Ryan Garko
Encyclopedia
Ryan Francis Garko is a professional baseball
outfielder
, first baseman
, and designated hitter
, who plays for the Samsung Lions
of the Korean Baseball Organization
. In college, he was a catcher
. He has played for the Cleveland Indians
, the San Francisco Giants
, and the Texas Rangers
in Major League Baseball
. Garko is seen by former ESPN
reporter John Sickels
as a good hitter who hits to all parts of the field, but with poor defensive instincts. He is not strikeout
prone; however, he does not generate a large amount of walks
.
When he attended Stanford University
, Garko won the Johnny Bench Award
and was named the Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year his senior
year. He was also voted onto the College World Series
Legends Team, featuring 28 of the best College World Series players as voted upon by fans, writers, and head coaches
. During his time in the Cleveland Indians' organization, Garko was converted into a first baseman. In , Baseball America
ranked him as the fifth best prospect in the Indians organization, including being the best at hitting for average
.
. At the age of three, his family moved to southern California
. He attended Saint Angela Merici School in Brea, California
, where his mother was a teacher, and attended high school at Servite High School
. He graduated from Servite in 1999 alongside future major league players Ben Francisco
and Brian Wolfe
. Also in 1999, Garko played for the USA Baseball Junior National Team
. He holds numerous records at Servite High School, including the single-season records in, triples
(6), home run
s (8), RBIs (52), and the career records in, games played (101), at-bats (314), hits (149), triples (19), home runs (24), RBIs (121), and walks
(80). He was also the starting quarterback
on the football
team for two years. Garko graduated high school with a 4.2 grade point average.
. He led the Stanford baseball team in batting average
in his sophomore
season with a .398 clip, and was named their Most Improved Player. That summer, he played with the Hyannis Mets
in the Cape Cod League, an amateur
summer league, and batted .233 with 14 runs, 28 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 1 stolen base. Next season, in his junior
year, Garko was named a Johnny Bench Award
semifinalist. During his senior
year, he won the award and was named a First Team All-American. He also shared the Pac-10 Conference Baseball of the Year Award with Dustin Pedroia
, and was named the NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player and Stanford's Most Valuable Player. In his time at Stanford, Garko batted .350 with 60 doubles, 39 home runs, 191 RBIs in 218 games played. He is still fifth all-time in doubles at Stanford, seventh in RBIs, and ninth in batting average and home runs. His only problem at Stanford was that he had trouble with controlling his weight. On May 6, 2010, Garko was voted on to a 28 member College World Series Legends Team as a part of a commemoration of the final College World Series in Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium
. The team was voted upon by college baseball fans, college baseball writers, and Division I head coaches.
. On July 8, 2003, he signed a contract with the Indians and was assigned to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers
of the New York – Penn League. In his first professional season, Garko batted .273 with eight doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 16 RBIs in 45 games. The next season, , he split time between the Class-A Advanced Kinston Indians
, the Double-A Akron Aeros
, and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
. During April, he was named the "Player of the Month" in the Carolina League
. He was also named the 13th best prospect in the Carolina League by Baseball America. He batted a combined .330 with 33 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, and 99 RBIs in 113 games with all three leagues. Garko was third in the Carolina League in batting average with a .328 clip, and sixth in home runs with 16. At the end of the season, he was named the Cleveland Indians' minor league player of the year by USA Today
. Garko participated in the Arizona Fall League
at the end of the 2004 season. With the Peoria Javelinas
in the AFL, he batted .348 with 21 runs, 40 hits, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, and 30 RBIs in 30 games. He was named to the AFL Raising Stars team, an all-star team voted upon by managers and coaches.
with the Indians, but he was returned to the minor leagues before the regular season. He spent most of the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He hit .303 with 19 home runs, and 77 RBIs in 127 games. Halfway through the 2005 season, Garko was selected to the International League all-star team. He was also selected to the All-Star Futures Game
in Detroit, Michigan
. On September 18, 2005, Garko made his major league debut against the Kansas City Royals
, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning. For the second straight season, Garko played in the Arizona Fall League at the end of the season. This time, Garko played for the Mesa Solar Sox
. He batted .314 with 10 runs, 27 hits, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, and 27 RBIs in 23 games.
