Ryan Garko
San Francisco Giants — No. 23
First baseman
Born: January 2, 1981 (1981-01-02) (age 28) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 18, 2005 for the Cleveland Indians
Career statistics (through November 23, 2009)
Batting average	.279
Home runs	55
Runs batted in	247
Teams
Cleveland Indians (2005–2009) San Francisco Giants (2009-present)

Ryan Garko during his tenure with the Cleveland Indians in 2008.

Ryan Francis Garko (born January 2, 1981) is a first baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball.

[edit] Early life

Garko graduated from Servite High School in 1999 alongside former Indians teammate Ben Francisco. He is a graduate of Stanford University.

[edit] Professional career

Garko was selected as a catcher by Cleveland in the 3rd round (78th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. After displaying superb batting skills in the minors, Garko made his major league debut as a pinch-hitter on September 18, 2005, against the Kansas City Royals. He struck out in his only at-bat of the game.

Garko was back in Cleveland the next season, called up on June 30, 2006. He got his first major league hit and RBI before returning to the Indians' Triple-A minor league affiliate Buffalo Bisons. He was called up to Cleveland again on August 8 and played in the majority of the remaining games for the Indians, primarily at first base. He was a catcher in college and the minor leagues, but the Indians already had an All-Star at that position in Víctor Martínez and a capable back-up in Kelly Shoppach. Garko finished 2006 with a .292 batting average, 7 home runs and 45 RBI in just 50 games.

Garko was considered one of the Indians' top hitting prospects but was not slated to play every day for Cleveland in 2007. He made the team's 25-man roster out of spring training and they planned for him to split time at first base with Casey Blake and Martinez and at DH with Travis Hafner. Garko's playing time increased when the Indians first placed rookie third baseman Andy Marte on the 15-day disabled list on April 23. With Blake filling in for Marte at third, Garko became the primary first baseman.

On July 27, 2009, Garko was traded to the San Francisco Giants for LHP prospect Scott Barnes.^[1]

[edit] Personal life

Garko is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Hafner bought him a "ghastly" pair of purple and gold Lakers shoes during 2008 spring training.^[2] He likes to listen to music and to read.^[3]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube