Tag Archives: Ryan Garko

Jan 25

Jan. 25.10: Who’s on first …. besides Murphy.

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One scout said Carlos Delgado is acutally limping at first base and showing no range. “I can’t see it,” the scout told reporters when asked about Delgado playing first base for the Mets. Delgado, physically, is resembling a broken down DH. You know, DHs even need to run.

So, who’s it going to be as Murphy’s back-up at first base? Should they bring back Fernando Tatis or sign Ryan Garko. Or, do you have anybody else in mind?

Tatis has the edges in familiarity and versatility. The Mets know he can play both infield and outfield corners and second in a pinch. Garko is strictly a fist baseman, but he does have the power advantage.

Jan 23

Jan. 23.10: Liking Garko over Tatis at first.

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GARKO: Would help at first.

GARKO: Would help at first.

While the Mets are waiting to improve their pitching, it wouldn’t hurt to take a diversion and continue to add to their bench. There’s still a matter of the Daniel Murphy platoon at first base.

With Carlos Delgado not showing in winter ball he’s capable of the defensive end of it, why not go with Ryan Garko at first over Fernando Tatis?

Garko hit a combined .268 with 13 homers and 51 RBI last season for Cleveland and San Francisco. Tatis, who has been serviceable the last two seasons with the Mets, doesn’t have that power. Instead, he’ll be remembered for grounding into 13 double plays last year.

Garko won’t come at a high price, has some pop and plays first base by trade. I’d go with him over Tatis.

Dec 31

Dec. 31.09: Forecasting the Mets roster.

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As I sit here and watch the snow fall, I can’t help but think about how nice spring training sounds. The Mets need some work to do before finalizing their roster. Here’s what I have for the Mets right now regarding their 25-man roster.

CATCHER
1. Omir Santos
2. Henry Blanco
Comment: If they land Bengie Molina, they’d send out Santos.

INFIELD
3. 1B: Daniel Murphy
4. 2B: Luis Castillo
5. SS: Jose Reyes
6. 3B: David Wright
7. INF: Alex Cora
8. INF: TBA (first base platoon)
9. INF: TBA
Comment: They need a RH bat to platoon with Murphy at first base. Ryan Garko would be perfect. They also need another utility infielder. A guy who could play both infield and outfield would be ideal.

OUTFIELD
10. LF: Jason Bay
11. CF: Carlos Beltran
12. RF: Jeff Francoeur
13. OF: Angel Pagan
Comment: They’d like somebody who could come off the bench with some power.

STARTERS
14. SP1: Johan Santana
15. SP2: Mike Pelfrey
16. SP3: John Maine
17. SP4: Oliver Perez
18. SP5: TBA
Comment: Yes, they might go short with the off-days in April, but they’ll need five eventually. In the interim, look at what they have now. I’m not thrilled.

BULLPEN
19. Francisco Rodriguez
20. Kelvim Escobar
21. Bobby Parnell
22. Pedro Feliciano
23. Sean Green
24. Brian Stokes
25. Ryota Igarashi
Comment: If they could find a utility player to play both infield and outfield, they could add another reliever.

Dec 16

How high would you go for Jason Bay?

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The Mets are on the table for $65 million over four years for a good, but not great outfielder, Jason Bay.

That won’t be enough. The first proposal rarely is. Initially, I said it could take $90 million to get the deal done. Maybe I went too, high, but I don’t think by much anymore. If the Mets go for a fifth year, it will be north of $80 million.

BAY: How high should the Mets go?

BAY: How high should the Mets go?


It concerns me the Red Sox are adamant in not giving him more and have basically told him to hit the road. I’m also wary of reports out of Boston of making him a DH by the end of the contract. Do the Mets really need to be paying over $15 million a year for a couple of seasons to a broken down outfielder.

Meanwhile, those middle-tier pitchers are still on the shelf. And, they don’t really excite me that much, either. Do you overpay for Bay, or attempt to get two pitchers for the price? Or to you spread the money out and get a pitcher, a reliever and a lesser outfielder such as Ryan Garko. Maybe try to coax another year out of Jermaine Dye or again, think about Rick Ankiel?

We knew going into the Hot Stove Season the pickings were slim. Well the best are off the board and Matt Holliday is too rich for the Mets’ blood.

It’s time for tough decisions. This is where Omar Minaya earns his money.

ON DECK: Jose Reyes.

Dec 13

Non-tender list ….

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There were no surprises in the list of players the Mets non-tendered yesterday, beginning with pitchers Lance Broadway and Tim Redding, and outfielders Jeremy Reed and Cory Sullivan. It’s not as if losing these guys will make a difference, but they are four more spots that need to be filled.

A couple of names did pop out to me. But, I do realize these guys were non-tendered for a reason.

Left-hander Scott Olsen as a possible fifth starter and Mike MacDougal as a possible set-up reliever (both of the Nationals) are intriguing. Reds outfielder Jonny Gomes as a bench player. The most interesting to me are Oakland outfielder Jack Cust and Giants first baseman Ryan Garko. I also wrote yesterday of taking a gamble on Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang.

Here’s the list of non-tendered players. Those with asterisks are injured.

Angels: RHP Jose Arredondo*, INF Matt Brown, RHP Dustin Moseley
Athletics: OF Jack Cust
Blue Jays: C Raul Chavez
Indians: RHP Adam Miller*, RHP Anthony Reyes*, RHP Jose Veras
Mariners: OF Ryan Langerhans
Orioles: RHP Brian Bass
Rays: OF Gabe Gross, C Shawn Riggans
Red Sox: OF Brian Anderson
Royals: OF Josh Anderson, C John Buck
White Sox: RHP D.J. Carrasco
Yankees: RHP Chien-Ming Wang*

Braves: OF Ryan Church, 2B Kelly Johnson
Brewers: RHP Mark DiFelice*, RHP Seth McClung, C Mike Rivera
Cubs: LHP Neal Cotts
Diamondbacks: 1B Josh Whitesell
Giants: 1B Ryan Garko
Marlins: INF-OF Alfredo Amezaga
Mets: RHP Lance Broadway, RHP Tim Redding, OF Jeremy Reed, OF Cory Sullivan
Nationals: RHP Mike MacDougal, LHP Scott Olsen
Padres: RHP Jackson Quezada, RHP Mark Worrell
Phillies: RHP Clay Condrey
Pirates: RHP Matt Capps, LHP Phil Dumatrait
Reds: OF Jonny Gomes
Rockies: 3B Garrett Atkins