Yardbarker: Ryan Garko

Blogging the Offseason: San Francisco Giants

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

Blogging the Offseason is a 30 team series in which I ask a blogging representative from each MLB team a series of ten questions about their desires and thoughts surrounding the offseason. Check out all of them here.

Today's NL team is the San Francisco Giants and our guest Giants fan Zach from The Big Picture.

1. Will the Giants sign an offseason bat that's actually worth the money, or will they again throw money at someone well past his prime like they did Renteria?
I doubt it. I really do. When guys like Jason Bay and Matt Holliday are the "big names" who want $100 million, I just don't see it as a good investment. They'll probably try to get some smaller names who could make big impacts -- starting with resigning Juan Uribe.

2. Bengie Molina is a free agent this offseason, are you in favor of resigning him or simpling rolling the dice with Buster Posey? What do you think the Giants do?
I like Molina's heart. I like his bat about 30% of the time. I like his handling of the pitchers 80% of the time. BUT HE'S A LIABILITY ON THE BASES! The running joke with Benjie is that it'll take a triple to score him from second.
His contract isn't a major issue, so I'd keep him around to mentor Posey and start really working Posey in there by mid-season.

3. Madison Bumgarner will be in the Giants rotation on what date?
When Penny gets hurt. Is early April too pessimistic?

4. The Giants traded for Freddy Sanchez near the deadline. WHY? And will they pick up his option this offseason?
Don't ask! Hated that trade then and hate it even more now. Aside from giving up a prized prospect (Tim Alderson), they were acquiring a hitter who had little power and couldn't take a walk. He IS EVERY ******* HITTER ALREADY IN THE GIANTS' LINEUP! They resigned him because he's good for 75 games played, a .290 average and 8 homers; Brian Sabean wanted to have a guy who fits right in.

5. Which Giant free agent pitcher do you want on the 2010 roster, Randy Johnson or Brad Penny or both?
Penny hands down. Loved the pick up at the time -- the guy can pitch in the National League. I think a lot of teams would love him as their first starter.

6. What would it take for you as a Giant fan to be ok with Sabean dealing either Lincecum or Cain?
Let's keep names out of this:
-Your two best hitters
-Your best pitcher
-A free night with the hottest wife
-Cash considerations
-Your first-round pick the next three years
-A 24-pack of beer (and not the bad ****, either)
-A high-paying job in your organization
-Maybe your second-best pitcher too

7. You've gassed your owner and have convinced him to spend like the Yankees, which three free agents do you sign?
Yikes. Bad year for that. For the Giants' needs, I'd go:
1. Matt Holliday
2. Carl Crawford
3. Josh Beckett

8. Which Giant prospect are you most looking forward to in 2010?
I'll give the nod to Posey over Bumgarner because I forgot what it looks like to see someone hit well.

9. I'm giving you the option to cut players without any salary repercussions, which Giants do you part way with?

Aaron Rowand
Randy Winn
Edgar Renteria
Ryan Garko
Freddy Sanchez
Fred Lewis

You were expecting me to say Zito, huh?
Any batter who can't draw a walk or sacrifice a runner is wasted space in my book.

10. Final Question, you've got a crystal ball, the Giants win the NL West in...
2011

Scouring the free agent market

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:38:17 -0500

One player you want. Cull the free agent list, and name your guy. It’s a rosterbation sensation! Nick Johnson is my guy, and I know it might not be especially rational. If Nick Johnson were a regular reader, he would probably raise his eyebrows at the suggestion that the Giants should spend a lot of money on an oft-injured, 30-year-old who plays a position at which the Giants have a decent option. Per Rotoworld: Nick Johnson is going on the 60-day DL after raising, then s...

Yet Another Modest Proposal

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:03:14 -0500

It's silly season for baseball. Without any games of note, the idle mind turns to rosterbation. As the offseason progresses, it becomes more complex and convoluted. It moves from "sign six players for a combined $100B," to a four-way deal that uses obscure passages from the collective bargaining agreement to get Hanley Ramirez for Dan Runzler and 19th-century promissory notes from the Bank of New Amsterdam. I'm as guilty as anyone. I'm just itching to write my "...

Ryan Garko would be my pick...

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:34:00 -0500

If Adam Rubin's information is accurate and I have no reason to believe it's not, since he always appears to be spot on in my book, then the Mets are looking for a right handed platoon partner for Murphy at first base...I've felt that one of Omar's biggest failures since after the 2006 season is his inability to make in-season adjust specifically by making smaller role player moves in-season. Look at a transaction sheet for two years straight (2007-2008) any team in contentio...

Post-Game Recap: The Giants Win? The Giants Win!

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:33:59 -0500

After Ryan Garko dribbled a deadline special to Ian Stewart with the bases loaded in the sixth inning. I turned the radio off. The Giants had second and third with no one out. Molina whiffed. Pablo whiffed, albeit on a joke of a call. And then…poof. Inning over. The Giants were still down three runs, which isn’t something you’d expect them to score in a four-game series. But, because I’m an idiot, I turned the game back on a half-inning later. Wow. Just…w...

My secret hope for Ryan Garko's next 30 games....

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:43:08 -0500

My secret hope for Ryan Garko's next 30 games.... It's not realistic, but neither am I.

Giants - Acquired Garko

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:33:39 -0500

San Francisco Giants - Acquired 1B Ryan Garko from the Cleveland Indians for P Scott Barnes. Garko has established himself as your basic run-of-the-mill league-average 1B. He's not going to hit 30 home runs or slug .550 or steal you 7 or 8 runs a year with the glove, but you can stick him in your lineup, set it and forget it. I'm not sure he's a great fit for the Giants however because while he is an offensive upgrade over San Fran's annual 320/400 1B du jour, he's not a ...

Trade Analysis: Ryan Garko Shipped to San Francisco

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:00:36 -0500

The needle has barely moved with Tribe fans this morning in regards to first basemen Ryan Garko being traded to San Francisco for left-handed Class A pitcher Scott Barnes. While many of you may say that Garko was the hottest bat on the Indians during this mini-streak they are on, its the equivalent of being [...]

Sleeping Thoughts: Ryan Garko Trade

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:49:00 -0500

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.

Transactions: Ryan Garko Traded

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:47:40 -0500

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP Ryan Garko. Browse more photos » Traded 1B/OF Ryan Garko to the San Francisco Giants for LHP Scott Barnes (A+) Several years ago, I thought Mark Shapiro hung onto Ben Broussard a year or so too long. Broussard was a nice complementary bat, but by the time he was traded in 2006 was making $2.5M with another raise to come after the season. But thanks to hitting in ...

Garko :tear drop: :*(

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:29:00 -0500

Let me preface this by saying I fully expected Ryan Garko to be dealt at some point between... earlier this month and next season.

The writing was on the wall and the only reason he was getting playing time as of late was to boost his stock.

Shoppach sucking probably had something to do with it all.

But I'm still pretty sad about this.

I'll probably go more in depth with Garko later, but I've got some high-expectations for this kid we received in return for the Shark.

I'm not all that pumped.. Really I'm not. Garko got treated like absolute crud after what he gave the organization and it blows with the way things ended.

Great for him going to his home state though. Back in California where he's always hit well. He's going to be playing regularly in the national league for a team that needs a hitter to run-produce. He couldn't have fallen into a better situation.

Looks like I'm cheering big time for the Giants this year.

Carl Pavano, back to back to back home runs.. What the hell is this garbage?

More on the return, Scott Barnes, tomorrow when I sleep on this.

Damnit Garko... My t-shirt is now done-for.. I'll wear it in memorandum of your awesomeness.

Positive? Andy Marte gets to freakin' play.

Breaking News: Ryan Garko Traded to San Francisco

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:34:42 -0500

Slated to DH tonight, Ryan Garko has been pulled from the lineup. Ed Price is reporting that the Indians have traded him to the San Francisco Giants. No word on what we have received just yet. Will update as we can.

While We’re Waiting… Mike Brown’s Future, Trading Ryan Garko, and Inking James Davis

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:00:46 -0500

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your pleasurable viewing. Have something you think we should see and read about tomorrow? Send it to our tips email in the sidebar. Hot Seat may be an understatement: “No NBA coach will be under a more unforgiving spotlight or facing more pressure [...]

Buffalo Bisons Giveaway Highlights

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:44:45 -0500

This goes out to the 1% of those that may hit up a Bisons game in 2008.

Ryan Garko is Hitting Bombs and Saving Lives

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:26:22 -0500

Garko homers on Sunday and hits a fan in the stomach. She goes to the doctor and they find a tumor on her lungs so she can be treated. They wouldn't have known about the tumor if she hadn't gone to the doctor. Ryan Garko rules.