ranked Garko as the fifth best prospect in the Indians' organization and the best at hitting for average. Garko attended spring training with the Indians in . He was sent to Triple-A before the start of the season and began his season with the Buffalo Bisons. He injured his left wrist on April 21, but was not placed on the disabled list
after x-rays turned up negative for a break. Garko hit .247 with 15 home runs, and 59 RBIs in 127 games at the Triple-A level. Garko was tied for second in bases on balls (45); and was tied for third in home runs, and RBIs on the Bisons' roster at the end of the season. He was called-up by the Indians on June 30, after Cleveland traded first baseman Eduardo Pérez
to the Seattle Mariners. His first major league hit, a double, came on July 1, against the Cincinnati Reds
. He hit his first home run a little over a month later, on August 10, against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. Although Garko favored his traditional position of catcher, the Indians moved him to first base so he would have a better chance of competing for a major league roster spot. By September, he was the starting everyday first baseman for the Indians after Ben Broussard
was traded to Seattle. Garko finished the season with a .292 batting average, 12 doubles, seven home runs, and 45 RBIs in 50 games at the major league level.
reported that Garko would have to improve on the defensive end to make the 25-man roster because the Indians already had a first baseman in Casey Blake
. Towards the end of spring training, Indians' manager
Eric Wedge
noted that Garko had made improvements on defense. He made the 2007 roster out of spring training for the first time in his career. On April 22, Garko hit a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays
. He became the everyday starting first baseman early in the season after Casey Blake
moved to third base
because of an injury to Andy Marté
. He started his dislike toward Interleague Play
because during it, designated hitter
Travis Hafner
is moved to first base, Garko's position, and he is left sitting on the bench. On July 18, Garko hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning against Chicago White Sox
' pitcher
Bobby Jenks
to tie the score at five-to-five, and then drove in an RBI run for the win in the eleventh inning. During the regular season, Garko batted .289 with 29 doubles, one triple, 21 home runs and 61 RBIs in 138 games. In the postseason, he hit .314 with two doubles, one home run, and five RBIs in nine games.
was playing more than Garko because Garko was having trouble hitting right-handed pitching. Garko was moved down the batting order
because of his struggles. In August, Garko stated that he was watching videotape in an attempt to pick-up his hitting. On August 6, he was benched for three games by manager Eric Wedge for failing to run on a ground ball he hit. On September 27, Garko hit two home runs, including a grand slam
against the Chicago White Sox
. At the end of the season, Garko hit .273 with 21 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs and 90 RBIs in 141 games. Before spring training in , there was speculation that if Garko did not perform well, he might lose his starting first base job. Garko began practicing the outfield
position for the upcoming season. Eric Wedge stated that Garko would in fact be playing the outfield in spring training. On June 21, Garko was held out of the game because of a sprained left wrist.
for left-handed pitcher Scott Barnes. He hit a game-winning double on August 18, against the Cincinnati Reds
in the top of the tenth inning. He was acquired to be a full-time first baseman; however, during his tenure in San Francisco, he was third on the depth chart
(behind Pablo Sandoval
and Travis Ishikawa
) after he got off to a sluggish start. With the Giants, Garko batted .235 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs and 12 RBIs and 9 walks in 40 games. Combined with his time in the Indians and Giants organization, Garko batted .268 with 13 doubles, 13 home runs and 51 RBIs in 118 games. On December 12, 2009, Garko was non-tendered by the Giants, making him a free agent.
on February 1, . Garko said that the reason he was signed by Seattle was because he has success against left-handed pitching. He added about signing with the Mariners:
However, on the spring, Garko batted only .220 with one home run and four RBIs. On March 30, he was placed on waivers by the Mariners to make room for Mike Sweeney
of the 25-man roster. Geoff Baker, reporter for The Seattle Times
, stated that the reason for Garko being placed on waivers was because of Sweeney's clubhouse presence and the fact that the Mariners had stated that, due to his defensive abilities, Casey Kotchman
, whom Garko was expected to split playing time with, was going to play the majority of the games at first base leaving the back-up designated hitter spot for Garko. The final decision, Baker stated, was that the Mariners had their organization full with back-up first basemen and designated hitters like Sweeney and Tommy Everidge
.
. As a result of his signing, the Rangers optioned Max Ramirez
to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks to make room for Garko on the 25-man roster. The Rangers had shown interest in Garko at the trade deadline in 2009, however, no transaction ever formed and he was sent to the San Francisco Giants. On May 13, The Dallas Morning News
reporter Evan Grant reported that the Rangers intended to option Garko to the minor leagues and later place him on outright waivers when outfielder Nelson Cruz was activated from the disabled list, although no transaction was official at the time of the report. Later that day, the Rangers officially optioned Garko to Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed him on waivers after Cruz was activated from the disabled list. On May 13, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City, which removed him from the Rangers' 40-man roster. Garko hit his first home run of the season, a grand slam, with the RedHawks against the Triple-A Portland Beavers
on May 21. However, with Oklahoma City in 2010, Garko batted only .235 with only ninety hits and twelve home runs. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
of the Korean Baseball Organization
. Due to poor performance, He was released on July 12th.
, with his spouse Christie. He is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, who plays for the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
of the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
. In college, he was a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. He has played for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, and the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Garko is seen by former ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
reporter John Sickels
John Sickels
John Sickels is an American baseball writer, formerly of ESPN.com, who specializes in minor league baseball and amateur baseball.-Biography:...
as a good hitter who hits to all parts of the field, but with poor defensive instincts. He is not strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
prone; however, he does not generate a large amount of walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
.
When he attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Garko won the Johnny Bench Award
Johnny Bench Award
The Johnny Bench Award was created in 2000 by to honor college baseball's top catcher. The award is the brain child of Wichitan Mike Gehrer who has coached and administrated in the Wichita area at the high school level for many years. He was a college catcher himself and is one of the most forward...
and was named the Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year his senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
year. He was also voted onto the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
Legends Team, featuring 28 of the best College World Series players as voted upon by fans, writers, and head coaches
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. During his time in the Cleveland Indians' organization, Garko was converted into a first baseman. In , Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranked him as the fifth best prospect in the Indians organization, including being the best at hitting for average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.
Early life and high school
Garko was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. At the age of three, his family moved to southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He attended Saint Angela Merici School in Brea, California
Brea, California
Brea is a city in Orange County, California. The population, as of the 2010 Census was 39,282.The city began as a center of crude oil production, was later propelled by citrus production, and is now an important retail center because of the large Brea Mall and the recently redeveloped Brea Downtown...
, where his mother was a teacher, and attended high school at Servite High School
Servite High School
Servite High School is an all-boys, Roman Catholic college preparatory high school operated by the Order of Friar Servants of Mary . Located on a campus in Anaheim, California, USA, as of 2011 it had an enrollment of about 985 and about 9200 alumni. Its mascot is the Friar and its colors are black...
. He graduated from Servite in 1999 alongside future major league players Ben Francisco
Ben Francisco
Louis Ben Francisco is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right handed.-Early life:...
and Brian Wolfe
Brian Wolfe
Brian Thomas Wolfe is a pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan....
. Also in 1999, Garko played for the USA Baseball Junior National Team
USA Baseball
USA Baseball was founded in , and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. It is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and organizes the United States national baseball team...
. He holds numerous records at Servite High School, including the single-season records in, triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(6), home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (8), RBIs (52), and the career records in, games played (101), at-bats (314), hits (149), triples (19), home runs (24), RBIs (121), and walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(80). He was also the starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
on the football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team for two years. Garko graduated high school with a 4.2 grade point average.
College
Garko attended Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He led the Stanford baseball team in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
season with a .398 clip, and was named their Most Improved Player. That summer, he played with the Hyannis Mets
Hyannis Mets
The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, formerly the Hyannis Mets, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Hyannis, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Western Division. Hyannis currently plays its home games at McKeon Park, which opened for play in 1979...
in the Cape Cod League, an amateur
Amateur baseball in the United States
Amateur baseball is a form of baseball in which the players either are not paid for playing, or receive only a modest stipend or employment arranged by the team's boosters...
summer league, and batted .233 with 14 runs, 28 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 1 stolen base. Next season, in his junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
year, Garko was named a Johnny Bench Award
Johnny Bench Award
The Johnny Bench Award was created in 2000 by to honor college baseball's top catcher. The award is the brain child of Wichitan Mike Gehrer who has coached and administrated in the Wichita area at the high school level for many years. He was a college catcher himself and is one of the most forward...
semifinalist. During his senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
year, he won the award and was named a First Team All-American. He also shared the Pac-10 Conference Baseball of the Year Award with Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Luis Pedroia is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award...
, and was named the NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player and Stanford's Most Valuable Player. In his time at Stanford, Garko batted .350 with 60 doubles, 39 home runs, 191 RBIs in 218 games played. He is still fifth all-time in doubles at Stanford, seventh in RBIs, and ninth in batting average and home runs. His only problem at Stanford was that he had trouble with controlling his weight. On May 6, 2010, Garko was voted on to a 28 member College World Series Legends Team as a part of a commemoration of the final College World Series in Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium
Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium
Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium is a baseball stadium in Omaha, Nebraska, the former home to the annual NCAA Division I College World Series and the minor league Omaha Royals, now known as the Omaha Storm Chasers...
. The team was voted upon by college baseball fans, college baseball writers, and Division I head coaches.
Cleveland Indians
2003–2004 seasons
Garko was selected as a catcher by the Cleveland Indians in the third round (78th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
. On July 8, 2003, he signed a contract with the Indians and was assigned to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Mahoning Valley Scrappers
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are a minor league baseball club based in Niles, Ohio, a city in the valley of the Mahoning River. The Scrappers play in the Pinckney Division of the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League and are affiliated with the Cleveland Indians Major League...
of the New York – Penn League. In his first professional season, Garko batted .273 with eight doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 16 RBIs in 45 games. The next season, , he split time between the Class-A Advanced Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
, the Double-A Akron Aeros
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
, and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
. During April, he was named the "Player of the Month" in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. He was also named the 13th best prospect in the Carolina League by Baseball America. He batted a combined .330 with 33 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, and 99 RBIs in 113 games with all three leagues. Garko was third in the Carolina League in batting average with a .328 clip, and sixth in home runs with 16. At the end of the season, he was named the Cleveland Indians' minor league player of the year by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
. Garko participated in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
at the end of the 2004 season. With the Peoria Javelinas
Peoria Javelinas
The Peoria Javelinas, established in 1992, are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, which is a spring training site for both the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners.For...
in the AFL, he batted .348 with 21 runs, 40 hits, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, and 30 RBIs in 30 games. He was named to the AFL Raising Stars team, an all-star team voted upon by managers and coaches.
2005 season
In , Garko spent spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Indians, but he was returned to the minor leagues before the regular season. He spent most of the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He hit .303 with 19 home runs, and 77 RBIs in 127 games. Halfway through the 2005 season, Garko was selected to the International League all-star team. He was also selected to the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. On September 18, 2005, Garko made his major league debut against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning. For the second straight season, Garko played in the Arizona Fall League at the end of the season. This time, Garko played for the Mesa Solar Sox
Mesa Solar Sox
The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona at HoHoKam Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs....
. He batted .314 with 10 runs, 27 hits, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, and 27 RBIs in 23 games.
