Sleeping Thoughts: Ryan Garko Trade

Things get much better after I sleep on something.

In the case of the Indians trading away players I love, no.

I won't go bazerk on this one like I did with the Franklin Gutierrez deal, I promise. As I said, the writing was on the wall, this move was coming a mile away, it was just a matter of when and what the Indians would get for him.

But I still can't help and be upset the way Garko was treated in his time with the Indians. Yes they drafted him, yes they got him to the big leagues... Yes he did a lot more good than bad for him.

But Eric Wedge was a jerk and a half and Garko hasn't been the only player he's done it to, and he won't be the last.

You know that phrase, you don't really know what you have till it's gone?

I think it's going to repeat with Garko, as it did with Franklin Gutierrez.

You can say what you want about Brandon Phillips and Milton Bradley, they were jerks. I would have gotten rid of them myself.

But Ryan Garko isn't a jerk... In fact he's one of the best locker room guys this team has had since Mark Shapiro took over.

This is a guy who's moved to first base in order to play in the majors and accommodate Victor Martinez. He took harsh criticism about his first base play, even though it isn't his normal position. He's fine-tuned himself into a respectable first baseman.

He worked hard as all get out just to be decent there and he's done a great job.

He took jokes, from people like myself, about moving to the outfield. I was always joking, but some people actually went out of their way to say Garko is trash. Why? Because he's a lug playing in the outfield and it isn't his position. Hey, look, the guy isn't an outfielder, but he did it anyway. Why? Because the team wanted him to.

Yet we sit here as fans and bad-mouth him.

Garko is a true professional and a guy that I'm going to root in favor of for the rest of his career, no matter where he goes. I'll still wear my Garko shirt to games, even though he's gone, because he's still a guy I consider an Indian. He gave a lot for this team and they didn't always give the same back.

Wedge is doing it again though with other players. Josh Barfield, was doing it with Andy Marte, let's see if he does it two times, Franklin Gutierrez, name anyone in the bullpen really that isn't named Betancourt or Perez.

It just sucks because these guys go on to new teams and things all of a sudden are working.

Watch Garko go there, hit in the fifth or even fourth hole for them.. Knock in a bunch of runs, add a really important bat for them down the stretch, he'll earn a long-term deal eventually and be their first baseman for the next chunk of years and we are all saying, well damnit.

Anyway... That's my peace on Garko. Let's talk about the return.

SCOTT BARNES
Drafted: 2008, 8th Round
Age: 21, B/T: L/L, WT: 180, HT: 6'3"
2008 (AZL/SS/A-): 3-3, 2.06 ERA, 7 GS, 44 IP, 12 BB, 63 K
2009 (San Jose A+): 12-3, 2.85 ERA, 18 GS, 98 IP, 29 BB, 99 K

Pitches: Fastball (High 80's to Low 90's), Changeup (Plus Pitch), Curveball

Strengths: Changing speeds seems to be his way of life. He racks up strikeouts based off that. He has a deceptive delivery. He isn't a power pitcher, but he isn't Jeremy Sowers redux. He is big on location, good. Good pick-off move.

Weaknesses: I guess experience? He's already at High-A though and could be in Double-A by the end of the year. He's on the same track as Eric Berger. I really really hope this isn't Jeremy Sowers redux.

I'm not disappointed in the return. The Giants are a good team to trade with because they are A) A good farm system and B)Deep in pitching prospects.

With guys like Madison Bumgarner, and an already stout rotation, they can afford to trade us a pitcher like Barnes. He's still in Advanced A Ball, which is where he will start, but I have a feeling if he makes a few starts and is good, he, and Berger for that matter, will both be in Akron by seasons end, and they'll start there next season with Triple-A being the long-term goal for them in 2010.

Barnes has been flat out dominate this year in Single-A's California League, which is more of a hitters league. Remember Carlos Santana went from a hitter's league in the Cal League to a pitcher's league in the Carolina League and did just as well.

So Barnes should not only transition very well, he should make his stay in the Carolina League very short.

It's not a bad return. Garko isn't chopped liver as some people would make you believe. He isn't going to net you some bag of balls in return, he's going to get you someone that can help the major league team down the road.

It's just a matter of picking the right guy. Let's hope Shapiro has done that.

Let's just take a look though at what he's done as far as pitchers go since the DeRosa deal.

MLB: Added Chris Perez, Power Arm
AAA: Added Jess Todd, Sort of a Power Arm
AA: Connor Graham, Power Arm
A: Scott Barnes, Not a Power Arm

Two starters and two relief pitchers, with the goal of Todd and Barnes to probably move up a level by the end of the year and one that could be a starter or a relief pitcher.

It's interesting. Let's see how these pitching acquisitions change the outlook of this team's pitching. It was Hector Rondon, Kelvin De La Cruz, and then really nothing coming into this season because most of the talent was up in Triple-A and had already debuted. Tony Sipp and John Meloan were exciting relief prospects. I think you could throw David Huff in there, but in the lower levels, you were kind of like, ehhhh what do we have?

Gomez has emerged, and some look at him and Rondon as 3-4 starters. De La Cruz is looked at as a 2-3 starter, you've got Barnes now who is in that Rondon range. Graham is a fringe rotation, maybe important bullpen part and Todd and Perez are looked at as back-end of the bullpen relief pitchers, both potentially future closers.

So obviously, Shapiro knew he had to impact the pitching and he's certainly done that after things have gone south.