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Report: Phils Interested In Garciaparra

Reports linger that the Phillies are interested in infielder Nomar Garciaparra.

Garciaparra, 35, hit .264 with 8 HR and 25 RBI as a bench infielder for the Dodgers in 2008. Somewhat verstaile, he plays first base, shortstop and third base. And he’s a right-handed bat. For his career, Garciaparra is a .314 hitter whose best days came when Veterans Stadium was standing.

There’s no indication yet of Garciaparra showing mutual interest, or if the infielder wants to play baseball in 2009.

Just looking at the roster composition now, adding Garciaparra would really create a logjam in the infield. After your starters, you’d have Greg Dobbs probably entrenched, with Nomar, Eric Bruntlett and Marcus Giles competing with Jason Donald for one spot. Bruntlett could be the fifth outfielder, and you’d need some sort of insurance for Chase Utley, at least early in the season. Thus, making a play to Nomar would signal something greater — maybe the Phils are looking to move Dobbs for value? (Pedro Feliz doesn’t have trade value.) Of course, it would take some time to shake out, and nothing is set in stone, yet. But it’s intriguing, nonetheless.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.