More on Gagne, Torre, Martin

As it turns out, Eric Gagne asked for his release, and it was granted. Gagne apparently decided he didn't want to be in the minors and exercised the opt-out clause in his contract.

As for Joe Torre, he suspended all talks for an extension until after the season, saying he didn't want it to become a distraction for the team. He insists he still wants to manage the team another year after this.

And Russell Martin's batting practice session was cut short today after he was knocked down once and plunked twice by minor league pitcher Tom Corcoran. Martin was heard to have shouted a couple of obscenities as he entered the hallway outside the clubhouse after being shut down, but laughed about it later while he was getting treatment in the training room. Corcoran, on the other hand, appeared to have been rattled after knocking down Martin, which could have led to his controls problems that resulted in plunking Martin twice thereafter.

Angel Berroa, signed in the off-season to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, was released today. However, the Yankees returned Jamie Hoffmann, whom they selected in the Rule 5 Draft from the Dodgers in December, back to the Dodgers. However, Hoffmann could find his way back to New York in a deal with the Dodgers involving either Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre. This would allow the Yankees to send Hoffmann to the minors with out the Rule 5 thing attached to it.

Game Over... Again

Well, it was fun while it lasted, but the Dodgers have decided to release their former closer and 2003 Cy Young Winner, Eric Gagne. Gagne didn't look very sharp in Major League camp and was demoted last week to Minor League camp to get more game innings. Unfortunately, it appears he didn't fare any better there, and the Dodgers felt the best thing to do was to sever all ties with him.

Gagne hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2008 while with Milwaukee, and it all but appears that unless another team decides to take a flyer on him, his career is likely over.

More on this tomorrow.

Catching Up in Dodgertown

When we last spoke about a week or so ago, half of the Spring Training roster was halfway around the world playing an exhibition series against a Taiwanese All-Star team, Blake DeWitt was making noise to be named the team's starting second baseman, Garrett Anderson was working out at first base, a beardless Casey Blake was out with a ribcage injury, and Don Mattingly admitted the Dodgers have made "overtures" about him becoming Joe Torre's heir apparent.

Since then, the roster has been cut in size as Opening Day nears, DeWitt still hasn't been officially named the starting second baseman, Anderson is still working out at first base, Blake has returned from his minor ribcage deal, and Mattingly has returned to his current role as hitting coach.

As for the roster cuts, Eric Gagne and Scott Elbert were reassigned to minor league camp. The Dodgers want Gagne to continue to pitch and get some innings under his belt in games, something they can't give him in Major League camp right now. There is still mutual interest from both sides for Gagne to get a shot at the big club again, but Gagne has an out clause in his contract that he can exercise if he's not on the Major League roster by a certain date. It seems at this point that Gagne won't be exercising it.

Cory Wade, who made a plea to get his old job back from 2008 as the club's primary set-up guy, will be out approximately three months after undergoing shoulder surgery. Wade struggled early last year that he was sent back out to Albuquerque, and was eventually sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, Garrett Anderson continues to workout at first base. The back-up job and primary lefty bat off the bench is now down to Anderson and Doug Meintkiewicz as Brian Giles called it a career last week and retired due to his nagging injuries. All indications are the Anderson-Meitnkiewicz battle will go down to the wire.

And don't look now, but Ramon Ortiz - yes, that Ramon Ortiz - is making a case to be the team's fifth starter out of Spring Training. Even if he does make it, there's no guarantees he'll be the long-term solution there as the season goes on. But for now, he's become the leading candidate, or, at the very least, the best option. With both Eric Stults and Charlie Haeger out of options, the Dodgers have some decisions to make as far as the fifth rotation spot is concerned.

No longer a candidate for any roster spot is James McDonald, who was also optioned to the minors. McDonald has struggled immensely this spring, and his 20.25 ERA was enough for the Dodgers to send him down. His demotion came just days after the team said he would be headed to the bullpen.