2006 season
Entering the season, Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranked Garko as the fifth best prospect in the Indians' organization and the best at hitting for average. Garko attended spring training with the Indians in . He was sent to Triple-A before the start of the season and began his season with the Buffalo Bisons. He injured his left wrist on April 21, but was not placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
after x-rays turned up negative for a break. Garko hit .247 with 15 home runs, and 59 RBIs in 127 games at the Triple-A level. Garko was tied for second in bases on balls (45); and was tied for third in home runs, and RBIs on the Bisons' roster at the end of the season. He was called-up by the Indians on June 30, after Cleveland traded first baseman Eduardo Pérez
Eduardo Perez
Eduardo Atanasio Pérez, a Cuban-American is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball player. He is currently the hitting coach of the Miami Marlins. He batted and threw right-handed and joined the league in after playing college baseball under head coach Mike Martin for the...
to the Seattle Mariners. His first major league hit, a double, came on July 1, against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He hit his first home run a little over a month later, on August 10, against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. Although Garko favored his traditional position of catcher, the Indians moved him to first base so he would have a better chance of competing for a major league roster spot. By September, he was the starting everyday first baseman for the Indians after Ben Broussard
Ben Broussard
Benjamin Isaac Broussard is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a musician. Broussard was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft...
was traded to Seattle. Garko finished the season with a .292 batting average, 12 doubles, seven home runs, and 45 RBIs in 50 games at the major league level.
2007 season
Going into , Anthony Castrovince of MLB.comMLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
reported that Garko would have to improve on the defensive end to make the 25-man roster because the Indians already had a first baseman in Casey Blake
Casey Blake
William Casey Blake is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.Blake previously played with the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers. He had alternated between playing at third base and first base before...
. Towards the end of spring training, Indians' manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Eric Wedge
Eric Wedge
Eric Michael Wedge is a Major League Baseball manager and former catcher, and is the current manager of the Seattle Mariners. As a player, Wedge attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in 1983...
noted that Garko had made improvements on defense. He made the 2007 roster out of spring training for the first time in his career. On April 22, Garko hit a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. He became the everyday starting first baseman early in the season after Casey Blake
Casey Blake
William Casey Blake is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.Blake previously played with the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers. He had alternated between playing at third base and first base before...
moved to third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
because of an injury to Andy Marté
Andy Marté
Andy Manuel Marté is a Dominican professional baseball third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in Major League Baseball. On December 1, 2010, Marte signed a minor league deal with the Pirates.-Career:Marté signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves in 2000, and succeeded at...
. He started his dislike toward Interleague Play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
because during it, designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
Travis Hafner
Travis Hafner
Travis Lee Hafner is a left-handed hitting designated hitter for the Cleveland Indians of the American League Central Division. His nickname, "Pronk", was given to him by former teammate Bill Selby during spring training of when people sometimes referred to him as "The Project" and other times...
is moved to first base, Garko's position, and he is left sitting on the bench. On July 18, Garko hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning against Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
' pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Bobby Jenks
Bobby Jenks
Robert Scott "Bobby" Jenks is an American professional baseball relief pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
to tie the score at five-to-five, and then drove in an RBI run for the win in the eleventh inning. During the regular season, Garko batted .289 with 29 doubles, one triple, 21 home runs and 61 RBIs in 138 games. In the postseason, he hit .314 with two doubles, one home run, and five RBIs in nine games.
2008–2009 seasons
Going into the season, there were questions surrounding Garko's ability to step-up as a hitter. During the early part of the season, Michael AubreyMichael Aubrey
Robert Michael Aubrey is an American baseball player currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-Amateur:He attended Southwood High School were he won Louisiana Baseball player of the year....
was playing more than Garko because Garko was having trouble hitting right-handed pitching. Garko was moved down the batting order
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
because of his struggles. In August, Garko stated that he was watching videotape in an attempt to pick-up his hitting. On August 6, he was benched for three games by manager Eric Wedge for failing to run on a ground ball he hit. On September 27, Garko hit two home runs, including a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. At the end of the season, Garko hit .273 with 21 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs and 90 RBIs in 141 games. Before spring training in , there was speculation that if Garko did not perform well, he might lose his starting first base job. Garko began practicing the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
position for the upcoming season. Eric Wedge stated that Garko would in fact be playing the outfield in spring training. On June 21, Garko was held out of the game because of a sprained left wrist.
San Francisco Giants
On July 27, 2009, Garko was traded to the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
for left-handed pitcher Scott Barnes. He hit a game-winning double on August 18, against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the top of the tenth inning. He was acquired to be a full-time first baseman; however, during his tenure in San Francisco, he was third on the depth chart
Depth chart
In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below...
