That roster move the Dodgers needed to make was to stash Nomar Garciaparra on the DL to rest up his knee for several more days. It's his second trip to the disabled list this season, but at least it's not his hand. It was a damaged hand that stripped away his power the last couple of seasons.

So the new guy, Wilson Betemit, started off his L.A. career with two doubles. Not bad. The Dodgers hit three homers today and swept the Nationals. They're still in last place and still talking about giving up blue-chip prospects for help this season. At Dodger Thoughts, Jon Weisman takes on Bill Plaschke for mis-stating the beliefs of fans he doesn't agree with or understand very well. Bill lost some respect with his mis-read of MoneyBall and his lame attacks on computers as a baseball tool, and he doesn't look much better going after fans who fret that Ned Colletti (who comes from the poor-trading Giants) might overpay with a Joel Guzman or Matt Kemp to get some declining journeyman. After all, the fans still remember the Dodgers trading Pedro Martinez. At MLB.com, Ken Gurnick gives a good summation of the current Dodgers situation.

In Boston, the Angels beat the Red Sox to win the weekend series and end the road trip 6-4. They are in second place, a half-game behind Oakland, and they begin four games with the A's today in Anaheim.

Tracy Ringolsby, the former Angels beat writer for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, was honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame for his long newspaper career. He now writes for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver.