Ryan Garko #25

Ryan Francis Garko (GAR-koh)...resides in Scottsdale, AZ with wife Christie...a 1999 graduate of Servite High School in Anaheim, CA where he was a high school teammate with Phillies outfielder Ben Francisco...named an All-American as a senior by Cal-Hi Sports...was a 4-time All-Conference and All-County selection...also a two-year starter in football (QB) in high school...graduated with a 4.2 GPA...played four seasons at Stanford University...batted .402 (104x259) with 18 HR and 94 RBI in 69 games during his senior season while leading the Cardinal to the finals of the College World Series (6th Stanford player to ever bat over .400 in a season)...winner of the 2003 Johnny Bench Award, presented to the nation's top collegiate catcher...named the Co-Pac-10 Player of the Year (with Boston's Dustin Pedroia)...two-time All-CWS selection (2001, 2003)... member of the USA Baseball Junior National Team in 1999.

2009

Combined to bat .268 (95x354) with 13 home runs and 51 RBI in 118 games between Cleveland (78 G) and San Francisco (40 G)...Acquired by San Francisco on July 27 in exchange for minor league LHP Scott Barnes...Made third consecutive Opening Day roster with the Indians...Started 65 games for the Indians (1B - 47, DH - 8, LF - 6, RF - 4)...Ranked T7th in the AL with 10 HBP...since 2007 has been hit 47 times, 2nd-most in the Majors (Chase Utley - 76)...Hit pair of home runs May 25 vs. Tampa Bay in Indians 10-run come-from-behind win...Made 30 starts at 1B for Giants...hit safely in 21 of 30 starts for SF.

2008

Spent second consecutive season as the club's primary first baseman and enjoyed a productive final few months of the season to finish tied for the team lead with 90RBI...Was T17th in the AL in RBI (90)...Spent second consecutive season as the club's primary first baseman and enjoyed a productive final few months of the season to finish tied for the team lead with 90RBI...Was T17th in the AL in RBI (90)...Season picked up dramatically over the last few months of the season as he hit .352 (45-128) with 6 2B, 6 HR & 34RBI over his final 36 games from August 14th on (.986OPS, .431OB, .555SLG)...From August 14 - 9/24 he reached base safely in 32 consecutive games via hit, walk or HBP (T2nd longest streak in AL in 2008)...Reached base safely in 35 of last 36 games...From Sept. 5 thru the end of the season he hit .410 (25-61) with 3 2B, 4HR & 20 RBI (18G)... From August 9th on he had 40 RBI in 41 games...From July 12 on he had 50 RBI over his final 59 games....Had some big games on the season, driving in a career-high 6 runs on June 4 at Texas (2nd career 4-hit game) and also had three 5RBI games on July 12 vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 21 vs. Detroit (3rd career 4-hit games) & Sept. 26 at Chicago- AL...In that game at Chicago he hit his first career grand slam (off DJ Carrasco) and enjoyed his first career 2HR games... Led the Majors with 4 games of at least 5RBI...Also had three 4-RBI games on the season...Made 121 starts at first base and 13 starts at DH...Made just 4 errors in 1123 total chances, the 4th best fielding % among AL first baseman (.996)...Ended the season with a 41-game errorless streak...81RBI at first base ranked 5th in the AL...His .315 average vs. LHP was the 8th highest mark in the AL and his 15 HBP were 3rd in the league...Had an .857 OPS vs. LHP and his .389 on-base % vs. LHP was the 14th best mark in the AL...OPS in the 2nd half was .868 (.387OB, .480SLG)...Hit .292 (47-161) in the 6th spot in the order (44G, 36RBI)... Hit .318 (75-236) w/runners on base and .333 (22-66) with RISP-2outs...Had 1.058 OPS in September (.442OB, .616SLG)...Only month of the season his OPS was over .800...His 4.15 pitches per at bat were 7th in the league...Was 9 for 33 (.273) in a 0-2 count, T16th best in the AL.

