Belcher: Reds Got Better Deal

Right-hander Tim Belcher says he has been traded to the best team in the National League West.

The Cincinnati Reds sent outfielder Eric Davis and pitcher Kip Gross to the Dodgers on Wednesday night for Belcher and pitcher John Wetteland.

Belcher, 30, was the key to the Reds’ end of the deal. The right-hander completes a revamped rotation that already includes Jose Rijo, Tom Browning and recently acquired Greg Swindell.

“At the risk of patting myself on the back, I now feel I’m on the best team in the National League West because of the simple fact that pitching is 80% or 90% of the game,” Belcher said from his home in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. “If we were taking a snapshot of the National League West right now, everybody in their right minds would pick the Braves and the Reds and mostly because of pitching.”

Starting pitching was the Reds’ main weakness last year, when the defending World Series champions fell to fifth. Their led the league in homers and were second in average even without Davis, making the outfielder expendable.

They started their rebuilding by acquiring Swindell, a left-hander, from the Cleveland Indians in a four-player deal Nov. 15. The Davis trade gives them four solid starters.

Belcher, who learned of the trade from Dodger Executive Vice President Fred Claire, is 50-38 in five major league seasons with a 2.99 ERA. He was 10-9 in 1991 with a 2.62 ERA that ranked fourth in the league.

“I have a lot of respect for Fred Claire and the Dodgers, but I told Fred point-blank on the phone he made a mistake,” Belcher said. “I think the Reds and (General Manager) Bob Quinn definitely got the best end of this deal.”

Davis became expendable when he went through another injury-shortened season and the Reds’ offense carried on well without him, leading the NL in slugging percentage and total bases.

Davis is entering the final year on a three-year contract worth $9.3 million. The outfielder has been injury-prone during his career in Cincinnati, never playing in more than 135 games.

Davis became the main target for fans’ frustration last season, receiving loud boos whenever he walked onto the field. But he said Wednesday night he was leaving with mixed emotions.

Davis, a Los Angeles native who grew up with Dodgers outfielder Darryl Strawberry, bought a house in Cincinnati when he signed his current contract.

“I’m happy about going home, but it’s tough leaving the city of Cincinnati,” Davis said from Atlanta. “I have a lot of great memories there. I won a world championship there. Pete Rose gave me my first opportunity. If not for him, I might not be in this situation.”

Davis said he’s working out and expects to be fully healthy next spring.

“I’m feeling fine,” he said.