One of the simplest transactions in all of sports occurred Monday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers beat the post-season roster deadline of September 1st by acquiring Jon Garland from the Diamondbacks off waivers right around the 9pm PT cutoff time. The shift from Arizona to Los Angeles was pretty smooth for Garland considering the Diamondbacks are playing the Dodgers in a four-game series and all Garland had to do was switch dugouts mid-game.
“The hardest thing is keeping those emotions in check,” said Garland, who heard rumblings of a deal before Monday night’s game but was officially informed of the trade in the sixth inning. “I’ve gone to war with those guys the past five months, so it’s going to be different.” Garland said goodbye to his former teammates after the game, grabbed his equipment and walked down the hall to the Dodgers clubhouse.
“That might be the strangest part about it,” he said. “Finding out in the sixth or seventh inning, packing up and showering up, walking right across, it’s a little weird.
As if that’s not enough, Garland was scheduled to start for Arizona on Thursday and now he might be pitching against his team. Getting past the convenience of the situation, I not a big fan of the move. Sure McCourt got Arizona to pay all of Garland’s guaranteed millions (this year and next) but he did so by giving up a player (of course) believed to be Tony Abreu. If Hudson walks after the year, who’s going to play second? I think the rotation they have in place, including Charlie Haeger, isn’t improved by adding Garland. Does this move mean they’re not expecting to have Kuroda back at all? I guess so. Furthermore, I’m not sure exactly how much use the team can get out of Jim Thome, but what’s there not to like about his acquisition?
