Marcus Wayne Garland (born October 26, 1950) is a retired American professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
player. A right-hander, he
pitched in the major leagues for nine seasons from 1973 to 1981 for the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
(1973–1976) and
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
(1977–1981). He was one of the first 24 ballplayers who profited from the advent of MLB
free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
following the
1976
Events January
* January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
season,
[Montville, Leigh. "The First To Be Free," ''Sports Illustrated'', April 16, 1990.](_blank)
/ref> when he became the first MLB player to sign a 10-year contract.
Amateur career
Garland was born on October 26, 1950, in Nashville, Tennessee. He played both basketball and baseball at Cohn High School in Nashville.
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
in the fifth round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft
The 1968 Major League Baseball draft took place prior to the 1968 MLB season. The draft saw the New York Mets take shortstop Tim Foli first overall.
First round selections
The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Base ...
, but did not sign and attended Gulf Coast Junior College. He was then selected in the 1969 Major League Baseball draft
The 1969 Major League Baseball draft took place prior to the 1969 MLB season. The draft featured future Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven (pick 55) and Dave Winfield (pick 882).
First round selections
The following are the first round picks in the ...
by the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
, but again, did not sign a contract. The Orioles drafted him in the 1969 secondary draft and inked him to a contract.
Professional career
Baltimore Orioles
Garland pitched for several years in the minor leagues posting generally lackluster numbers with a 7–9 record in 1972 and 10–11 in 1973. However, in 1973, he led the Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Fie ...
with 141 strikeouts. He was called up to the major leagues in September 1973 and made his debut on September 13, 1973. In his first start on September 27, Garland was the losing pitcher. After spring training in 1974, he was sent back to Rochester, but was called up in May as a relief pitcher. Over the season, he made six starts, including a game where he pitched eight innings of no-hit baseball. He continued pitching mostly in relief in 1975 and the first half of 1976. After the Orioles traded Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman (November 3, 1945 – April 15, 2024) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from through for the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, ...
and Doyle Alexander
Doyle Lafayette Alexander (born September 4, 1950) is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Tor ...
to the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
in June, a spot in the starting rotation opened for Garland. He made the most of his opportunity with a 10–2 by July and finished with 20 wins against seven losses.[ He played 1976 without a contract and rejected a mid-season contract offer from the Orioles of $40,000, which would allow him to become a free agent. Garland did not get along with manager ]Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver (August 14, 1930 – January 19, 2013) was an American professional baseball manager, author, and television broadcaster. After playing in minor league baseball, he retired without playing in Major League Baseball (MLB). He be ...
and was prepared to leave the team.
Cleveland Indians
The Seitz decision
The Seitz decision was a ruling by arbitrator Peter Seitz (1905–1983) on December 23, 1975, which declared that Major League Baseball (MLB) players became free agents upon playing one year for their team without a contract, effectively nullifyi ...
allowed players to become free agents for the first time and 25 players entered the 1976 free-agent re-entry draft, which would allow teams to draft negotiating rights with players. Garland was selected in the draft by 12 teams, the maximum allowed. He signed a 10-year contract with the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
worth a reported $2.3 million, one of the richest of that initial free-agent class, and the first 10-year contract for a player in major league history.
Garland had a 13–19 record and a 3.59 ERA but began to feel pain in his pitching arm. In his first spring training game of 1978, he injured his arm, but continued pitching after receiving cortisone. After six regular season starts, he was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and underwent surgery. He would sit the rest of the season out while he recovered.
He returned in 1979 but had two more stints on the disabled list and finished the year with a record of 4–10.[ Garland's 1980 campaign was a bit better as he threw 150 innings for Cleveland and had a record of 6–9, but threw a two-hit shutout on July 3.][ The 1981 season was interrupted by a players strike that lasted two months. He was working as a knuckleballer to overcome the shoulder injuries that damaged his arm. After the season, Garland was released by the Indians. After being released, he was unable to get a tryout with any major league teams or any AAA minor league clubs. He attempted a comeback as a knuckleballer with the Yankees AA minor league affiliate, but was released before getting another chance in the major leagues.]
Coaching career
In the late 1980s he was a pitching coach for the Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...
and worked in the Pirates organization as a coach in the 1990s but a sore back (one that required six surgeries) derailed him from continuing to serve as a coach.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garland, Wayne
1950 births
Living people
Baltimore Orioles players
Baseball players from Nashville, Tennessee
Cleveland Indians players
Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs players
Florida Instructional League Orioles players
Fort Myers Sun Sox players
Gulf Coast State Commodores baseball players
Nashville Sounds players
Navegantes del Magallanes players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Major League Baseball pitchers
Miami Marlins (FSL) players
Nashville Sounds managers
Rochester Red Wings players
20th-century American sportsmen