Giants Acquire Ryan Garko

could the lee/Martinez rumor to the Dodgers have legs? Loney goes to 1st, but I just hope its not including Billz or Kershaw.

talk about random. I'd like to see who they gave up too.

Knowing Sabean he probably gave up Bumgarner for him.

Lincecum removed from his start tonight.

...just kidding

Garko is a solid hitter. I always thought he could really produce if given 550 at bats a year and set at 1 position (1B). He did have a pretty good year in 2007 I think?

"he hasn't made many head scratching trades"

Actually he has made a few good ones. Morris and his salary to the Pirates for Davis.

Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser and Joe Nathan for A.J. Pierzinsky is not head scratching?

Posted by: Pablano | July 27, 2009 at 08:32 PM

It was a bad one, but if you have to go back to 2003 to citicize him he's not doing too bad. Every GM misses here and there, missing badly once in 2003 is hardly reason to justify a comment implying sabean is clueless.

"That's a pretty baseless criticism...he's made some mistakes in free agency, but his evaluation of young talent has been excellent and he hasn't made many head scratching trades."

Shea Hillenbrand (NEEDED to be traded from Jays) and Vinnie Chulk for Jeremy Accardo?

Barnes and Ptbnl. Not bad.

Depending on the PTBNL, not a bad deal for the Giants as long as they realize they're not getting a great bat for a first baseman.

Ryan Garko = Ryan Klesko?

lakersdodgersyankees4life

that was shot down yesterday.

Posted by: mleetch352 | July 27, 2009 at 08:26 PM

yea, i know. But it said they were talking about something. I just wonder if this could open up some kind of deal.

Also, i believe, this is their first move of selling. This could be a flood-gate type move

Trade was, got info off Indians site

First baseman Ryan Garko has been traded from the Indians to the Giants for Class A left-hander Scott Barnes

The 21-year-old Barnes is 12-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts for Class A San Jose in the California League. He leads the league in wins, is second in ERA and his 99 strikeouts are tied for ninth overall.

Barnes was an eight-round Draft pick in 2008 out of St. John's University. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. Baseball America named him the ninth-best prospect in the Giants' system before this season.

Link http://castrovince.mlblogs.com/

Sounds like a pretty good trade for both teams.

SF nees a bat now and CLE just needs pitching at any level.

I think its time for CLE to tear this thing down and build for the future. Lee and VMart should go for some premium young pitching and perhaps Peralta could be on the way out too.

http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=4&nav=messages&webtag=ml-padres&tid=36079

Oh yea. That looks really legitimate. Read the post anyways, he isn't reporting a trade, he is suggesting if a trade is too happen, could it be 3 way?

"Francisco Liriano, Boof "Bonser and Joe Nathan for A.J. Pierzinsky is not head scratching"

That turned out not to be a good deal on Sabeans part, but like another poster stated, Sabeans track record on trades has been much much better than his FA Signings. Lets not forget about Schmidt, Nen, Burks, Lofton, Worrell, J.T Snow, Felix Rodriguez etc....

And lets not forget the best deal of them all. Getting the Pirates to take Matt Morris and his large bank off of the Giants payroll. That evened out his bad FA Signing of Morris!

So while i'll criticize Sabean for alot of things, I don't have much criticsm for the deals he has actually made.

Have to like this trade for both teams.

Garko really didn't have a long-term role or clear position on the Indians. He's at best a .280 hitter with 20-25 HR power -- not quite good enough to be an everyday 1B or DH on a good team, but he can't truly play any other spots. However, he's definitely an average or above average stopgap bat for a lineup looking to add pop, and I think he meets the Giants needs for now.

And yes, the Indians really need to get rid of spare parts and impending free agents to add pitching depth to the system.

That dude on the Padres forum is STUPID... NO WAY DOES Ethan Martin and Clayton Kershaw get you CLAY BUCHHOLTZ and HEATH BELL...BS.TOTALLY FAKE POST.

Heath Bell well get 2 prospects by himself..Buchholtz would be traded to San Diego not LA. haha wow.

A 28 year old in his 3rd full season is aging?

And yes, its a gamble to trade a guy who could easily be kept around as a DH/Utility for a guy in A ball who may never even get to the bigs...

Not a bad deal for The Giants, but more is needed.

Some CLE prospect guy help me out here, what does the future Tribe lineup look like?

1. Sizemore CF
2. Cabrera SS
3. LaPorta LF/DH
4. Santana C
5. Weglarz LF/DH
6. Choo RF
7. Chisenhall 3B
8. Mills 1B
9. Second base?

That looks pretty dang solid if I am forcasting that anywhere close. Now all they need is some young frontline starters.... hence the need for the VMart and Lee trades.

Posted by: bbxxj | July 27, 2009 at 09:02 PM

choo has to go to japan or china or wherever he is from to serve his country. they were talking about it during the WBC

Way to be Omar Minaya you failed to acquire two Indians who were traded for relievers that the Mets do have with similar pedigree.

(Parnel)l for DeRosa equal to Perez
Kunz + PTBNL for Garko equal to Barnes

Would have addressed a big need in the OF and INF... and in my opinion isn't two much in terms of prospects at all. As long as they held onto Mejia and Holt which they would have its an improvement. Oh well hopefully we see a Minaya Fired thread soon. I'm sure Nrmaxx will be the only apologist begging for his services as a "scout"

1. Brantley LF
2. Cabrera SS
3. Sizemore CF
4. Laporta LF/DH/1B
5. Choo RF
6. Santana C
7. Hodges 3B
8. Mills 1B
9. Valbuena 2B

Choo is from South Korea. And yes Korea has a mandatory military commitment of two years but he is going to try to get a deferment. If he can't he will apply for US citizenship. And for anyone who would doubt that, would you turn down millions of dollars to wash a tank for two years? I don't think so.

anyone know how long garko is under contract for?

According to RotoWorld.com, Garko is Arb Eligible 1010-2012 and eligible for FA in 2013

any specific reason freddy sanchez isnt in the starting lineup tonight? i hope he's in our duggout by the end of this game

Sorry for the typo....should read: Arb Eligible 2010-2012

"And for anyone who would doubt that, would you turn down millions of dollars to wash a tank for two years? I don't think so."

Would you renounce your American citizenship and avoid a military draft to make millions in Korea?

“Really? we gave up our 9th best prospect for Garko? we couldn't have gotten him for Sosa or Pucetas or even Tanner? As a Giants fan I'm not happy with this trade”

Have you noticed the Giants have a surplus of pitching???? that is their strength. they had to give some of it away to get what they needed. Nobody wants a middle infielder who is ranked 300th. You gotta give something to get something!!

Would you renounce your American citizenship and avoid a military draft to make millions in Korea?

Posted by: RoyalsRetro | July 27, 2009 at 09:41 PM

I probably would.

"isn't in the lineup either... The ishikawa-for-sanchez deal seems very possible."

I really hope so

This is a good move for both sides.

Garko is a great bat, he sees a lot of pitches, he'll hit .280/25/90. He works hard, never complains (even when being stuck in the outfield), and he's a great clubhouse guy. Don't expect all-star numbers, and you'll love him.

And this pitcher the Tribe got sounds pretty good too, although I doubt he'll be a contributor until 2011, at the earliest.

Win-win trade.

If Barnes was 12-3 at Fresno pitching in a hitters league like the PCL, I would be questioning the deal. But with the Giants minor league strength being its pitching and Barnes only at A Ball level, I think the Giants can afford this particular risk.

oh my god are people actually PRAISING Brian frickin Sabean???

Everyone in SF knows he's let his assistants do his work the last 3 years, hence the good farm system. Sabean himself can be found drinking alone in Marina bars during games. He's a drunk and an idiot, he had an excellent system that he systematically wiped out just to suit Barry Bonds. Not to mention telling Jeff Kent to his face that Bonds was more important to the team than him.

Bottom line, the Giants should have never been a bad team the last 4 years, but thanks to the AJ trade, the DAMIAN MOSS for Russ Ortiz trade, Zito+Rowand signings, they were. Any half decent GM would have kept his high ceiling players and won, Sabes didnt.

"i think ishikawa isnt in the lineup because of the lefty throwin for the pirates though"

true, just wishful thinking I guess lol

"Everyone in SF knows he's let his assistants do his work the last 3 years, hence the good farm system. Sabean himself can be found drinking alone in Marina bars during games. He's a drunk and an idiot, he had an excellent system that he systematically wiped out just to suit Barry Bonds. Not to mention telling Jeff Kent to his face that Bonds was more important to the team than him."

This is just idiotic. Did you notice that after the Giants traded Russ Ortiz away his career went into the TANK!! Arizona ate over 40 million to get rid of him. The Giants atleast got rid of him with a POSSIBLE improvement. As for Zito. There were 29 other GM's that would have made the same move 3 years ago....remember?

Stop being a Monday morning quarterback!!!

Listen Giants fan ... people like Garko are players General Managers crave. He is 28 years old yes, bust has a deep pedigree and is very cheap in terms on salary and how affordable he is. If you can get a Ryan Garko to help out your major league team while forfeiting a Scott Barnes for him ... you do it without question. Garko in 500 abs can give you 20 hrs and 90 cheap RBI's with a solid OPS and OBP. He is a great pickup for you guys and given you have depth it was a risk you needed to take. Now if you guys can get a Mark Teahan or possibly Freddy Sanchez you have a solid shot at the WC.

