- Thread starter
- #1
Pinbreaker
Well-known member
Mariners agree with Garko for $550K, 1 year
By GREGG BELL, AP Sports Writer
2 hours, 11 minutes ago
SEATTLE (AP)—Ryan Garko(notes) and the Mariners agreed to a $550,000, one-year contract Monday as Seattle tried to address its need for a right-handed hitter.
Terms of the contract obtained by The Associated Press show the 29-year-old first baseman and designated hitter could nearly double his salary, to $1,075,000, if he becomes a regular for Seattle with 600 plate appearances.
AP - Feb 1, 5:31 pm EST MLB Gallery “We think he is a player that adds versatility as a right-handed hitter with experience playing first base, designated hitter and catcher,” Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said.
Garko is a former All-American at Stanford and 2003 Johnny Bench Award winner as the best college catcher. He has yet to play the position in the major leagues.
Before the deal, Seattle had just one catcher coming into spring training with more than two years of major league experience—Josh Bard(notes), a non-roster player invited to camp.
Seattle another veteran right-handed bat for one year last Friday, getting Eric Byrnes(notes) for the major league minimum of $400,000.
Garko would earn up to an additional $25,000 each for 325, 350 and 375 plate appearances this season. The former Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants player would get $50,000 apiece for 425, 450 and 475 plate appearances, and $100,000 each for 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances.
His career high in plate appearances is 563 with the Indians in 2008, when he hit .273 with 14 homers and a career-best 90 RBIs.
Cleveland traded him to the Giants last July. He had just 12 RBIs in 40 games with San Francisco.
Seattle designated right-hander Gaby Hernandez(notes) for assignment to make room on the major league roster for Garko. Hernandez spent last season at Triple A.
AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.
By GREGG BELL, AP Sports Writer
2 hours, 11 minutes ago
SEATTLE (AP)—Ryan Garko(notes) and the Mariners agreed to a $550,000, one-year contract Monday as Seattle tried to address its need for a right-handed hitter.
Terms of the contract obtained by The Associated Press show the 29-year-old first baseman and designated hitter could nearly double his salary, to $1,075,000, if he becomes a regular for Seattle with 600 plate appearances.
AP - Feb 1, 5:31 pm EST MLB Gallery “We think he is a player that adds versatility as a right-handed hitter with experience playing first base, designated hitter and catcher,” Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said.
Garko is a former All-American at Stanford and 2003 Johnny Bench Award winner as the best college catcher. He has yet to play the position in the major leagues.
Before the deal, Seattle had just one catcher coming into spring training with more than two years of major league experience—Josh Bard(notes), a non-roster player invited to camp.
Seattle another veteran right-handed bat for one year last Friday, getting Eric Byrnes(notes) for the major league minimum of $400,000.
Garko would earn up to an additional $25,000 each for 325, 350 and 375 plate appearances this season. The former Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants player would get $50,000 apiece for 425, 450 and 475 plate appearances, and $100,000 each for 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances.
His career high in plate appearances is 563 with the Indians in 2008, when he hit .273 with 14 homers and a career-best 90 RBIs.
Cleveland traded him to the Giants last July. He had just 12 RBIs in 40 games with San Francisco.
Seattle designated right-hander Gaby Hernandez(notes) for assignment to make room on the major league roster for Garko. Hernandez spent last season at Triple A.
AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.
