Bárbaro Garbey
From BR Bullpen
Barbaro Garbey Garbey
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.
- Debut April 3, 1984
- Final Game October 2, 1988
- Born December 4, 1956 in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
[edit] Biographical Information
"Everyone knows who he is in Cuba. Everyone knows that he's the first one." - Jose Contreras, talking about Barbaro Garbey, the first member of Cuba's national team (in the Castro era) to come to the USA
Barbaro Garbey was a key player on the utterly dominant 1984 Detroit Tigers World Series champion team. He played three years in the major leagues, after coming over from Cuba.
Garbey was hitting coach for the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2003, and in 2006 is the hitting coach for the Peoria Chiefs in the Chicago Cubs organization, managed by former Cub Jody Davis. After the 2006 season, Garbey was named coach of the Tennessee Smokies.
During the spring of 1980, Garbey came to the United States on the "Freedom Flotilla". He had been part of the Cuban team that won the 1976 Amateur World Series. Garbey had been banned from playing baseball in Cuba due to a gambling scandal.
Garbey also played in Venezuela and Mexico.
His brother Rolando and his sister Marcia both competed in the Olympics for Cuba, with his brother winning two medals and his sister finishing fourth.
The two most similar players through 2006, according to the similarity scores method, are Paul Smith and Bob Molinaro.
[edit] Notable Achievement
- Won a World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1984
