DOWN THE LINE

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Paul DePodesta, maliciously criticized during his tenure as the Dodgers’ general manager for his reliance on computerized analysis, has morphed into one aspect of his caricature by becoming a blogger.

DePodesta, who now works for the San Diego Padres, launched his blog (itmightbedangerous.blogspot.com) this season to explain some of the inner workings of the front office. When the Padres could get no more for Randy Wolf from the Astros last week than a minor league reliever, DePodesta said the club would rather not keep Wolf -- and the compensatory draft pick they could get if he signs elsewhere as a free agent -- because draft picks cost money too.

“The money involved with Randy’s salary and performance bonuses as well as the money to sign a draft pick . . . could amount to close to $5 million,” DePodesta wrote. “That being the case, we felt we were much better off trading for Chad Reineke and using that $5 million in some other way.”

If the Astros hold Wolf until a contending team desperately needs a starter and flip him for a legitimate prospect, good for them. But the Astros say they got Wolf to win this year, so they’re deluded. They slipped into last place in the NL Central last week, and Houston Chronicle columnist Richard Justice wrote that Astros owner Drayton McLane was “living in a fantasy world.”

Wasting away in upstate N.Y.

If the upstart Twins lose the AL Central by one or two games, blame the front office. Of all the pitchers that might be traded this week, none figure to have as big an impact on a pennant race as Francisco Liriano would -- if, that is, the Twins would use him.

They don’t have to trade for him, just call him up from triple-A Rochester, where he is 5-0 with an earned-run average of 0.29 in his past five starts, with 42 strikeouts and five walks.

Liriano dazzled as an All-Star rookie in 2006, then sat out last season after Tommy John surgery. He is scheduled to start today for Rochester, no doubt wondering why the Twins can’t find a spot in the bullpen for Livan Hernandez, who has a 5.31 ERA and has given up 190 hits in 136 innings, or rookie Kevin Slowey, who has a 9.00 ERA this month.

We’re not making up this pitch count: 165

With Dodger Stadium set as the site for the 2009 World Baseball Classic finals -- the official announcement is expected Thursday -- Southland fans can anticipate Japan defending its championship with a roster that includes phenom Yu Darvish, 21.

The Red Sox bid $51 million to win negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka, when he was 26. The bidding for Darvish, should he be made available by the Nippon Ham Fighters, could approach $100 million if he thrives in the Olympics and the WBC.

Buyer beware: Darvish threw 165 pitches in a start last week, in eight innings, giving up five runs and 11 hits and striking out 10. He lost.

Not bad for a 30th-round pick

Damion Easley made his major league debut for the California Angels in 1992, eight days before Tim Salmon made his debut. Easley played a little and got hurt a lot, and in 1996 the Angels traded him to the Tigers for pitcher Greg Gohr.

“I was wondering, ‘Is this it?’ ” Easley said.

Gohr won one game for the Angels, then retired at 28.

Easley is still going strong at 38. He developed into an All-Star with the Tigers, then emerged as a utilityman for the Marlins and Mets. Now he’s the starting second baseman for the Mets.

“It’s been a unique ride,” he said.