The Giants have apparently made a trade with Cleveland, sending Scott Barnes, a 22-year old, left-handed pitcher in single A ball, to the Indians for Ryan Garko, a first baseman. Garko is an immediate upgrade at first base, with 20-plus extra base hits, running out a nice .285/.362/.464 with an .826 OPS.
In fact, he pretty much is the second best hitter on the team right now.
Was a 22-year old lefty worth it? Too soon to tell, but one thing is for sure, Garko’s not known for his glove. Here’s hoping there’s more to come.
…. Last season, Garko hit .352 over the final 36 games – and .410 after Sept. 5. This season, Garko batted .349 over the past 23 games. For the season, he is at .333 (23-for-69) against left-handed pitching to lead the Indians.
“There’s definitely something to be said for experience,” Sabean said. “These games will only get harder. It can only help.”
It also helps that Garko won’t be a one-hit wonder. He is approaching his first year of eligibility for arbitration, which means the Giants will control his rights beyond this season.
Hopefully, the Washington Nationals Josh Willingham is next on Sabean’s list, because he is an actual major-league hitter, with 20 doubles, 16 home runs, and an outstanding slash line of .298/.410/.596 with a stellar 1.007 OPS. Please, Mommy, can I have one of those for Christmas?
Hat tip to Baseball Musings.
UPDATE: Tim Lincecum set a career high with 15 strikeouts, going the distance in a 4-2 win over the Pirates tonight. Damn, he must’ve been pissed after that Atlanta loss. 
9 Backtalkers
not a great, but not a bad deal
giving up just barnes means the giants dont lose much, even if garko is a bust
but to get willingham, the giants will have to part with much more
Doesn’t this trade also include a player to be named later or did I make that up? If it does include the player tbnl then I’m reserving all judgement until we know who that is
Geoffrey:
That was bad information that Will Carroll had out right after the trade happened, it’s a straight up 1 for 1 trade.
Baseballbriefs.com tracking back …. Move…
Baseballbriefs.com tracking back …. Move…
I’m not sure I like this move yet. Ishikawa is in his first full season and his average is slightly less than Garko’s. Sabean’s mantra is always to hold onto pitching b/c even then you can trade it for assets. Is a 28 year old with a batting average 20 points higher than our current, younger first baseman really the best use of that asset?
It’s probably just my overwhelming gut wrenching reflex whenever I hear of Sabean making a trade that’s getting to me but I have a sick feeling we will be seeing Scott Barnes suceeding later in his career.
I don’t have a problem with this trade. Garko’s an upgrade – BA is the most similar thing about them, Garko has a much higher OBP and SLG, so he’s definitely better offensively. We didn’t give up much, one B or C level prospect isn’t worth a ton. I don’t think this is a good year to sell the farm, but giving away a small time prospect for a guy that can help keep us in the wild card picture seems reasonable enough to me.
The good part/sad part is that in fact, Garko is now the second best hitter on the Giants. A hitter the woeful Indians found expendable in exchange for a Single A player with good stats and not so great stuff. That should tell you something, though I’m not sure what. Sounds like “need for need” here.
I remember Garko in college. He was an awesome catcher his senior year, and unlike most star college players, he chose to come back for his senior year.
About 20 games into his sophomore season, Garko won the starting catcher’s job away from a senior (after being a part-time scrubini ph/dh as a freshman) whose name escapes me right now. He wound up the year as the catcher on the ALL College World Series Team by doing a Barry Bonds impression for a week. He capped off his collegiate career by winning the Johnny Bench Award (created in 2000) which annually goes to the best catcher in the country.
Here’s where it gets kind of interesting: The winner in 2001 was current starting catcher Kelly Shopach, Garko in 2003, Oakland A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki in 2004, and Buster Posey last year.
The Indians started converting him to 1b in the minors as he was blocked by Shopach and Victor Martinez. Garko is the only prior Bench winners to reach the majors, to not come up as a catcher even though that is his natural position, so maybe the Giants have plans for Garko next year behind the dish.
As far as the Giants are concerned, he’s an improvement if for no other reason than having learned to play ball at Stanford under Mark Marquess he actually had to learn how not to be a first pitch hackerbator. Thats the “Stanford way”. And as much as one may loathe the elitism, and snobbery of their program, one can respect that their players have earned a reputation for being extraordinarily disciplined and team-oriented.
Sabean could have done worse. Wait. He actually has. For years. If he succeeds in not screwing the pooch for the rest of the year, Giants fans should be grateful. If somehow, Garko enables the Giants to not resign Molina and give Posey some cushion, than it will be effectively a 2 for 1 transaction on the cheap. But thats only pure speculation on my part.
Freddy Sanchez has been scratched from the Pirates line-up. Not sure if that means anything or not.
What is all this nonsense about Freddy Sanchez. I wouldn’t trade Juan Uribe straight up for him.
He has no speed….(10 career stolen bases( He is injured. He is another over thirty .700 ops guy who is in offensive decline who is owed millions this year and next. His best year was 3 seasons ago with an OPS of .851. He has absolutely no power. None. Zero. Zilch. Other than 11 jacks in 2006, he has never hit double digits. He has less freaking power than Omar Vizquel, who even the Giants had the good sense to release.
Uribe has 4 jacks to Sanchez 6 in about 100 fewer at bats. His ops is about the same. And his slugging at .442 is only marginally better than Uribe’s .431. And this all before he got hurt…..again.
What am I missing here? Is he fucking elasto-man with a 56 foot arm span and hands the size of garbage can lids? Can he reach 23 rows back into the stands for a pop-foul? I just don’t get it. He was pretty good in 06, but so were Renteria, Randy Johnson, Rich Aurilia and Omar Vizquel.
If somebody can clue me in here, be my guest.