Dodgers' Colletti says Garland injury won't require seeking outside pitching
Jon Garland hopefully will at most miss one or two starts next month after an MRI confirmed the right-handed pitcher suffered a strained oblique muscle in his torso, Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said Thursday.
And if Garland does miss any starts, the club's John Ely and Tim Redding are the leading candidates to replace him and the Dodgers don't need to search outside the team for more pitching, Colletti said.
"We still have three weeks left in camp and we really don’t need a fifth starter for a little while into the season, so hopefully [Garland] won’t miss much more than a turn or two," Colletti said at the Dodgers' Camelback Ranch spring-training camp in Glendale, Ariz.
If Garland's absence was "going to be half a season or more, yeah, you’d think about" looking for another pitcher, "but that doesn’t make a lot of sense to go acquire somebody to fill a start or two," he said.
In the Dodgers' clubhouse, Garland, 31, said all he could do with the injury was "give it time, let it heal," adding that "I sneezed last night and it hurt pretty bad."
Garland suffered the injury Wednesday while pitching to the Seattle Mariners. He was acquired by the Dodgers during the off-season in a one-year deal after posting a 14-12 record last year with the San Diego Padres.
"It's one of those things that's kind of out of your hands," Garland said of the injury. "I’m always going to hold out hope" about not starting the season on the disabled list, he said, "but the Vegas odds aren’t looking too good right now.”
-- Jim Peltz in Phoenix
Photo: Dodgers pitcher Jon Garland walks off the field with trainer Stan Conte after Garland strained a muscle in the Dodgers' spring-training game against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Credit: Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press
oh thank god. that would require a trade and we know how fast Coletti likes to turn 3 prospects into garbage.
Posted by: jason | 03/10/2011 at 11:55 AM
There really isn't a need for a 5th starter until the middle of April if you look at the Dodgers schedule, everyone will get there rest with the days off they have. So this really isn't a big deal.
Posted by: Daniel | 03/10/2011 at 12:27 PM
Ned, what we do need is outside hitters.
Posted by: Joe the Plumber | 03/10/2011 at 12:31 PM
I'm just wondering how this will effect Garland's staying in shape after missing all this time in ST. I mean, will he have enough time to work out by the time he's ready to pitch.
Posted by: OldBrooklyn Fan | 03/10/2011 at 01:18 PM
"I sneezed last night and it hurt pretty bad."
.
This will soon turn into one of Conte's "setbacks" leading to a visit on the 60-Day DL.
.
Not that it matters in the grand scheme of 2011.
Posted by: Labeldude | 03/10/2011 at 01:28 PM
I'm sure though when it turns into a setback that Ned has his eye on a dumpster out behind a Walmart near you. You'll know its Ned by virtue of the upside down wingtips you'll see as he's rummaging around the bottom. He might even get Frank to hold his ankles.
Posted by: Labeldude | 03/10/2011 at 01:32 PM
The real bummer about the Garland situation is that he looked so good. Every pitch he threw seemed to go where he wanted. The big off season positive this year wasn't just that the Dodgers had set a strong rotation heading into AZ but that, to my mind, Garland would be by far the best 5th starter in the NL. Where nearly every other team in the league would be trading losses for innnings and saving their pen at best, we would be in the likely situation of scooping up alot of wins while getting more inn than anyone else. Here's to hoping that Ely continues to control the zone and that this doesn't turn into something more serious for Garland.
Posted by: N.P.Krohn | 03/10/2011 at 02:40 PM
"Jon Garland hopefully will at most miss one or two starts next month"
Really! in the course of a 162 game season, one or two games doesn't matter... EVERY GAME MATTERS!
Posted by: ned doesn't get it | 03/10/2011 at 04:37 PM
Krohn
I like your attitude. You have to expect some injuries in spring and beyond. It makes it exciting and gives the kids a chance. Sit back, support the team you have and enjoy the game L.A. You can't change anything except your attitude!
Posted by: dodgerdude | 03/10/2011 at 04:59 PM
What I don't understand is how can a team spend close to $100 million on player salaries yet not invest in adequate health safe guards for the players? It would cost less than the slary of one major league player to have a personal massage, a person chiropractor, and a personal physical therapist for every player on the team. Surely that would prevent so may injuries!
Posted by: JimC | 03/11/2011 at 08:33 AM