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Dodgers place Jeff Weaver on DL, activate Hong-Chih Kuo (updated)

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Turns out Jeff Weaver’s sore back isn’t something that he can get over in a couple of days, as he hoped.

The Dodgers put Weaver on the 15-day disabled list prior to Thursday’s game and called up left-handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo.

I’ve got two things to say about this move:

1) Please go easy with Kuo. Know this isn’t something you need to be told after four elbow operations and continued soreness. Still, it can’t hurt. Easy does it.

2) Why was Weaver pitching in Wednesday’s game anyway?

The game was a blowout, the Dodgers up 13-6 when he entered in the eighth, and Weaver has already been used plenty this season.

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In what is apparently his new role as a situational reliever, as opposed to a long reliever, he has appeared in a team-high nine games (matching Ramon Troncoso).

Understand, he’s only thrown 5 1/3 innings in those nine games and the Dodgers had an off-day Monday.

But still, he’s 33 and bounced around plenty the last few years. It isn’t like Carlos Monasterios has been overworked.

It seemed unnecessary, and now with a possible price to pay.

(Updated)

Manager Joe Torre said prior to the game Weaver might not need the full 15 days on the DL: ``But I didn’t want him to be out three-to-five days and try to rush back because we needed him. I felt this was the safest bet.’’

Torre also said right-hander Russ Ortiz, released by the club Sunday, has elected to become a free agent rather than go down to Triple-A Albuquerque.

-- Steve Dilbeck

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