Garko to Giants

The Giants have acquired 1B Ryan Garko from the Cleveland Indians for LHP Scott Barnes.

Giants Side: A team in desperate need of a bat picked up a player who is limited to where he can play. Presumably assuming the lefty side of a 1B platoon with Travis Ishikawa, Garko cost a lot. Garko this season against lefties is hitting .333-.395-.565 while hitting just .265-.349-.424 against righties, which isn't much of an upgrade over Ishikawa, who is hitting .265-.319-.423 against righties this season. Garko is a useful player, but for a team in need of a bat, they still need one.

Indians Side: Scott Barnes is a 21 year old playing (and dominating) High-A hitters in the Cal League. He is 12-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 98 innings, walking 29 while striking out 99. I was able to watch the lefty pitch in Low-A last year with the stacked Augusta team and below is my scouting report on him

• A bizarre delivery, he keeps his elbow bent on his glove hand during the motion at an angle and has a very violent head jerk when he releases the ball. He works extremely quickly, getting the ball and immediately getting back on the rubber. He tries to quick pitch you. He comes from a 3/4 release and has a very projectable frame with the room for more muscle.
• 7/30: FB (89-92), SL (77-79), CU (78-79)
• Graded his pitches the following on the 3-7 scale (with 5 being major league average, 1st # is current, 2nd # is future): FB (4.5, 5), SL (5, 5.5), CU (4, 5). I also graded him as having above average MLB deception due to his mechanics, but gave him a 3 for his delivery.
• Overall: 4.5. Left handed reliever whose mechanics will never allow him to go a full season as a starter injury free.

I still believe that report, but it is true that he is trying to show me up. His fastball should sit consistently around 91-93 as he continues to add more muscle and was a 2008 draftee. He was 6-3, 175 when I saw him and is now listed on BaseballAmerica.com at 6-4, 185.

Overall: If the Indians are able to keep Barnes as a starter and injury free, they win this deal going away. Even as a reliever, I believe Barnes will serve to be more valuable then Garko. A big win for the Indians in my opinion, especially if Andy Marte can finally convert his AAA production to MLB production.