a single season. His best two seasons came in Pedro's dominant years of 1999 and 2000, putting up a combined 13-2 record, including a 1.55 ERA in '99. "The Handsome One" finished out his career in 2007 pitching for the Independent League's Nashua Pride in a failed attempt to return to the big leagues.
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