The Tigers have hired former big league first baseman Ryan Garko as their new vice president of player development, per a club announcement. He’d spent the past two seasons with the Angels’ coaching staff as an instant replay coordinator and working to integrate information from the club’s analytics department into the clubhouse and dugout.
Garko, 40, was the 78th overall draft pick by the Indians back in 2003 and spent parts of six seasons in the Majors, batting a combined .275/.347/.434 with 55 home runs, 75 doubles and three triples in 1752 plate appearances. He spent the 2011 season playing with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization, and since retiring he’s managed the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate and coached in the college ranks at the University of the Pacific and at Stanford.
Garko’s hiring comes just a few weeks after some changes in the Tigers’ front office were announced. Former VP of player development Dave Littlefield, who has been with the club since 2014, moved into a new role as a special assignment scout. Littlefield, who was the Pirates’ general manager from 2001-07, has spent three decades working in baseball operations, dating back to his time as a scout with the Expos in 1991.
The Tigers also recently announced a pair of key front office promotions, as director of baseball ops and pro scouting Sam Menzin and senior director of baseball analytics Jay Sartori were both named vice president/assistant general manager. Menzin, 31, began his baseball career as an intern with the Tigers and had held his previous title for the past four seasons. Sartori, 42, has spent the past six years building and overseeing the Tigers’ analytics department. He’s previously served as the Nationals’ director of baseball operations and spent three years as an assistant general manager with the Blue Jays as well.
Amazing. You would think the Indians would have given him a shot.
Stanford guy like Hinch.
This emerging new reality of the Detroit Tigers with high IQ staffers is rather mind blowing.
Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time…
Can’t hear this name without reading it in his fanboy’s voice… Jim Rome
Phenomenal!
Experience?!
Tigers should be hiring a qualified individual from the Rays, Dodgers, Giants etc. A pro who knows talent and how to draft and trade.
Tigers need to revamp their drafts so they get a consistent pipeline of top notch talent
whether they are drafting “top ten” or drafting 25-30.
Top quality Drafting, scouting, international signings every year would help the Tigers contend every year and avoid a complete tear down/rebuild every 8 years. or so.
The Dodgers finish first in the Division almost every year, draft near the bottom of the pack every year and always come up with rookie of the year candidates every year and a stacked farm system!
Rays are a model of contending consistency and a loaded farm system also.
Tigers appear to value loyalty over crackerjack baseball people.
The Tigers look like they are cleaning house. How do you see that as valuing loyalty? A huge percentage of the minor league coaches just got told to take a walk as they move to their new Analytics system, and eliminate roaming instructors. Seems more like a my way or the highway approach. Still, I have to say when looking for someone to improve player development, the Angels aren’t the first team I would be poaching from. Hoping they know what they want to accomplish and how to get there.
As an angels fan I would agree that poaching from our front office shouldn’t be a first choice. Angels are run like a circus.
But without the rings.
The would gladly throw in Minasian for a couple of staplers.
Why? Minasian is just getting started. Fixing an organization that has been horribly run will take some time.
That is what I mean. Tigers should be poaching from perennial contenders like the Dodgers, Rays, Astros, Cardinals, Red Sox etc…Not the Angels etc..
Arte Moreno is a nice guy, good businessman and wants to win badly.
He should let his professional baseball people make the decisions.
Arte has micro managed his front office.
He fired the wrong guy when Mike Scoscia(sp) and De Poto(sp)
were locking horns.
Look at how De Poto “cleaned house” in Seattle and has build a rising
team and loaded farm system?!
Next year, expect the Mariners back in the playoffs.
Angels?! Still not enough pitching.
Getting their ducks in a row for Avilla’s retirement.