Dave

Kelton

Kelton sounds like he wants the switch to be permanent. If he was a better defensive third baseman, Kelton would probably be playing for the Cubs right now. As a left fielder, he’ll be blocked by Moises Alou through next season.

Kelton is batting .299 with 1 HR and 10 RBI in 29 games for Iowa.

Manager Dusty Baker likes Kelton’s swing. He could be worth using in deep NL-only leagues this week.

Good news for those of us dreading seeing Lenny Harris in the lineup as a designated hitter in AL parks. Kelton will probably play quite a bit of left field, allowing Moises Alou to rest his legs as a DH. He’s a pretty good short-term pickup in NL-only leagues, but even if he does well, it’s unlikely he’ll stick around once Hee Seop Choi is healthy. The Cubs don’t consider him an option at third base right now.

Kelton made his first start in center field for Triple-A Iowa last night. He certainly doesn’t have the range to be a long-term option at the position in the majors, but if he adjusts well and the Cubs fail to make a trade, they might give him an opportunity to battle Tom Goodwin for playing time. Bobby Hill would probably take to center better than Kelton, but that switch apparently isn’t being discussed.

No word yet on the severity of the injury. Kelton hit .333 in Iowa’s first seven games.

Kelton wasn’t even one of the Cubs’ September callups, which doesn’t bode well for the future. He still has some potential, but a change of scenery might be for the best. In Chicago, he has Jason Dubois’s presence and Dusty Baker’s preference for veterans working against him.

Kelton, who should be hoping for a trade away from the Cubs, is hitting .320 with 6 HR, 23 RBI and 37/14 K/BB in 97 AB in Venezuela.

Kelton had missed a couple of games with a hamstring injury.

He is batting .304 with 11 2B, 9 HR, 34 RBI and 49/14 K/BB in 161 AB for Oriente. Unless he’s traded, Kelton will compete for one of the final spots on the Cubs’ bench next spring. He shouldn’t be a candidate to start in left field.