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Does Reed Johnson’s DL stint only buy Garret Anderson a slight reprieve?

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With George Sherrill placed on waivers, could Garret Anderson be next?

Joe Torre loves Anderson, but then it was only last Sunday he was saying of Sherrill: ‘I’m not going to give up on him.’

I guess he meant, at least until Wednesday.

Anderson may have caught a slight reprieve Thursday when to make room for Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers placed Reed Johnson on the disabled list with a bad back.

Johnson hasn’t played since July 8, so assuming it’s retroactive -- the Dodgers’ announcement failed to say -- he could be activated July 24.

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At that point, the Dodgers will have to determine whether to send down Xavier Paul (the easy answer) or waive Anderson (the right answer).

I love Anderson, too, think he’s great in the clubhouse and has that veteran ice in his veins.

Still, there’s no getting around his lack of production (.179 batting average, .276 slugging percentage). Paul isn’t exactly tearing it up (.259, .341), which might buy Anderson more time, but he’s more versatile and has an upside.

It’s the middle of July, and Anderson hasn’t proven the answer. Like with Sherrill, it’s time to face the facts.

-- Steve Dilbeck

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