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Now it’s down to this: Dodgers plan to start Ramon Ortiz on Friday

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No further evidence is required. The Dodgers have continually reminded us how thin their starting pitching is.

Still, more reminders keep coming.

On the same day the Dodgers placed Charlie Haeger on the disabled list and recalled John Ely from triple-A Albuquerque and scheduled him to start Tuesday, Manager Joe Torre said Ramon Ortiz is likely to start Friday.

Please restrain your enthusiasm.

That would be the Ortiz still hanging around with his 1-1 record and 5.24 ERA in 16 relief appearances. And for that, your reward is a shot at the starting rotation.

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Guess this time Torre was down to the O’s.

Of course, he has precious little to choose from, what with the Dodgers trying out pitchers for both the fifth spot and the spot vacated by right-hander Vicente Padilla’s trip to the disabled list on a spot-by-spot basis.

The Dodgers have an off-day Thursday and could skip a starter.

‘We’re leaning toward giving Ortiz the ball on Friday and giving [Clayton] Kershaw and [Chad] Billingsley an extra day,’’ Torre said. ‘That’s our plan right now -- Ortiz on Friday, Kershawon Saturday and Billingsley on Sunday.’’

Unless he goes belly up, Ely is already penciled in as a regular member of the rotation. Ortiz is essentially another emergency tryout. He last started a game in the major leagues for the Twins in 2007.

Torre’s only other real candidate is Carlos Monasterios, the rookie who went four innings in his only start. Guess he didn’t impress.

--Steve Dilbeck

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