Adding Pieces

So, I was out and about today, and I finally got around to checking the news, and what did I see?

Well, lookey here. The Dodgers resigned Ronnie Belliard and Brad Ausmus.

And like almost every thing we've done this offseason, I am just ... feeling ... blah ... about it.

Ausmus is fine. He did well enough as a backup catcher last year, and he'll be back this year relatively cheap. If he continues to play adequately and maybe impart some old catcher wisdom on some of the younger players, then he's a good guy to have around.

Plus, he's got connections.

Ronnie Belliard is a bit of a different story. Don't get me wrong. I love what Belliard did for us down the stretch last year, but I didn't really want him back this year. He was playing way over his head in '09. A 1.034 OPS over 24 games?! Let's all be honest, that's not Ronnie Belliard.

Which I guess brings me to why I'm so unsure about Belliard. What is his point? Is he here to start or come off the bench? And if we have Belliard, what's the point of Jamey Carroll? They play the same positions. Both bat right handed. Carroll gets on base better. Belliard slugs better. Neither excels at both. It's just a little ... blah.

On the bright side, Yahoo! Sports reports that Belliard's contract comes with a stipulation that is both sad and funny:

"The infielder’s $825,000, one-year contract, which was announced Tuesday, will become guaranteed only if he reports to spring training at 209 pounds or less. If he reports at over 209 pounds, the Dodgers can release him and owe only termination pay."

Basically, show up fat and you lose everything!

I can only imagine the horribly depressing conversation that would take place between the coaches if Belliard doesn't show up in shape in Spring. The inevitable: "Is Ronnie looking sluggish?" question. The debate whether or not to bust out the scale. The decision on whether or not to cut him for being 215.

"Are we supposed to add the weight of dreadlocks, too?"

Say what you will about the signings, but at the very least they've added a little bit of suspense to Spring Training.

And really, isn't that all you can ask for in a blah offseason?