OUT OF THIS WORLD GARLAND FINALLY FULFILLING LOFTY EXPECTATIONS.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Jon Garland always wowed people with an electric fastball. He mastered a wicked curveball as a 14-year-old. At 17, he was a first-round draft pick. Garland made his major-league debut at 20 and at the time was the youngest pitcher in the game.

It's no wonder Garland's ascent to the majors came with lofty expectations. Although he won 12 games in each of the past three seasons for the Chicago White Sox, it wasn't enough for some.

Those who figured they hadn't yet seen the best of Garland were right.

Garland, a Kennedy High of Granada Hills product, isn't done yet. After 18 wins in the regular season and a four-hit complete game victory against the Angels in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, Garland, 26, will pitch in the World Series tonight against Houston's back-to-back 20-game winner Roy Oswalt in Game 3 at Minute Maid Park.

What a transformation.

``He always believed in himself,'' said John Bushart, Garland's cousin and former pitching coach at Kennedy. ``He's confident. In his case, it was just a matter of time before he was going to get over that hurdle of 12 wins. He's gotten more confident over the years.''

He couldn't be happier, too, and it has nothing to do with proving anything to anyone.

``Hopefully people are enjoying coming out and watching me pitch,'' Garland said after his first postseason victory. ``It's not easy to go out and win games. A lot of things have to go right. The last few years, things might have rolled the other way. This year I had luck on my side.''

As well as his family.

Bushart left Monday for Houston and is expected to meet about 10 members of Garland's family, among them Garland's mother Vikki, who lives in Northridge and flew to Boston for the Division Series; sisters Kerri and Kim; girlfriend Lovie Jung, who played on the U.S. Olympic softball team; and 79-year-old grandfather Bill Peralta.

Garland's support system was able to watch Garland jump around in Angel Stadium to the cheers and chants of a small but boisterous group of fans after the White Sox clinched their first trip to the World Series since 1959.

Bushart, who played minor-league baseball in the Angels organization, has long been a mentor to Garland. Now Bushart, an assistant baseball coach at Pierce College, consults Garland for tips.

``We've seen him a lot of different places but this will be very exciting,'' Bushart said of Garland, who works out at Pierce in the offseason. ``Anaheim was a great atmosphere but this is a bigger stage.''

If teammate Paul Konerko had his way, Garland would have been one of four pitchers to share his ALCS Most Valuable Player award.

``Jon's been doing good things for five years,'' Konerko said.

Garland was drafted by the Cubs in 1997 and traded the following year. In 2000, he lost his debut with the White Sox against Kansas City, allowing seven runs in three innings.

But the right-hander has steadily improved since. This season, he set career bests in almost every statistical category. He was 18-10 with a 3.50 ERA in 32 starts, pitching 221 innings and throwing three complete games, all shutouts.

``That's the exception to the rule, when someone comes to the big leagues, kicks butt and the rest is history,'' White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. ``The norm is what happened to Jon. It takes a while and you might take a few beatings, but in the long run you'll get to where you're going to get.

``He's been a different guy (this season) than he's been but that's been a growth. That takes time.''

Garland couldn't have picked a better time for a breakthrough season. When the World Series ends, he will be a free agent. But first, he must contend with Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Houston's hitter-friendly stadium.

``For me, it really doesn't matter where I'm pitching, I'm not going to try to pitch somebody different because of a short porch or a deep porch, something like that,'' Garland said Monday. ``I've got to go out and make quality pitches, regardless. If I'm not doing that, it's not going to matter where I'm at.''

Garland's World Series debut will capture the attention of many, including his former high school teammate Marcus Alvarado, who was working to get together with old Kennedy teammates to watch the game.

Most had a feeling Garland, a high school All-American, would make it. People talked about Garland long after he graduated from Kennedy.

``I remember when I played at Oxnard College, there was a guy from (Anaheim) Esperanza that played against him and the first thing he did was ask me if I played with Garland,'' Alvarado said. ``He told me he was the best (high school) pitcher he'd ever seen.''

Alvarado twice attended games Garland pitched this season and was impressed when Garland thanked him for going to the game and said he hadn't changed a bit.

Manny Alvarado, Kennedy High's baseball coach and Marcus' father, has seen Garland pitch live but gave his ALCS ticket to his son because he had to work. Alvarado, who also is an assistant athletic director, was scheduled to be at the school's football game the night of Garland's start, but didn't make it to the game until the second half, after catching the White Sox game on television at a restaurant across the street from the school.

``He had a major-league curveball when he was in high school,'' Manny said.

Garland hasn't changed a bit. Except for those 18 victories and a playoff win. And, maybe a World Series victory, too.

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Former Kennedy High of Granada Hills standout Jon Garland set a career high with 18 wins this season.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

(2) Game 3 starter Jon Garland, right, chats with Game 2 starter Mark Buehrle during workouts at Monday in Houston.

Eric Gay/Associated Press