Rule-5 pick Carlos Monasterios is quickly gaining momentum to be included on the bullpen staff. As of right now, the only guarantees in the pen are Jonathan Broxton, George Sherrill and Ramon Troncoso. But with Hong-Chih Kuo still sidelined with a sore elbow after he was scratched from his start in his native Taiwan, and with Ronald Belisario still having visa issues and not in camp yet, an opportunity has opened up for Monasterios, and he hasn't disappointed. Monasterios has pitched well in eight Spring Training innings, and the Dodgers like the fact he has the ability to strike people out, as his K/9 IP ratio in the minor leagues last season proves. Unless someone else steps up to be the sixth inning guy out of the pen, there's no reason Monasterios won't be given first crack at it.

Though Russell Martin still won't be ready for Opening Day after he pulled his groin earlier in the spring, he's making progress and is ahead of schedule on his rehab, etc. There are still plenty of people blaming the injury on the 25 pounds of added bulk Martin added to his frame in the off-season, but Martin assures us that is far from the case. Either way, Martin is progressing nicely and he should be ready to go by mid-April.

Off the field, Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully is back in the booth today after falling in his home the other day getting out of bed and hitting his head. The 82-year old was taken to the hospital as a precaution for observation, but was released the following day. He's on the air right now doing the Dodgers-Indians game from The Ranch.

And finally, Giles wasn't the only player of note retiring last week. Former Dodger and L.A. native Nomar Garciaparra called it a career, as well. Nomar, who was a free agent after spending last season with Oakland, signed a one-day contract with the Red Sox and then retired because of nagging injuries.

Nomar certainly left Dodger fans with plenty of excitement as he hit the game-winning walk-off homer in the 10th of the "4+1" game. And had it not been for the rash of injuries over the past five or six seasons, Nomar could have finished his career as one of the greatest shortstops who ever lived. He was certainly well on his way to that. He finished his career with a .313/.361/.521 line with 229 home runs, 927 runs scored and two A.L. batting titles with the Red Sox in 1999 and 2000. Nomar was also the A.L. Rookie of the Year in 1997.

A Few Spring Training Notes

First, Russell Martin will miss 4-6 weeks after an MRI revealed a strained hamstring area. This means Martin could miss Opening Day. In the interim, A.J. Ellis takes over as the starting catcher.

Garret Anderson, who nearly retired last week before the Dodgers came calling, says he'll need about a week before he'll be ready for any kind of game action. Anderson is competing with Brian Giles and Doug Meintkiewicz for a potential bench role as the primary left-handed bat off the bench. I say potential because yesterday Joe Torre hinted at the possibility of going without a left on the bench this year. (Good luck with that, Joe. You'll put the Dodgers at a huge disadvantage when teams start throwing all their right-handed relievers at you and you've got no one to counter with.)

Eric Gagne, battling with a handful of others for a spot on the roster out of Spring Training, didn't look very sharp in his Spring debut yesterday against the White Sox. Gagne gave up two runs on three hits in an inning pitched. He'll likely have to start the season at AAA-Albuquerque before getting a crack at the Bigs again. He's clearly got a long ways to go.

The Dodgers have split the first two games of the Spring so far. On Friday, they beat the White Sox 8-3 at The Ranch. Vicente Padilla, Reed Johnson and Jamey Carroll had solid days. However, the White Sox returned the favor yesterday, beating the Blue 8-4. Gagne, Jeff Weaver and James McDonald all struggled on the bump for the Dodgers.

Manny appears to be in mid-season form. In five plate appearances, he's 4-for-4 with a walk and two RBI in two games.

Dodgers are in Mesa today taking on the Cubs.

Spring Training Has Arrived

It's been a relatively quiet past two weeks for the Dodgers.

Oh, yeah, sure, Manny had something to say. And then he had something to say again.

But did he really tell us anything the first time that we didn't already know? Not really.

And was he just having fun with us when he changed courses the second time around? You betcha.

And of course, the media ran with it both times.

Ah, it's that time of year again.

The warm air; the sunny Arizona and Florida skies. The green grass. The muffled sounds of a 95-mph fastball hitting a catcher's mitt. The hallowed sound of a bat cracking on impact with another 95-mph fastball.

