by Matt Barr

Free Ryan Garko!

is my current screen name at Baseball Primer, but it means something different today. The Pirates signed Jeromy Burnitz to play right field, traded for Sean Casey to play first base, and now intend to let Craig Wilson languish on the bench as a backup. I envy teams that are so good they can keep .268/.363/.488 guys with 30 home run power on their bench!

I have an inexplicable fondness for Wilson. Fathers Day 2004 the girls took my father in law and me to PNC Park to see the Pirates play the Mariners, and Wilson only got to pinch hit. I don't know why he's a favorite of mine, but he is, and he's a better player than a bench warmer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ryan Garko is a little bit like an AL version of Wilson, trained at catcher but not good enough defensively to play that position full time in the majors (but is a better bet to do so, particularly at his age, than Wilson is), can play first too, can rake (.303/.384/.498 at Buffalo last year). He'll make the league minimum next year if he makes the big club. He's got about five minutes of service time.

The Indians need someone to play right field and man first on occasion, probably. Best case for Garko is he makes the team as a backup at first and catcher. Since that's essentially what the Pirates want out of the $4 million they'll probably have to pay Wilson, why not send Pittsburgh Garko, who's a lot cheaper, for Wilson, who could start for the Tribe, where Garko can't?

The Indians didn't make any big-splash signings, so have the money budgeted for Wilson's arbitration award. This seems so sensible it can't possibly happen.

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