Garza wants to get kicks against Cubs

Matt Garza is looking forward to facing his former team, the Chicago Cubs.

The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander is back in the National League Central, where he’ll get the face the Cubs for a couple of starts. Garza, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal with the Brewers in January, was traded by the Cubs to the Texas Rangers last July.

Garza told the Chicago Sun-Times that he wishes the Cubs the best, but he likes being in Milwaukee.

“I like where I’m at and I’m going to try to kick their teeth in every time I get a chance,” he said.

Garza tried to downplay his comments. However, it was evident that he isn’t quite over being traded by the Cubs.

“I’m just a pawn,” he said. “It’s just playing a chess match. You’ve got your king and your queen you have to protect, and then you put the pawns in. That’s us.”

The veteran major leaguer then described the owners as the king and queen.

“And you move your way down,” Garza added. “The president’s like the bishop or the knight. And then the rook.

“But it’s all good. We’re all important pieces.”

The Brewers host the Cubs at Miller Park in a three-game series April 25-27.

For sale

The Miami Marlins are going back to Groupon to sell opening day tickets.

For the second consecutive season, the Marlins will offer fans special deals on Groupon for opening night March 31 against the Colorado Rockies.

Fans can spend as little as $13 for a ticket in the Vista Level seating area at Marlins Park and redeem it for a complimentary ticket of equal value to a future game in April or May, excluding games on April 5 or May 2-4.

There’s also a $20 ticket in the Bullpen Reserved section and a $33 ticket in the Lexus Legends seating area.

The deal, which is Groupon’s sports deal for the week, is only available until 11 p.m. Central on Monday. Parking is not included in the deal.

The Marlins averaged 19,584 fans per game last season. They drew 34,439 last season on opening day.

Rivalry talk

Offensive tackle Breno Giacomini signed with the New York Jets earlier this week.

Giacomini, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last month, admitted that he was reluctant to admit whether he grew up a New England Patriots fan. (The Patriots are the Jets’ biggest rival in the AFC East.)

“I can say that I liked football growing up, yes,” Giacomini, a Malden, Mass., native, told reporters Friday.

But was Giacomini, 28, a Patriots fan?

“Yeah, I was,” he conceded. “I liked Drew Bledsoe a lot growing up.”

Giacomini, 6-7, 318 pounds, said he hopes to bring nastiness to the Jets’ offensive line. He will replace Austin Howard at right tackle.

Howard signed with the Oakland Raiders.

Then Giacomini had a message for his family and friends as well as the Patriots.

“Maybe after the game it will be a lot better,” Giacomini said. “I can tell my friends and family that are all Patriots fans to go kick some rocks. It’ll definitely be fun after we win.”Quote of the day

“We’ll be happy with whatever happens, but obviously we want to be in the big one.” Arkansas guard Kikko Haydar on the Razorbacks’ desire to play in the NCAA Tournament

Sports, Pages 22 on 03/16/2014