Ah yes, life is finally back to normal.

The Blue have taken refuge at The Ranch for the next four weeks. They have their official Spring Training opener this Friday against their "Ranchmates," the White Sox. A home-and-home series, so-to-speak. One team is the home team on Friday, and the other on Saturday.

And with that, as the Dodgers continue to figure out who will be their fifth starter, or who will be their everyday second baseman, or who will round out the bench, and the bullpen, they quietly keep adding to their collection of veterans coming in on minor league contracts with Spring Training invitations.

Today's addition: Garret Anderson.

Anderson played for a number of years with the cross-town Angels, and then bolted for Atlanta before last season as a free agent. So of course, G.A., as he was so popularly known as down in the O.C., finding a home in Dodger Blue can only sting a little when it comes to Halo fans down I-5.

Of course, there's also no guarantees Anderson even makes the team. He's competing with Brian Giles and Doug Meintkiewicz to be the left-handed bat off the bench. And, as it's been said here before, unless by some miracle chance the Blue go with 11 pitchers out of Spring Training instead of the recent customary 12, Meintkiewicz would seem to have the inside track to serve as not only the primary lefty bat off the bench, but also as James Loney's back-up. That would all but eliminate any chance of the Dodgers carrying five outfielders.

But then again, with the health questions of Giles and Meintkiewicz, Anderson might be the only sure thing among the three.

You can't really even fault Ned Colletti for at least trying. He knows most of these guys he's brought in have little-to-no chance of panning out. So naturally, the plan is to bring in as many of these guys as possible anyway, throw them out there in Spring Training, hope one or two of them pan out (my votes go to Anderson, Ronnie Belliard, Jeff Weaver and Eric Gagne, for nostalgia purposes), and then take the credit for it later in the year when he's labeled a genius for pulling a rabbit out of his hat.

Ah, the joys of Spring Training.

Game Over Revisted?

Eric Gagne is back in Dodger Blue. Four years after he threw his last pitch for the Dodgers, Gagne and the Dodgers have reached an agreement to bring the former Cy Young winner back to L.A. Gagne will sign a minor league deal worth $500K with an invitation to Spring Training, which officially gets underway Saturday at The Ranch when pitchers and catchers officially report. Should Gagne make the team, he could earn an additional $500K in performance incentives, and would likely be the sixth inning reliever for the Blue, although I doubt he makes the team based on his recent ineffectiveness.

We all remember how Gagne electrified Dodger Stadium crowds from 2002 to 2004 with his ninth inning dominance. During that span, Gagne had a whopping 152 saves, including a Major League record 84 straight over a two-year span, to go along with ERAs of 1.97, 1.20 and 2.14. In his five seasons as the team's closer from 2002 to 2006, his strikeout ratios were among the best in baseball with his strikeouts per 9 IP ratio ranging between 12.5 and 15.0. His strikeouts to walk ratio was even more impressive as he posted ratios between 5.18 and 7.33 between 2002 and 2005.

Gagne won the N.L. Cy Young Award in 2003, but injuries in 2005 and 2006 limited him to just 16 total games even though he was a perfect 9 for 9 in save opportunities in those last two seasons. Prior to 2002, Gagne struggled to get his groove in the Dodger rotation after making his Major League debut in 1999.

Gagne signed with Texas as a free agent before the 2007 season and pitched well enough that Boston acquired him mid-season for the stretch-run. He struggled mightily with the Red Sox but would end up being part of Boston's 2007 World Series Championship team. He then pitched for Milwaukee in 2008, continuing to struggle before spending last season with a Canadian independent team. He didn't fare much better there either.

Gagne's name showed up in the Mitchell Report in 2007, and many have attributed his injuries and sudden down fall in 2007 and 2008 to possible steroid use, though no hard evidence suggested he ever used.

Here's hoping he proves me wrong and does make the team!