2007

Was the club's primary first baseman after Casey Blake shifted over to third as he spent his first full season in the big leagues... Established career-highs in every offensive category and was one of 5 Indians players with at least 20 home runs ... Went on a power-surge to end the season hitting .253 (2287) w/7HR &11 RBI from September 3 thru the end of the season...Was 5th in the AL among first basemen in hits ... Was among the AL leaders in batting average after the 6th inning (.297, 16th), hit by pitches (club record 20, 3rd) ... His 20 HBP are a new club record (previous was 17)... Had a pair of pinch hit home runs on the year (6/8 @CIN, 7/17 vs CWS) and on the year was 3 for 11 w/2HR & 4RBI as a PH ... Reached base safely via hit or walk in 107 of 138 games...Was the Tribe's regular first baseman, making 121 starts (125 games) at first base ... Made 8 errors in 1152 total chances (.993 fielding 0/0, 9th among AL 1B)... Also made 6 starts at DH... From June 30th thru the end of the season he hit .292 (77264) with 12HR & 32 RBI in 72 games... Hit .385 (37-96) in May with 5HR & 16RBI, tied for the 3rd best average in the AL for the month... Also hit .375 in July... Hit in a career-high 17 straight games from June 30-July 24 ... Had a career-high 4 hits on April 13 vs. Chicago-AL... Hit .321 (84-262 with the base empty... OPS in the 2nd half was .864 and slugging % was .502.

2006

Was impressive over the last 7 weeks of the season, producing in the middle of Eric Wedge's line-up while playing a steady first base in his first true taste of the big leagues...Despite not being called up on a full-time basis until August 8th, finished 5th among American League rookies with 45 RBI...Hit .248 (90-363) with 18 2B, 15HR & 59RBI in 102 games for the Bisons and spent two stints with the Indians, the last of which occurred from August 8th thru the remainder of the season...Combined on the year between Triple A & Cleveland he hit 22HR with 104RBI...Recalled the first time from AAA Buffalo on June 30 and collected his first Major League hit/RBI with a PH RBI double on 7/1 @CIN off Brian Shackelford...Optioned back to Buffalo on July 4...Spent another 5 weeks with the Bisons before being recalled for good on August 8. u Hit his first home run and collected a then career-high 4RBI on August 10 vs. Los Angeles-AL off Hector Carrasco...Collected a career-high 5RBI on Sept. 26 vs. Chicago-AL...Hit safely in 39 of 50 games with Cleveland and collected RBI in 22 of his last 37 games (36RBI)...Collected an RBI in 9 of his last 12 games on the year (15RBI)...Hit safely in a career/season-high 9 straight games from August 19-29 (.412, 14-34, 2HR, 10RBI)...Over his last 37 games with Cleveland he hit .290 (42-145) with 10 2B, 5HR & 36 RBI from August 20th-on...His 36 RBI from August 20 thru the end of the year were tied for 3rd in the entire AL and T6th in the majors over the span...In his 2nd stint (August 8) he hit .290 (53-183) with 7HR & 43 RBI in 48 games...Made 45 starts at first base and 1st career start on 8/8 vs. LAA (made 2 starts at DH)...Compiled a .986 fielding % at first base (6E, 434TC)...Had an RBI ratio of 4.1 (AB per RBI) would have ranked 5th in the AL over a full season behind Hafner, Giambi, Ortiz and Thomas...Had a slugging % of .538 off LHP...Hit .333 (13-39) off LHP, .281 (41-146) off RHP, .353 (24-68) with RISP and .444 (4-9) wit the bases loaded...Hit .314 (32-102) with runners on base and .319 (23- 72) in August...Had 26RBI in 28 Sept/Oct games...Hit .441 (15-34) with RISP-2outs and .350 (7-20) in the #5 spot in the order...Hit. 301 (25-83) in April with 6 2B, 2HR & a league-best 22 RBI in 22 games...Hit in 10 of his first 11 games and at one point his season average sat at .419...Hit .204 (20-98) in June (5HR, 18RBI) and at one point was 0 for 27 that sent batting average from .288 to .252...Was 1 for 18 at time of recall...Appeared in 87 games at first base (.993 fielding %, 6E) and 1 game at catcher for the Bisons...Hit .277 (28-101, 7HR) off LHP for the Bisons...Had 5RBI on April 17 vs. Columbus (3-4, R, 2B, HR)...Reached base in 9 straight PA's, April 16-17 vs. Columbus (4H, 2 2B, HR, 3BB, 2HBP, 6RBI)...Hit 2HR on July 7 vs. Pawtucket (3-4, 2R, 3RBI)...Played 24 games for Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League to get more time at first base.

