The Dodgers have traded 26-year old righty swinging SS/2B Chin-lung Hu to the Mets for 25-year old lefty starting pitcher Mike Antonini. Hu played in 14 games for the Dodgers last season and he was 3 for 23 (.130 avg, .334 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 RBI and 1 stolen base. He played in 96 games in parts of four years with the Dodgers and he was 33 of 173 (.191 avg, .524 OPS) with 25 runs scored, 2 homers, 17 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Dodgers grew tired of waiting for Hu to play to his “potential” making it easy for them to deal him.

Mike Antonini pitched in 29 games (all starts) in AA+AAA-ball last season and he was 8-12 with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He has now pitched in 96 games (84 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 25-26 with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Antonini will likely have a better chance of making the Dodgers’ bullpen than the rotation next spring.

The Dodgers have designated 28-year old lefty reliever/starter Brent Leach for assignment. Leach pitched in 39 games (16 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last season and he was 10-5 with a 5.25 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. Leach pitched in 38 games (0 starts) for the Dodgers in 2009 and he was 2-0 with a 5.75 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. The Dodgers won’t likely miss him too much going forward.

The Dodgers have signed 26-year old righty reliever Scott Nestor to a minor league deal. Nestor pitched in 43 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 3-5 with 2 saves, a 5.91 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP. Nestor has now pitched in 333 games (0 starts) in his 8 years in the minors and he is 22-24 with 25 saves, a 5.22 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. He has whiffed 469 batters in only 441 1/3 innings in his minor league career but he has also walked 313 which is way too many. He will likely start the 2011 season in AAA.

The Dodgers have signed 32-year old righty reliever Matt Guerrier to a 3-year, $12 million dollar deal. Guerrier pitched in 74 games (0 starts) for the Twins last season and he was 5-7 with 1 save, a 3.17 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He has now pitched in 393 games (3 starts) in his first seven years in the majors and he is 19-25 with 5 saves, a 3.38 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. I really like this signing for the Dodgers as Guerrier makes the bullpen even deeper for 2011.

The Dodgers have signed 28-year old switch hitting infielder/outfielder Eugenio Velez to a minor league deal. Velez played in 29 games for the Giants last season and he was 9 of 55 (.164 avg, .555 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 2 homers and 8 RBIs. Velez has now played in 225 games in parts of four years in the majors and he is 160 of 626 (.256 avg, .688 OPS) with 84 runs scored, 8 homers, 71 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. Due to his versatility and speed, Velez will have more than a decent shot of winning a job on the Dodgers’ bench next spring.