The Dodgers just can’t afford to keep running 26-year old righty starting pitcher Charlie Haeger to the pitching mound. He has pitched in 5 games (4 starts) for the Dodgers this season and he is 0-3 with a 7.45 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. He is having big time control issues as expected because of him using the knuckleball as he has walked 16 batters in only 19 1/3 innings so far this season. He does have 20 whiffs which is good but he has also given up 21 hits (3 which have left the field). The Dodgers are now 8-14 on the season which has them in last place, 6 games behind the Padres in the N.L. West. They can’t afford to throw a game away every five days by running Haeger out to the mound. With that in mind they should make a pitch to sign either Jarrod Washburn or Braden Looper who are both sitting at home right now as unsigned free agents.

Veteran 3B Casey Blake is off to a great start this season for the Dodgers with the bat. He has played in 16 games for the Dodgers so far this season and he is 20 for 61 (.328 avg, .985 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 3 homers and 14 RBIs. Blake has always been a solid player but never really a star in his major league career. He has averaged 77.7 runs scored, 20.6 homers and 74.1 RBIs per season in his last 7 major league seasons. Maybe Blake will have a career year for the Dodgers as a lot of hitters are on hot streaks right now.

The Dodgers have placed starting pitcher Vicente Padilla on the 15-day disabled list with right forearm soreness. Padilla has started 4 games for the Dodgers so far this season and he is 1-1 with a 7.06 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He has allowed 26 hits (5 homers) in only 21 2/3 innings but he has also whiffed 23 batters as he is sending out mixed signals. The Dodgers have not announced who will replace him in the starting rotation but they should make sure Padilla is 100% before activating him because they need him healthy this year.

The Dodgers have signed 33-year old righty swinging catcher Mike Rivera to a minor league deal. Rivera played in 41 games for the Brewers last season and he was 26 of 114 (.228 avg, .668 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 2 homers and 14 RBIs. He has now played in 181 games in his major league career and he is 129 of 528 (.244 avg, .688 OPS) with 51 runs scored, 13 homers and 69 RBIs. This was a good move for the Dodgers as Rivera gives them depth in the organization at catcher.

The Dodgers have placed starting LF Manny Ramirez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf. Ramirez has played in 13 games for the Dodgers this season and he is 17 for 41 (.415 avg, 1.159 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 2 homers and 12 RBIs. The Dodgers are really going to miss Manny’s bat while he is out of action. Look for manager Joe Torre to use Garret Anderson, Reed Johnson and Xavier Paul in LF until Ramirez is ready to return to action. I think that Torre will platoon Anderson and Johnson while Ramirez is out. Anderson has played in 16 games this season and he is 5 for 31 (.161 avg, .496 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs. I have a feeling that Anderson will pick up the pace with the bat as he gets more playing time because he is not used to coming off the bench. Reed Johnson will improve the D when he’s in LF. He has played in 14 games this season for the Dodgers and he is 7 for 26 (.269 avg, .654 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 2 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Johnson is a gamer who likes to get his uniform dirty. Xavier Paul is a prospect that the Dodgers called up to replace Manny on the roster. He has played in 1 game for the Dodgers so far this year and he was 0 for 5 (.000 avg). The bottom line is that the Dodgers are going to miss having Manny’s bat in the lineup while he is out of action.