The Dodgers made their first official roster moves of the offseason on Tuesday, buying out the last year of Casey Blake and Jon Garland's contracts. Both men are officially free agents as a result.
Blake was bought out for $1.25 million, as he ended his three-year/$17.5 million deal. The Dodgers had a $6 million option for next season, but that won't happen.
Garland got paid $5 million this season to basically do a big pile of nothing, as his season was cut way short thanks to shoulder surgery on July 11. He'll receive $500,000, as opposed to the $8 million he could've earned had he been brought back. Um, that's a no-brainer.
Going into the 2011 season, both men figured to play key roles in Don Mattingly's rookie season as manager. Instead, injuries just crippled both of them, as their best days are clearly long behind them. Blake appeared in only 63 games this year, hitting .252 with four homers and 26 RBIs. He actually hit very well when he did play in April and May, but his body wouldn't hold up.
The irony of Garland's situation was that he was brought in to be an innings-eater at the back end of the rotation. He had never appeared on the DL during his 11-year career up until this season, and had thrown at least 190+ innings since 2002. So naturally, he only made nine starts, going 1-5 with a 4.33 ERA.
I'd be shocked if Garland was resigned, but don't be too surprised if Blake is. I can see Mattingly using Blake as a utility guy, making starts at the corner infield spots along the way. At this point in his career, it might be the best offer he can get.
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