Last November the Dodgers almost totally revamped their minor league coaching staffs. Among the many changes was the naming of former major league player Ryan Garko to the managerial position with the AA Tulsa Drillers. The signing came as a bit of a surprise as Garko had been out of baseball during the 2015 season and had not been in professional baseball since he retired as a player in 2013.

Garko was drafted as a catcher by the Cleveland Indians in the third round of the 2003 First year Player Draft out of Stanford University. During his MLB playing career he played for the Cleveland Indians from 2005-09. He also spent time in the majors with the San Francisco Giants in 2009 and the Texas Rangers in 2010. In 463 major league games Garko batted .275 with 55 homers and 250 runs batted in.

Ryan Garko

His best seasons were in 2007 and 2008. In 2007 he hit .289 with 21 homers and 61 runs batted in along with a .314 average in nine postseason games. Playing first base again in 2008 he hit 14 home runs along with 90 runs batted in and a .273 batting average. He was fourth among American League first baseman with a fielding percentage of .996.

Garko spent most of 2010 season with the Oklahoma City RedHawks who were the Texas Rangers AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. He played in Korea in 2011 with the Samsung Lions and with the AA Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League in 2012. The Biscuits are the AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Garko’s playing career came to end in 2013 and following the conclusion of his active career he returned to Stanford University as an assistant coach for his alma mater for the 2014 season. He coached first base and tutored Stanford’s hitters.

Although he was with Stanford for a lone season he is credited with playing a significant role in the program’s success. During the 2014 season Cardinal’s hitters were first in the Pac-12 in slugging percentage (.388), first in home runs (36), first in total bases (795), tied for first in sacrifice flies (29), second in hits (555), and third in doubles (94).

Following the college season, his future seemed to be in a state of flux. He resigned to spend more time with his family and pursue interests outside of baseball so he was unexpectedly out of the game in 2015.

Then the Dodgers came calling and a totally new chapter in Ryan Garko’s baseball life and that of family emerged. In a pre-game interview on Thursday with Dennis Higgens – the long time voice of the Tulsa Drillers – Ryan Garko explained his Dodger connection.

“In my last year as a player I was in the Tampa Bay organization and got to know [Dodgers President of Baseball Operations] Andrew Friedman and [Dodgers Director of Player Development] Gabe Kapler. I was offered a job to go into coaching with the Tampa Organization but I still wanted to play.”

On Thursday evening in his first game as a manager, Garko’s Drillers began their 140-game 2016 schedule on the road against the Corpus Christi Hooks. The Drillers first six games of the schedule will be played in Texas – three in Corpus Christi and three in San Antonio against the Missions. His first home game will be on Thursday, April 14, against these same Corpus Christi Hooks.

Right-hander Chase De Jong, who started for the Drillers, drew a tough assignment being matched up against Joe Musgrove, the Toronto Blue Jays’ first round selection in 2011 and the Houston Astros’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015.

De Jong pitched well enough to win on most occasions, giving up one run in six innings on four hits. He walked one and struck out six. His fastball topped out at around 92 mph while his slider was effective low in the zone. The run came as a result of a home run to left center field by Hooks second baseman Mott Hyde in the third inning.

Hooks’ starter Joe Musgrove gave an indication of why he was a Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015. He pitched five innings striking out five and giving up but one scratch single.

The Hooks scored a second run on two hits in the seventh inning off reliever Rob Rogers. Hooks reliever Keegan Yuhl followed Musgrove with four innings of one-hit relief. The Drillers on the evening had but two singles and no walks.

Garko will try for his inaugural managerial win on Friday evening in Corpus Christi as right-hander Chris Anderson takes the mound for the Drillers, matching up against 6’-7” David Paulino.