"Would you renounce your American citizenship and avoid a military draft to make millions in Korea?"

To play baseball? Hell yeah..

Bottom line, the Giants should have never been a bad team the last 4 years, but thanks to the AJ trade, the DAMIAN MOSS for Russ Ortiz trade, Zito+Rowand signings, they were. Any half decent GM would have kept his high ceiling players and won, Sabes didnt."

What does trading Damian Moss have to do with winning?

The biggest problem was insisting upon spending money on mediocre veteran free agents on an aging team with a mediocre farm system, because the team just couldn't rebuild with Barry Bonds, putting the team into limbo for a year or two.

Sabean has built up a monster farm system though, with Lincecum, Cain, Sandoval, Wilson, Romo, Schierholtz and Sanchez on the roster, and Posey, Bumgarner, Alderson, Villalona, Noonan, Gillespie, Wheeler, Crawford, Rodriguez, Sosa, and Pucetas

Checking MLB.com and mlbtraderumors.com for anymore information regarding a possible Josh Willingham swap for more prospects. Or are FLew and or TIsh about to be traded? Funny, I am not seeing Ishi or Lewis in the dugout. Same goes for F. Sanchez at the Buccos dugout either.

If Sabes was able to pull off a Sanchez trade, fans would go nuts.

Sanchez for Sanchez straight up. Call up Pucetas. Problem solved.

"Indians got hosed. People underrate Garko cause he doesn't hit 25-30 HRs.

Dude SET AN ML RECORD for RBIs as a rookie in 2006. He'll be a HUGE lift for the Giants.

Posted by: Hermie13 | July 27, 2009 at 09:53 PM "

Garko had 45 RBI in 2006. What was the record that he broke?

It hardly seems relevant, anyway. 2007 and 2008 were both full seasons for him (~140 games each), and he went .289/21/61 and .273/14/90. Not bad, but I feel like some people here are overrating his potential.

Garko or not, the Giants need another bat in their middle of the order. I say two bats (not necessarily power bats) are needed to complement Pablo, just to drive in runs. If Willingham is traded to SF, what would happen to Winn? Schierholtz will be a mainstay. I see Velez is playing left field..lots of speed but punchless at the plate.

I don't think the Giants are done. More to come I hope.

Totally unrelated, I think F. Sanchez is traded by Friday....hopefully to SF. But if not SF, he will be traded!!

Garko is the big bat acquired? I dunno; seems a little like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. Maybe I'm underrating Garko, but... At least the Giants didn't give up much. Barnes has some talent, but he's no stud. He's a college guy having success at High A; nothing to knock, but I'll hold off on calling him the next big thing until I see some success a little further up the ladder.

Also, Kulaid33- Why are you so outraged by the idea of the Dodgers getting Buchholtz and Bell for Kershaw and Martin? Are you saying the Dodgers would be getting too MUCH for those guys? Kershaw is one of the best young pitchers in the game and Martin is a very intriguing young prospect. I think the Padres would listen to a Bell deal that involved Martin (a 2008 first rounder) if the Dodgers included a second, lesser prospect. As far as Buchholtz/Kershaw...you DO know that Kershaw > Buchholtz, don't you? Kershaw is left-handed, younger (a whole 21 years old), and has a 2.96 ERA and 110 K's in 112 innings this year.

You're right about one thing- there's no way in hell this deal happens; but that's because the Dodgers would NEVER consider it. The difference between Bucholtz and Kershaw more than makes up any difference between Martin and Bell. LA would be nuts to trade Kershaw!

Forgive me if I got the intonation of your post wrong, but it looks like you're saying Buchholtz and Bell are too MUCH for Kershaw and Martin and not the other way around. Which, of course, is completely ridiculous. Kershaw is a left handed version of what the Red Sox are HOPING Buchholtz becomes. I'm not a Dodgers fan or anything, but sometimes Sox fans say some stupid sh*# and need to be put in their place. Sorry if I got you wrong.

Would be nice if the giants got Freddy sanchez. But i believe he's not in the pirates line up because Sanchez is hitless in his last 20 AB. He has struck 7 times in his last 12 AB.

Sabean just said "the intention is to get Ryan as many at bats as we can and still keep ishikawa in the mix"...

Thrill, you're fingers may break cause Dunn is'nt coming to AT&T anytime soon. If the Giants did'nt sign Dunn as a FA they certainly won't give up the prospects the Nats will ask for. Its the same reason they did'nt pull the trigger on Nick Johnson. The Nats were asking for too much.