Jon Garland just left the first inning of the Dodgers-Mariners game at Camelback Ranch today, holding his side. Bill Shaikin thinks it could be a problem with an oblique muscle.
Garland is currently the #5 starter on the Dodgers’ depth chart. If it is an oblique, he could be out for a while. With Vicente Padilla out himself, that leaves either John Ely or Tim Redding as the fifth guy.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Giants have made first baseman Brandon Belt available in a trade and says that several teams have expressed interest in him.
Which is kind of weird, really.
Belt turns 31 early next season. He hit .253/.342/.414 with 14 homers over 112 games last year due to a knee injury and time lost to an appendectomy. He has a history of concussions and has averaged only 115 games over the last five seasons. Oh, and makes $48 million over the next three years.
Yes, he could be a very useful player if healthy, but taking on that kind of money, even a part of that money, when many very affordable first base/DH options are out there on the market makes little sense to me. Matt Adams. Justin Bour. Lucas Duda. As good as Belt? No, I don’t think so. But way cheaper and requiring less of a commitment.
But hey, rumors are rumors. Let a thousand flowers bloom.
