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Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez starts on the bench again

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Manny Ramirez was on the bench again Saturday, as Manager Joe Torre opted to start Scott Podsednik in left field over the 12-time All-Star for the third consecutive day. Ramirez was used as a pinch-hitter later in the game.

Torre denied that he was instructed not to play Ramirez, whom the debt-saddled Dodgers can deal to the Chicago White Sox until Tuesday. The White Sox have been awarded a waiver claim on Ramirez, who is due to earn about $4 million over the remainder of the season.

“No, no, no,” Torre said. “Not at all. This is just my dumb move. … There’s no reason I can give you that makes sense. A lot of what I do is a feel thing.”

Still, Torre attempted to rationalize his decision.

Among them: The Dodgers had won their last four games, he liked Podsednik’s energy at the top of the lineup, Coors Field has a particularly spacious outfield.

The reason he provided for sitting Ramirez on Friday was that he was one for 13 with six strikeouts against Colorado Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez.

Torre said he understood how benching Ramirez might be perceived from the outside.

“It has nothing to do with all the gossip and all the waiver stories,” Torre said. “I’m not going to tell you that unless it’s true.”

As of Saturday, Ramirez had not been asked to waive the no-trade provision in his contract that would allow him to block a move to the White Sox, according to a baseball source. Ramirez is said to be seeking financial compensation in exchange for permitting a trade.

Torre said Ramirez wouldn’t be relegated to fourth-outfielder status and that they would sit down soon to map out a playing schedule for him. Ramirez, 38, has been on the disabled list three times this year.

But Torre was noncommittal when asked whether Ramirez would start in the series finale on Sunday, pointing again to the amount of space he would have to cover in the outfield and to how he is one for eight in his career against Rockies scheduled starter Jason Hammel.

And though he and General Manager Ned Colletti said the previous day that the Dodgers probably wouldn’t unload players if they were in playoff contention, Torre said that a deal involving Ramirez over the next few days wouldn’t signify a concession.

“If for some reason one of our players is not on this team, that doesn’t mean we’re throwing up the white flag,” Torre said. “We’re pretty excited about trying to get back into this thing. If something happens, it’s not to rid yourself of someone. It’s to try to help your team.”

Short hops

Rafael Furcal and Vicente Padilla could start minor league rehabilitation assignments in the coming week, trainer Stan Conte said. Carlos Monasterios will make at least one more start in place of Padilla, who threw 35 pitches in the bullpen Friday. ... Times columnist T.J. Simers reported last week that Torre was approached by an investor wanting to know whether he would be interested in being to the Dodgers what Nolan Ryan is to the Rangers if the Dodgers are put up for sale. Asked on Saturday if he would hire current owner Frank McCourt, Torre didn’t respond.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

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