Broxton Gets Roughed Up

Last night I stumbled across the Dodgers Spring Training game against Seattle on my satellite dish. I found the game on the Mariners feed on FSN Northwest and figured I'd tune in for a bit. The Dodgers were ahead 3-2 in the 6th when I tuned in, and were up 6-4 when I decided it was late and turned the game off in the 8th inning. Little did I know what would transpire in the following inning would cause such a big stir among Dodger fans today.

Broxton came in and promptly gave up four runs and ultimately the game, and looked horrid at doing so. The uproar over one bad outing in a Spring Training game was pretty laughable. Already Dodger fans are expecting the worse from Broxton every time he pitches this year. Next thing you know, Dodger fans will be calling for his head for blowing a game in April!

Let's get one thing clear here: this was just one bad game. The guy hadn't pitched in a week because while on Team USA in the WBC, that idiot USA manager Davey Johnson didn't bother using one of his best relievers when he had opportunities to use him, and so Broxton just sat out there in the pen and became rusty. And I'm not the only one who saw it that way. Joe Torre is giving Broxton a pass because he hadn't pitched in a week. And the good folks over at Sons of Steve Garvey feel the same way, as well.

Obviously, many Dodger fans have one vision of Broxton: giving up the go-ahead three-run homerun to Matt Stairs in the 8th inning of Game 4 of the NLCS last season against Philly on a 3-1 fastball Stairs was looking for that pretty much turned the series around. And, as SoSG suggest, because we as Dodger fans have been spoiled the last six season by the likes of Eric Gagne and Takashi Saito closing out games, anything less than what they did will automatically be dubbed as a complete failure in the eyes of many Dodger fans when it comes to Broxton.

If you read between the lines of Ken Gunick's column on the Dodger pen woes this spring (link above), all hell is breaking lose in the pen, and this could be a concern come the regular season. And because of moronic articles such as that one, and because it is what the fans read and see, aside from maybe the Big Four-Letter Network or The Times, they believe what they read or is said in the media and go with it as their own opinion.

Having said that all that, as much as I do become a little nervous when I see Broxton warming up in the pen to come in and close out a game no matter what the lead or situation is, I'd still take him as my closer any day of the week over most of the other closers around the league. And as I've said in this very space in the past, giving him the closer's job outright will only be a confidence booster for the kid.

Let's lighten up a little on Broxton, folks! Last night was just one game... in Spring Training!

Hump Day News

In the last week, three free agent Dodger pitchers signed with new teams, which begs the question, "Is Ned awake during normal business hours?"

Derek Lowe will now make his home in Atlanta the next four years, and while he is no John Smoltz, he should be able to help keep Bobby Cox's hip in constant motion as he rocks in nervousness on the bench watching Lowe pitch to the rest of NL East. Brad Penny and Takashi Saito have taken their broken body parts to Beantown in hopes that, with Smoltz, they can equal one healthy pitcher.

An old reunion is nearly complete in Blue Town. Guillermo Mota is close to returning to L.A., and he'll be happy to know that Mike Piazza is not. More importantly, he'll be happy to know Piazza is sitting at home wondering how he was unable to catch up to the back-pedaling sprinter several spring trainings ago after Mota brushed his hair with a little chin music. Mota was Eric Gagne's main set-up guy before he was included in the infamous trade with Paulie LoDuca for Brad Penny in mid-2004. Mota hasn't been the same since, and chances are, he'll still be the same as he has been.

All is still quiet on the Manny front, which means Manny is still playing his video games, and still without any distractions. For what it's worth, Manny's hitting .730 with 63 home runs and 172 RBI playing himself as a Dodger on his PS3.

Rumors have surfaced as of today that Colletti & Co. are showing an increased interest in free agent pitcher Kris Benson. This could be great news for the rest of the players, and Joe Torre. Benson's wife Anna, the renowned baseball cocotte, has promised to expose her heavenly mountains in the dugout to keep the players "up" and awake during games. Meanwhile, as most of the top-tier free agent pitchers are falling of the books, Colletti and gang continue to pursue mediocrity among the likes of Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Braden Looper. Of this bunch, I like Looper, the sole reason being he has a cool name.

