we would have too many pitchers, and not enough bench players. any good left-handed pinch hitters out there that we can get not named mark sweeney?

maybe we should trust in Ned this time. He’s had a hell of run this season with his free agent signings.

I will assume Vargas is activated, and I can understand the need to see him at the major-league level before deciding to fish or cut bait with him and his major-league contract. Presumably Colletti’s scouts saw enough from Vargas at AAA that they think he could be useful on the big club. Maybe they’re right. (Of course, some scout[s] thought that about Esteban Loaiza also. OTOH, said scouts found Belisario.)

What I don’t understand is why the Dodgers would go with a 13-man pitching staff at this moment. They have the day off tomorrow and another off day that keeps them from needing a fifth starter until July 11, which is the penultimate game prior to the All-Star break. Some one is likely to get pretty rusty in that crowded bullpen.

The problem is there is no pitcher that is an obvious candidate to move off the 25-man. Given that, I’d strongly consider optioning McDonald to AAA for regular and regulated work to keep him sharp and keep another position player on the bench. Either keep Ellis (already optioned), or recall Hoffmann or DeWitt. Neither is exactly lighting up AAA at the moment, but they can field and DeWitt is some sort of LH alternative on the bench. Too bad XPaul isn’t healthy.

Or maybe I’m making too much of what is only a nine-game period before the AS break, when there might be more roster moves.