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Scott Podsednik leaves country to find a job

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When the Dodgers acquired Scott Podsednik last July, they still had Manny Ramirez.

In August, the Dodgers waived goodbye to Ramirez. In November, they picked up their $2-million option on Podsednik, with the idea that he could be their left fielder this season.

But Podsednik exercised his right to decline the option and file for free agency. He never did find a better deal, and on Wednesday he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

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The Jays could use a leadoff man -- and a left-handed hitting outfielder -- so he appears to have a good chance to crack the Toronto lineup. However, in the event of an injury or a seriously poor spring, he might have cost himself $2 million.

The Dodgers never did find a full-time left fielder. As they report to spring training, their most likely option is a platoon of Jay Gibbons and Marcus Thames (total cost: $1.65 million), with Tony Gwynn Jr. and Xavier Paul also available.

So tell us: Would the Dodgers have been better off with Podsednik, or are they better off with Gibbons and Thames? Or what Plan C would you prefer? (Not Plan CC, as the Dodgers had no interest in Carl Crawford -- or, more accurately, had no interest in spending $142 million to sign him.)

-- Bill Shaikin

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