The Cleveland Indians are apparently looking to corner the market on soft-throwing, location-based right handers as the team is reportedly in the mix for veteran starting pitcher Jon Garland.
Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that the Indians are “working on” a deal for Garland, 32, with apparent hopes of providing another inning-eating starter on a relative discount. The 10th-overall selection in the 1997 amateur draft, Garland spent the bulk of his career with the Chicago White Sox (making the All-Star game in 2005) before bouncing around the West Coast over the last three seasons.
If signed, Garland would provide additional depth in the wake of the Fausto Carmona/Roberto Hernandez Heredia arrest. The Indians have recently acquired the right-handed Kevin Slowey in a trade with the Colorado Rockies.
Garland underwent season-ending shoulder surgery this past July with a recovery time slated for approximately six months. Over his 12 seasons in the majors, Garland has a record of 132-119 and an ERA of 4.32, totaling at least 190 innings in nine of his last 10 seasons. He possesses a career mark of 1.31 ground balls to every fly ball.
It is assumed that, like other deals consumated by the Indians this offseason, Garland’s contract will be of the minor league variety with plenty of incentives built in. If healthy, he could ultimately rival David Huff and Jeanmar Gomez for a rotation spot.
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(Source: Ken Rosenthal)