2005

Spent his third professional season, just his 2nd full season, at AAA Buffalo of the International League where he hit an organizational best .303 (137-452) with 25 doubles, 19HR & 77RBI in 127 games and was named team Co-MVP...Finished 5th in the IL w/a .384 on-base %, 11th in average and tied for 9th with 137 hits...Was named to the mid-season and post-season IL All-Star Teams...Appeared in 66 games at first base and 59 games at catcher for Marty Brown and led the team in average, hits and multi-hit games (45) and finished 2nd in games and 3rd in RBI... From July 1 on the International League All-Star hit at a .344 (66-192) clip with 12 2B, 6HR & 29RBI (54G)...Suffered thru an 0 for 30 from May 16-24, with his average bottoming out at .242 on 5/24...Hit 2HR on June 1 vs. Toledo and HR'd in consecutive games, June 9-10 and August 13-14...Hit a grand slam on June 12 vs. Louisville (3-5)...With Buffalo he hit .329 (107-325) vs. RHP with 17HR & 65RBI and vs. LHP he hit .236 (30-127) w/2HR & 12RBI...Hit .333 (44-132) w/RISP and .302 (65-215) with runners on base...Contract was purchased from AAA Buffalo on September 2nd and he spent most of the month as the Tribe's 3rd/emergency catcher...Made his Major League debut in a pinch-hitting appearance on Sept. 18 vs. Kansas City (SO)... After the season played first base for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .314 (27-86) with 9 2B, 5HR & 27RBI in 23 games (RBI were T4th in the AFL)...After the season was named the 6th best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America.

2004

Had a breakout campaign in his first full professional season, stopping at all three levels of the Tribe's minor league chain while topping the 100RBI mark to go along with 22 homers and 56 extra base hits...After starting the year at A Kinston, hit a combined .330 (142-430) w/75RS, 33 2B, 1 3B, 22HR & 100RBI in 113 games for the K-Tribe, AA Akron and AAA Buffalo...Finished tied for 2nd among Indians minor leaguers in RBI (100) and was 3rd in batting average (.330) and homers (22)...His 142 hits were 5th...After the season he was named to the 2nd team Minor League Baseball All-Star Team by Baseball America and was the DH on the Carolina League Post-Season All-Star Team in addition to being selected the 13th best prospect in the CL by Baseball America...Also named the Indians Minor League Player of the Year (Lou Boudreau Award) and Indians Minor League Player of the Year by USA Today...Started the year at A Kinston...Did not play from 5/31-6/17 due to a strained left oblique...Appeared in 26 games at first base, 21 games at catcher and 18 games at DH for the K-Tribe...Was 5 for 5 w/2 2B, 1HR & 2RBI on 5/3 at Lynchburg...Was hitting .350 (14-40) in July w/4HR & 12RBI (12G) before being promoted to AA Akron at the break on 7/14...Hit the ground running at AA Akron, hitting .371 (26-70) in his first 16 games (2HR, 17RBI) to complete July...Appeared in 24 games at catcher and 16 games at first base for the Aeros...Went 4 for 6 w/a 2B & 2RBI on 7/31 vs. Reading...Drove in 4 on 8/8 at Bowie...Promoted to Buffalo on 9/1 and appeared in 5 regular season games for the Bisons (hit in 4 of 5 games, .350, 7-20, 4RBI)...Appeared in all 9 playoff games for the Bisons during their run to the International League title (.167, 5-30, 2HR, 4RBI)...Combined on the year he hit .321 (35-109) w/a HR & 11RBI off LHP and .333 (107-321) w/23 2B, 21HR & 89RBI off RHP...He hit .371 (82-221) with runners on base, .359 (52-145) with RISP and .344 (22-64) with RISP-2outs...After the season he hit .348 (40-115) for Peoria of the Arizona Fall League w/9 2B, 5HR & 30 RBI in 30 games...Ranked among AFL league leaders in RBI (3rd), average (9th) & hits (T4th)...After the season was named the 8th best prospect in the Indians organization by Baseball America.

2003

Gained his first experience in the professional ranks in Mahoning Valley after signing on 7/9...Appeared in 34 games at catcher and 11 at DH for the Scrappers and hit safely in 13 of his first 18 games, hitting .292 (19-65) w/3HR & 9RBI over the span...Homered in first professional game on 7/13 vs. Lowell...Finished the season 7 for his last 18 w/3 2B & 2RBI over the last 4 games.