Results tagged “ericgagne”

LA has a diverse cast of characters. Whether it's the characters with stirring stories or interesting occupations or the people who are just simply characters, this town has them all. In an effort to get to know some of those characters a little better, we've created "Seven Questions with..." If you have a suggestion for a future Seven Questions subject send us an email.

Utah Jazz over LA Lakers 123-115 (OT). With Kobe Bryant visibly affected by a strained back, the Lakers managed to tie the game at the end of regulation after being down by 12 with four minutes to go. But come overtime, the Lakers could not ride that momentum. The Jazz in a complete role reversal got to the line 45 times as opposed to 25 by the Lakers. The series is now tied 2-2 and returns to the Staples Center on Wednesday.

Dodgers defeats Giants 5-0. A 5-0 win to usher in the 50th anniversary in Los Angeles. The Dodgers looked like World Series contenders against a Giant's team many expect to lose more than 100 games. Jeff Kent hit his 18th opening day RBI with a two-run homer in the first inning, the most among active players. Brad Penny pitched 6 2/3 innings of shut out ball in which he admits he was subpar while the Giant's Barry Zito's fastball had about as much velocity as me running with my gimpy leg.

Former Senate Majority Leader (and current Boston Red Sox director) George Mitchell just announced the results of his 20-month, $20 million investigation into allegations of widespread steroid usage in baseball. The long-awaited, 409-page Mitchell Report (document here) identifies more than 80 current and former players as being linked to using performance-enhancing drugs. While the report casts blame on the lack of institutional control within baseball as much as the players themselves that cheated, what everyone cares about are the names.

Kings 4, Wild 3 (SO) - The Kings took down previously undefeated Minnesota, which is a surprising sign of a pulse. It did take them an extra period and a shoot-out to get their first win since upsetting Anaheim six games ago in the season opener. Jean-Sebastien Aubin made 28 saves in his first start for Los Angeles. We're not convinced Southern California is big enough for two NHL goalies named Jean-Sebastien. Kobe Watch -...

We at the Gothamist network would like to express our heartfelt wishes to the people of Minnesota in the days after their tragic bridge collapse. We're not trying to discount the severity of the accident by making note of it in opposition to our usual -Ist lightheartedness - we just wanted to take a moment and recognize those affected last week.

Dodgers 10, Reds 5 - All nine Dodger starters had at least one hit or run scored, giving the team moms something to be proud of. Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. didn't disappoint, either, going deep on Mother's Day for the sixth time in his career. Ducks 4, Red Wings 3, OT - The Ducks evened the Western Conference Finals against Detroit at a game each and claimed home ice advantage heading into the next two...

Tigers 9, Angels 5 - Mike Maroth threw 105 pitches over just 4 and 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits, five walks, and three runs (two earned). He left the game with the bases loaded. Yet the only reason he didn't earn the win is that he didn't pitch the minimum five innings required of starters. Despite his ugly stats, Detroit still won thanks to a barrage of seven runs in the first two innings....

Bid adieu to Éric Serge Gagné, the most dominant closer that the Dodgers ever saw.

A year after ending up 20 games under .500, the Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot after their sixth straight win. The champagne couldn't have tasted any better because the decisive game was against their longtime rivals, the San Fran Giants up in Frisco, thanks to the 40 year old arm of Greg Maddux (pictured, left), who also stole a base in the 4-2 win. "If you're going to cinch it, you want to...

The NL MVP should be unanimous this season: Los Angeles Dodgers GM Ned Colletti. If you look back to when he was hired, there was a huge mess in L.A. that needed cleaning up. Within 58 days, Colletti hired a new coaching staff and manager, made three trades and acquired seven free agents. But more than anything, Colletti helped restore the confidence the Dodgers lacked in 2005. - Rick Sutcliff, ESPN - "The Dodgers...

The Dodgers weren't exactly limping going into Angel Stadium; after
all, getting swept on the road isn't the most noteworthy stumble, and besides,
they'd swept the lowly Pirates and salvaged the last game of the
Seattle series just before that. Despite losing the division lead to
San Diego, it wasn't like they were hopelessly out of first; even the
division-trailing Diamondbacks were only four and a half games out,
and nobody had really made a move to dominate the division.

So when Brad Penny ascended the mound to dominate the Angels over
seven strong innings, it came as a
welcome reminder that the team could actually win games. His
resulting win — a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=260630103">6-1
Dodger victory — brought Penny a 9-2 record, the best season opening
of his career, a prelude to his href="http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060702&content_id=1534879&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la">All-Star
bid.

