NASHUA, N.H. - A case of identity theft may have delayed the return of fan favorite Rich Garces to New England, but there's certainly no mistaking the identity of the rotund reliever who now can be found on the mound in the late innings most nights pitching for the Nashua Pride.

El Guapo is indeed back.

The former Red Sox reliever, who last pitched for Boston in 2002, was signed by the independent entry in the Canadian-American baseball league after three impressive seasons of winter ball in his native Venezuela. After arriving in Nashua a day into the season this spring thanks to a visa that had been fraudulently used by an imposter, the genuine article is proving to be far more than just a publicity stunt.

Heading into the weekend, Garces was a perfect 8-for-8 in saves and had allowed just one run in 14 innings. After winning consecutive Relief Pitcher of the Year awards in Venezuela pitching against teams littered with current major leaguers, Garces has topped out between 88-90 mph. so far.

After taking nearly two years off after he was unceremoniously designated for assignment by the Sox, could a major league encore be in the cards for the 36-year-old reliever?

"I would say it is one of my goals," said Garces, who added that he's focused right now on lifting the Pride to their first Can-Am championship. "Whatever happens down the road, I don't know, but I'm ready to go. I'm just going to be the same guy I'm going to go into the tough situations and get out of the inning."

Major league arm

Pride manager and former Red Sox skipper and third baseman Butch Hobson said he would not be surprised to see the colorful reliever back in the bigs.

"He's 36 and baseball is a game that you never know what might happen," said Hobson. "A guy like him he's got it in his heart. He's an intense guy when he's on the mound because he knows that he has a job to do and he goes out and goes after it. Maybe someone will see that."

Bitter parting

Garces left Boston on somewhat sour terms back in 2002. Designated for assignment mid-season after a sluggish start that saw him post a 7.59 ERA in 26 games, the second ranking player on the team in terms of seniority was told of the demotion by assistant GM Mike Port. It's a snub that still irks him.

"I still don't know the reasons they designated me for assignment," said Garces. "One thing I can say is that I didn't agree with it. Not even (Sox manager) Grady Little came to me. If they had come and talked to me, then maybe I would have agreed with them and said this is the best decision (to go to the minors), but that never happened."

Instead, Garces opted for a non-stop flight back to Venezuela. He says he has no regrets other than the gaping void his abrupt departure left with a legion of fans, especially those in the bleachers at Fenway, who had elevated the affable right-hander to cult status.

"It was bad because of the fans, that's the only thing I regret," he said. "But I've already apologized to them a couple of times here in Nashua and told them that, 'Hey, I'm here right now and working hard and whatever happened in Boston happened.'"

Popular at Holman

These days in the intimate confines of Holman Stadium, that love affair is being rekindled. Garces, who was nicknamed "El Guapo" by his Sox teammates after the villain in the movie, "The Three Amigos," has been embraced.

"The only difference is that in Boston you had what, 32,000 fans? Here it is a lot smaller (sometimes less than a thousand fans); that and the temperature is the only difference" said Garces, clad in a wind breaker before an unseasonably cold night game with the Atlantic City Surf.

He doesn't blanch at the lengthy bus rides to exotic towns like Brockton and New Haven and is well aware that his job in Nashua is not only to close games in the ninth inning, but also put fans in the seats for the first inning.

Even an upcoming "Rich Garces Bobble-Belly Night" elicits a broad smile.

After making in excess of $2 million a season in Boston, Garces now pitches for a team that has a $92,000 team salary cap for its entire 103-game season. While not divulging what chunk of that cap El Guapo consumes, Pride GM Chris Hall concedes that he has the top exception which counts one third against the cap.

In addition, the Pride has provided Garces and his wife, Yecenya, and two daughters, Faviana and Rachell, a place in downtown Nashua. The team has also come up with a rental car for his use this summer.

"He had some interest from some major league teams that didn't work out, so I was able to get him up here," said Hall, who stumbled upon Garces, and his impressive numbers, while scrolling through winter league stats on his computer.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he got picked up because he's pitching that well and he has that history. If we can be the stepping stone for Rich Garces to get back to major league baseball, I couldn't be any prouder. That's how the whole organization feels."

Until that happens, the six-foot, 240ish-pound (270ish?) reliever and his trademark 41/2-pound cannon ball which he found in Venezuela years ago and uses to get ready in a hurry, can be found in the Pride bullpen. There he is right next to the likes of 6-foot-10 reliever Steve Palazzolo of North Reading, the 2000 Eagle-Tribune MVP.

"Throw (5-foot-6) Hideki Nagasaka in there and we have three of the most diverse pitcher's body you are going to find," said Palazzolo, who's probably closer to seven-feet-plus with the afro he's sporting these days. "The cannon ball has definitely caught on with everyone in the bullpen. You look down there after the sixth inning and we're all passing it around."

Also being passed around is the kind of pitching knowledge that only comes from a 10-year major league resume.

"You can never learn too much in this game and having someone around like Guapo that accelerates that learning," said Palazzolo, who's 3-0 with a paltry 0.60 ERA out of the pen. "I just kind of cling to him and ask questions and he's more than happy to give answers."

Answers to everything except what he tips the scales at each morning.

"I'm OK," Garces said with a smile. "I'm not going to say that I'm in the best shape, no, I can't say that. But I feel the same. Same body, same guy."

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Garces' Season

Record%ERA%Saves%IP%R%ER%BB%K%Opp. Avg.

2-0%0.64%8%14.0%1%1%3%14%.136