Dodgers Grant Doug Mientkiewicz his Release

The Los Angeles Dodgers granted the release of veteran first basemen Doug Mientkiewicz, who was informed last weekend that he would not be making the team. Mientkiewicz, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last December in hopes of making the team as a backup first basemen. There was a chance that Mientkiewicz could have made the team, only if Garrett Anderson would have gotten injured during spring training play.

Last year, Mientkiewicz suffered from a dislocated shoulder, which limited him to only playing in 20 games for the Dodgers last year.  In 2008, when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, he hit .277/.374/.379 while hitting 2 home runs and driving in 30 runs. For his career, he is a .271/.360/.405 hitter.

In 12 years of service in the majors, Mientkiewicz has been part of 8 different teams, including the world champion Red Sox in 2004. If he can prove that he is healthy, he could be a good addition to a team in need of a quality backup first baseman. While he may not be able to provide much offensive production, he has reputation for being a good fielding first basemen.