(behind Pablo Sandoval
Pablo Sandoval
Pablo E. Sandoval , nicknamed Kung Fu Panda, is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Sandoval is a 5'11", 237 pound switch hitter. He was born left handed, but did not want to have to play outfield all of his career. He therefore...
and Travis Ishikawa
Travis Ishikawa
Travis Takashi Ishikawa |Washington]]) is an American Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently with the San Francisco Giants organization...
) after he got off to a sluggish start. With the Giants, Garko batted .235 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs and 12 RBIs and 9 walks in 40 games. Combined with his time in the Indians and Giants organization, Garko batted .268 with 13 doubles, 13 home runs and 51 RBIs in 118 games. On December 12, 2009, Garko was non-tendered by the Giants, making him a free agent.
2010 spring training
Garko signed a one-year $550,000 contract with the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on February 1, . Garko said that the reason he was signed by Seattle was because he has success against left-handed pitching. He added about signing with the Mariners:
However, on the spring, Garko batted only .220 with one home run and four RBIs. On March 30, he was placed on waivers by the Mariners to make room for Mike Sweeney
Mike Sweeney
Michael John "Mike" Sweeney is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, originally as a catcher and then moving to first base. Sweeney has also played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Philadelphia...
of the 25-man roster. Geoff Baker, reporter for The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
, stated that the reason for Garko being placed on waivers was because of Sweeney's clubhouse presence and the fact that the Mariners had stated that, due to his defensive abilities, Casey Kotchman
Casey Kotchman
Casey John Kotchman is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.-High school:He was on the 2001 national champion team of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:...
, whom Garko was expected to split playing time with, was going to play the majority of the games at first base leaving the back-up designated hitter spot for Garko. The final decision, Baker stated, was that the Mariners had their organization full with back-up first basemen and designated hitters like Sweeney and Tommy Everidge
Tommy Everidge
Thomas James "Tommy" Everidge is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently with the independent Lancaster Barnstormers.-Amateur career:...
.
2010 season
On April 1, Garko was claimed by the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. As a result of his signing, the Rangers optioned Max Ramirez
Max Ramírez
Maximiliano R. Ramírez is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball.-Atlanta Braves:...
to the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks to make room for Garko on the 25-man roster. The Rangers had shown interest in Garko at the trade deadline in 2009, however, no transaction ever formed and he was sent to the San Francisco Giants. On May 13, The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
reporter Evan Grant reported that the Rangers intended to option Garko to the minor leagues and later place him on outright waivers when outfielder Nelson Cruz was activated from the disabled list, although no transaction was official at the time of the report. Later that day, the Rangers officially optioned Garko to Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed him on waivers after Cruz was activated from the disabled list. On May 13, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City, which removed him from the Rangers' 40-man roster. Garko hit his first home run of the season, a grand slam, with the RedHawks against the Triple-A Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
on May 21. However, with Oklahoma City in 2010, Garko batted only .235 with only ninety hits and twelve home runs. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Samsung Lions
On December 10, Garko signed a one-year deal with the Samsung LionsSamsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
of the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
. Due to poor performance, He was released on July 12th.
Awards and accomplishments
- Member of the 1999 USA Baseball Junior National Team
- Servite High School all-time leader in games played, at-bats, hits, triples, home runs, RBIs, and walks
- Servite High School single season leader in triples, home runs, and RBIs
- Stanford baseball's "Most Improved Player" (2001)
- Johnny Bench Award semifinalist (2002)
- First Team All-American (2003)
- Johnny Bench Award (2003)
- Co-Pac-10 Conference Baseball Player of the Year Award (2003)
- Arizona Fall League Raising Star (2004)
- International League All-Star (2005)
- All-Star Futures Game selection (2005)
- Led MLB First BasemanFirst basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
s in Hit by pitchHit by pitchIn baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
(2007) - Led Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in RBI (2008)
Personal
Garko resides in Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, with his spouse Christie. He is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
.