The Dodgers have designated 32-year old lefty reliever Jack Taschner for assignment. Taschner pitched in 3 games for the Dodgers this year working only 1/3 of an inning allowing 1 hit, 3 walks and 1 wild pitch. He has pitched in 20 games (0 starts) overall this season for the Dodgers & Pirates and he is 1-0 with a 6.41 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. This is absolutely no loss for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have acquired 34-year old lefty swining LF/CF Scott Podsednik from the Dodgers for 25-year old righty swinging catcher Lucas May and 22-year old righty starting pitcher Eilsaul Pimentel. Podsednik played in 95 games for the Royals this season and he was 121 of 390 (.310 avg, .753 OPS) with 46 runs scored, 5 homers, 44 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He has now played in 977 games in his 10 years in the majors and he is 997 of 3,558 (.280 avg, .724 OPS) with 527 runs scored, 40 homers, 293 RBIs and 296 stolen bases. Podsednik will start in LF until Manny Ramirez comes back from the D.L. and then he will be the Dodgers’ #4 outfielder. Lucas May was the Dodgers’ #17 prospect heading into this season. He played in 80 games in AA+AAA-ball this year and he was 81 of 284 (.285 avg, .816 OPS) with 49 runs scored, 11 homers, 46 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Elisaul Pimentel was not one of the Dodgers’ top 30 prospects coming into this year. He pitched in 17 games (16 starts) in A-ball for the Dodgers this year and he was 9-3 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. This was a good trade for the Dodgers who needed help at the major league level right now in the outfield and Scott Podsednik should give them plenty.

The Dodgers have signed 38-year old right swinging infielder Juan Castro to a minor league deal. Castro played in 54 games earlier this season for the Phillies and he was 25 of 126 (.198 avg, .475 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 0 homers and 13 RBIs. He has now played in 1,095 games in his major league career and he is 597 of 2,610 (.229 avg, .595 OPS) with 251 runs scored, 36 homers, 233 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Despite those ugly numbers Castro has put up in his career he was solid with the Dodgers last year. Castro played in 57 games for the Dodgers in 2009 and he was 31 of 112 (.277 avg, .650 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 1 homer and 9 RBIs. This was a good depth signing for the Dodgers as they will stash him in AAA for now.

32-year old righty starter Vincente Padilla has been a solid pitcher his whole time with the Dodgers the last two years. He has pitched in 19 games (18 starts) in his two years with the Dodgers and he is 8-3 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. This year, Padilla has started 11 games for the Dodgers and he is 4-3 with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He has only given up 54 hits (11 homers!) in 68 2/3 innings for the Dodgers as he has been missing a lot of bats. His control has been outstanding as he has only walked 15 batters while whiffing 61 this year. The Dodgers really need Padilla to stay healthy the rest of the year because he’s a bulldog on the mound.

When the Dodgers signed 38-year old lefty swinging outfielder Garret Anderson they told him he was going to have greatly reduced playing time in 2010. He has always been a starting player until last season and he still got lefty side platoon at bats, which means he still played a lot. But he has really failed miserably this season and I don’t see any reason why he should even be on the roster still. He has played in 73 games for the Dodgers this year and he is 26 of 140 (.186 avg, .491 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 2 homers and 12 RBIs. I have to think that he’s going to get cut when Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson get healthy in a couple of weeks unless he gets hot with the bat. I’m not blaming the Dodgers for signing Anderson before spring training though as he has had a solid track record in the majors. Coming into this season he played in 2,148 games in which he was 2,501 of 8,485 (.295 avg, .791 OPS) with 1,076 runs scored, 285 homers, 1,353 RBIs and 79 stolen bases. What I am blaming the Dodgers for is not cutting Anderson loose as he often looks helpless at the plate.