Dodgers cut Shawn Estes, give him choice

He can go to minor-league camp and start for Triple-A Albuquerque this season -- although that might not be a guarantee given all the other pitchers the Dodgers have in camp and all the other pitchers who figure to be in Triple-A this year -- or he can ask for a release and become a free agent. He says he won't make up his mind today, but he also seemed to indicate that he isn't ready to retire, even if that might ultimately be the result of all this. The result of all this for the Dodgers, at least for now, is that the battle for the fifth spot in the starting rotation has been reduced to four guys: James McDonald, Claudio Vargas, Eric Milton and Eric Stults, in current order of their likelihood of actually landing the job -- although that order seems to change every time one of them pitches. ... The Dodgers also reassigned Charlie Haeger to minor-league camp. He is a non-roster pitcher who has been doing mop-up duty in the Cactus League but will start this season for Albuquerque.