Giants apply band-aid at first with Indians' Garko - MLB

In what will hopefully be the first of multiple moves to upgrade their
offense, the Giants picked up Ryan Garko from the Indians for
left-hander Scott Barnes.

The 29-year-old Garko was hitting .285/.362/.464 this season and is
a career .283/.355/.450 hitter. On the surface, that makes him a
perfectly adequate stopgap at first base. However, much of his
production has come against southpaws. He had a 960 OPS against them
this year. Versus righties, his OPS this year and for his career is
right around 770. Given that he’s a weak defensive first baseman, he
may actually be a downgrade from Travis Ishikawa against righties.

The Giants need to accept that and continue to sniff around for a
left-handed first baseman or an upgrade elsewhere. Garko definitely has
his uses, particularly since he’s still making close to the minimum
salary, but he’s the replacement for Rich Aurilia, not a player who
figures to excel as a regular.

In Barnes, the Indians are getting a 21-year-old southpaw who was
12-3 with a 2.85 ERA, 82 H and 99/29 K/BB in 98 IP for Single-A San
Jose. The 2008 eighth-round pick has a slightly below average fastball,
but good command and a strong enough changeup to potentially crack the
Cleveland rotation in the second half of next year. He’s probably a
fourth starter at best.

They can also now give Andy Marte one last chance to prove himself.
The former top prospect is still just 25 and he was hitting
.327/.369/.593 for Triple-A Columbus. He’ll be plugged into Garko’s
role as the first baseman when Victor Martinez is catching or DHs. If
Martinez goes in a trade later this week, then Marte could take over as
the starting first baseman.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill for a proposed $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics, extending the special legislative session into the next week amid negotiations over whether to contribute $380 million in public funding to the project.

The measure can still be amended by lawmakers, and if it passes the Senate it would still need approval from the Assembly before going to the desk of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support for it. Both the state Senate and Assembly are adjourned until Monday.

In a hearing that began Wednesday and stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, lawmakers peppered tourism officials and a representative from a firm partnering with the ball club with questions about the feasibility and benefits of financing such a deal.

Public funds for the stadium would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

The A’s would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

A’s representatives and some tourism officials say a deal would further grow Las Vegas’ developing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers warn that the project would bring minimal benefits for the hefty public price tag.