It has been a very busy week and although the weather has been pretty crappy, the play of the local teams have not. First and foremost with the MLB season opening, the Dodgers were picked anywhere from first to third in the division by various sports writers. LAist has always maintained that if the team, how ever hodge-podged it may seem, remains healthy they will contend. Well, we know how that went dont we? Nomar Garciaparra ended up on the 15 day DL from opening day... NOT a good sign. Eric Gagne's elbow is putting his career in SERIOUS jeopardy. Kenny Lofton (at about 100 years old) who was to lead off and patrol center has not played a game yet. The pitching has been spotty at best (can someone PLEASE remind Derek Lowe that he is a GROUNDBALL pitcher?) and the offense has shown flashes. Standing at .500 (5-5) after splitting four games from former Dodger manager Jim Tracy and the Pirates, the Boys in Blue get set to start the rivalry with the hated Giants. We wonder what type of reception Barry is gonna get... PLEASE OH PLEASE do NOT let him get his first homer of the season against us!

That question was answered yesterday when it was reported that shortstop Cesar Izturis will undergo Tommy John surgery in his right elbow, and is likely out until July 2006. This is a rather stunning development because usually pitchers are the only ones to endure such a dramatic procedure.

With five days before the trade deadline, giving up with just a five-game deficit would probably wreck the psyche of a franchise already walking a public relations tightrope. The public and the media might understand trading away Jeff Weaver and Jeff Kent with an eight-game deficit, but not five. The Padres have looked so horrible lately, that it's possible the Dodgers are just one or two decent additions away from backing into the playoffs. And when you get into the playoffs, anything can happen.

As the trade deadline rapidly approaches, the Dodgers find themselves 8.5 games behind the Padres in the NL West with a pathetic 41-52 record. Paul DePodesta now has to decide if the Dodgers will become buyers or sellers over the course of the next 10 days. LAist recommends the latter.

It turns out Gagne didn't need Tommy John surgery after all, and his elbow pain was due to an irritated nerve. Gagne will still miss the rest of the season, but at least he should be back at full strength by the spring. And even better, he can keep pitching with the same ulnar collateral ligament that's brought him stardom.

Depending on the extent of the tear in Gagne's elbow, which won't be known for at least another week, Gagne might need to have Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. We're hoping he can just come back in 8 weeks at near-Gagne strength, but his second-degree elbow strain must absolutely be treated with extreme care.

It's disconcerting that the Dodgers were outclassed this week by both the Cardinals and Braves, arguably the NL's two best teams.

Pitching on a cold day in Pitcher's Hell Park, Colorado, Penny showed first inning rust by surrendering up a 2-run home run. But he settled down and wound up allowing four runs in five innings. Penny's fastball was down just a little, but what can you expect from a guy make his first real start at Coors Field?

Now, LAist knows not to make too much of a great early season start. But consider that the Dodgers have managed to play fantastic baseball without Eric Gagne, Brad Penny, or Wilson Alvarez yet. To all of those Dodger doubters, who think using new innovations and technologies to build a baseball team is foolish, you can admit that Paul DePodesta probably knew what he was doing. Even ESPN Analyst and Moneyball doubter Harold Reynolds publicly apologized on Baseball Tonight.

In an otherwise hectic offseason, it's reassuring to know that Gagne and his ugly goatee will grace the Chavez Ravine mound for at least two more seasons. Paul DePodesta hates salary arbitration, and even though the Dodgers have an arbitration-dynamo in Kim Ng, some things are better left avoided. The last thing LA needed was a hearing where Ng would bring every negative instnace in Gagne's history to light, in an effort to save a few bucks.

It is absolutely inconceivable that Eric Gagne could lose two straight games, and three games in the span of a week. And the Dodgers division lead has dwindled down to 4.5 games as a result.

Well, we're getting closer to the former each day, as the Dodgers looked like a playoff team in rallying from behind and beating the Cubs 8-5 yesterday.

At LAist, we acknowledged that the riskiest part of Paul DePodesta's deadline deals was giving up Mota. But let's hope Jim Tracy and the Dodgers realize one thing: Darren Dreifort is a slightly above-average middle reliever, and has no business being the team's setup man.

Those questioning Paul DePodesta's extreme makeover of the Dodgers should realize they failed to account for the "good pitcher" element in their chemistry sets.

...

Well, on Saturday, Rivera proved he was human, ending his 23-game save streak (23 -- not quite 84) after giving up a walk-off 2-run homer to Boston's Bill Mueller.