And finally, the voice of the Dodgers for the last 60 years, Vin Scully was recently named Top Sportscaster of All-Time by the American Sportscasters Association. Being a native of Los Angeles myself, it's hard to argue with this decision despite the fact Angelinos like myself been bleesed with the voices of legends such as Chick Hearn and Bob Miller over the years. Congratulations Vin!

That Was Quick

As quickly as they ran off eight straight wins and 10 of 11, they've suddenly looked abysmal and lost while losing four straight in ugly fashion. All of a sudden the pitching has stunk, the offense has shut down, and their defense has looked like a bunch of little leaguers just learning how to play the game. And to make matters worse, their best player so far this year, Rafael Furcal was just placed on the DL with a bad back, retroactive to last Wednesday.

I suppose the ugliest of the games, although it wasn't really all that ugly, was yesterday's loss to the Astros at home. They had already won the first two games of the series in convincing fashion when Hiroki Kuroda took the mound to hopefully rebound from his horrific start during the week against the Mets. All he did was take a no-hitter into the seventh inning with two outs. He gave a hit to Hunter Pence, then a run, and then he was done. But the Dodgers still had the lead 2-1, and stretched it out to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning. Then it all unraveled. Jonathan Broxton couldn't get anyone out to save his life, and the Astros blew the game open with a 6-run eighth inning and eventually won 8-5.

I guess it just goes to show you what can happen when you lose one important guy in the lineup. It becomes contagious. No knock on Juan Pierre, who hasn't played all that bad when he's gotten the chance to play. But Pierre just doesn't seem to have that same effect on an offense like Raffy does, and it shows. The offense just hasn't been the same since Raffy went down, and it could be another week or so before he's back. So for now, because the Dodgers don't dare set forth with a lineup without a "true" leadoff hitter, Pierre plays and leads off, and Ethier probably sits while Torre allows Andruw more time to figure his swing out at the bottom of the lineup.

The Blue head to Milwaukee for three, and with perfect timing, I suppose, because they won't get a chance to further damage former Dodger Eric Gagne's season as the Brewers closer since he was pulled from that role over the weekend. But the Brewers are struggling themselves, so now would be an ideal time to get going again. After three in Brew Town, they head back to the Southland to face the Halos down in Anaheim this weekend as interleague gets underway. They've got to put up a good showing and win two of three against the Angels...

Down Goes Pedro; Notes From Opening Day

Ahahaha! Well that was quick! Fifty-seven pitches into the season and Pedro Martinez goes down with a hamstring injury. And to compound the problem, the Mets lost to the Marlins in 10 innings on a walk-off homerun by some unknown kid, Robert Andino. As for Pedro, no clue how serious (or not) his hammy is, but because it is Pedro, anything is possible!

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By the way, anyone catch the end of that Braves-Nationals game on Sunday night? Or the Brewers-Cubs yesterday? What a couple of finishes and moments for Opening Day.

In the Braves-Nationals game Sunday night, Washington had a 2-1 lead going into the 9th inning. Their regular closer, Chad Cordero, was out, so Jon Rauch was brought in to close the game. Only problem was he threw a wild pitch with a runner on third to allow the tying run to score. But Rauch was taken off the hook when Ryan Zimmerman came up in the bottom of the inning and hit a walk-off homerun to give D.C. the win 3-2. What made it memorable was the fact it was the first game ever at the Nationals new park, Nationals Park.

Yesterday, the Brewers-Cubs game was scoreless through 8 innings. Cubs manager Lou Piniella brought in closer Kerry Wood to pitch the ninth, who promptly gave up three runs. In the bottom of the inning, Brewers manager countered with his new closer, Eric Gagne. The first two Cubs hitters got on base for the Cubs against Gagne, bringing up Kosuke Fukudome, who took Gagne deep into the right-center field bleachers for a three-run homerun that tied the game. Gagne would eventually get the three outs to send the game into extra innings, where Tony Gwynn, Jr. hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th that would be enough to give the Milwaukee a 4-3 win. Fukudome wound up going 3 for 3 with a walk, including the three-run bomb in the ninth.