According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers agreed Wednesday evening to a minor league contract with veteran outfielder Garret Anderson.
Teams were turned off this winter by Anderson’s less-than-impressive .268/.303/.401 batting line from the 2009 season. He makes sense for the Dodgers, though, as a pinch-hitter and backup outfielder. The 37-year-old has always hit well against right-handers and still packs some punch at the plate. At least the Dodgers did something this offseason that allowed us to write about a topic other than divorce.
For those wondering about his defensive marks: well, they’re not good. Anderson had a -16.5 UZR/150 last season in 124 games in left field and wasn’t much better during his earlier years with the Angels. He’ll serve mainly as a pinch-hitter in Dodger blue.