Eric Gagne

He was the closer, bringing down the curtain in the entertainment capital like no other, the No. 1 Dodger in blue, but now Eric Gagne will have to prove himself to make the 40-man roster, or it really will be Game Over. It was so much fun around here, Dodgers fans breaking tradition, staying until the end of the game, down beyond left field the bullpen door opening and "Welcome to the Jungle." Strike one, and maybe a 98-mph fastball. The trademark sweat-soaked baseball cap, wild hair, the goggles.

My town? Stick around Eric Gagne announced his retirement last week, not with a Dodger Stadium farewell ceremony but in an interview with a Quebec website. With Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera in town to play the Angels this weekend, that got us thinking: Who was the last great Dodger to go out as a Dodger? The New York Yankees will make sure Jeter and Rivera go out as Yankees. And what of the Dodgers so cherished by the fans of Los Angeles? Gagne had a bad arm for two years, then left for a better offer in Texas.

Game Over? Close, but not quite. Disgraced former icon Eric Gagne, who electrified Dodger Stadium during a three-year stretch in which he saved a record 84 consecutive games, has agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers that includes an invitation to major league camp, according to baseball sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet official. Gagne is expected to be part of the group of pitchers and catchers who will report to spring training in Phoenix on Saturday.

Reporting from Phoenix Vin Scully rolled up his right sleeve, lifted his arm and pointed to a wide, purple bruise around his elbow. "Somehow I did it to myself," he said sheepishly. "I hope not to do it again." The Dodgers' Hall of Fame announcer was referring to his fall at home last week and brief hospitalization. But Scully, 82, was back at work Sunday on the telecast of the Dodgers' 12-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Camelback Ranch, his first spring training game of the season.

Eric Gagne's longshot bid to return to the major leagues with the Dodgers just got longer. The former ace reliever was sent to the minors Monday mainly because he needs more work than would be available with the big league club, General Manager Ned Colletti said. "For the most part he needs to pitch, he needs to build up his arm strength especially for his off-speed stuff," Colletti said of Gagne, 34, a former Cy Young Award winner with the Dodgers who later was identified in the Mitchell Report as a user of performance-enhancing drugs.

Eric Gagne is not an "unlikely L.A. sports icon" ("Showtime at Chavez Ravine," by Bill Shaikin, Oct. 3). Gagne's dominating talent, streak of 84 consecutive saves and fierce competitive spirit have made him so popular and fun to watch. In all of my years as a Dodger fan, I have never experienced such frenzied excitement at Dodger Stadium as when those bullpen doors swing open and Gagne comes stomping and jogging toward the mound. Also, to describe him as "large" and "shaggy" is inaccurate.

Arizona Diamondbacks 7, Dodgers 3 > > > Tucson At the plate: Blake DeWitt's three-run home run in the third inning accounted for the Dodgers' runs. They had only five hits. On the mound: Chad Billingsley tossed three scoreless innings, but gave up three hits, walked one and hit a batter. Eric Gagne had a brutal outing — three runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Gagne's spring ERA climbed to 20.25. Extra bases: The second game of the Dodgers' exhibition series in Taiwan was rained out. The series between the Dodgers' split squad and the Taiwanese All-Stars was scheduled to conclude Saturday night beginning at 10 p.m. PST. Up next: Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda will start Sunday's noon game against the Texas Rangers in Phoenix.

In two seasons as a closer, Eric Gagne ranks fifth on the all-time Dodger saves list: *--* Jeff Shaw...129 Todd Worrell... 127 Jim Brewer...125 Ron Perranoski... 101 Eric Gagne...91 Jay Howell...85 Clem Labine...83 Tom Niedenfuer...64 Charlie Hough...60 Steve Howe...59 *--*

Thanks, Eric Gagne. Because of you, my 19-month-old daughter dances to "Welcome to the Jungle" and says, "Game over!" Chris Gagliano Redondo Beach Thank you, Eric Gagne, for two years of edge-of-the-seat excitement. P.S. You can get a new cap now. Douglas G. Stanley Trabuco Canyon The only thing more amazing than Eric Gagne's 84-game streak is that the Dodgers haven't signed him to a multiyear contract. Suzanne Gayley Los Angeles When I think of Eric Gagne, I think of the Streak and the many commercials the Dodgers use with him to hype the franchise.

On the same day The Times had a story on the remarkable accomplishments of Dodgers closer Takashi Saito, it also ran a brief note that Eric Gagne has been placed on the disabled list by Texas for the second time this season. Baseball is a very funny game. RALPH S. BRAX Lancaster

Eric Gagne's longshot bid to return to the major leagues with the Dodgers just got longer. The former ace reliever was sent to the minors Monday mainly because he needs more work than would be available with the big league club, General Manager Ned Colletti said. "For the most part he needs to pitch, he needs to build up his arm strength especially for his off-speed stuff," Colletti said of Gagne, 34, a former Cy Young Award winner with the Dodgers who later was identified in the Mitchell Report as a user of performance-enhancing drugs.

Arizona Diamondbacks 7, Dodgers 3 > > > Tucson At the plate: Blake DeWitt's three-run home run in the third inning accounted for the Dodgers' runs. They had only five hits. On the mound: Chad Billingsley tossed three scoreless innings, but gave up three hits, walked one and hit a batter. Eric Gagne had a brutal outing — three runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Gagne's spring ERA climbed to 20.25. Extra bases: The second game of the Dodgers' exhibition series in Taiwan was rained out. The series between the Dodgers' split squad and the Taiwanese All-Stars was scheduled to conclude Saturday night beginning at 10 p.m. PST. Up next: Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda will start Sunday's noon game against the Texas Rangers in Phoenix.

When word trickled out of Nicaragua in November that Vicente Padilla was shot, his agent said the bullet only "grazed" his leg. Some graze that was. Pointing to a spot high on his right thigh, Padilla said, "It went in here." Touching the back of his leg, he continued, "And it went out the other side." Padilla said the wound healed in about two weeks. Padilla laughed several times as he recounted the incident, in which the pitcher was accidentally shot by a friend who was trying to fix his gun for him at a shooting range.

He was the closer, bringing down the curtain in the entertainment capital like no other, the No. 1 Dodger in blue, but now Eric Gagne will have to prove himself to make the 40-man roster, or it really will be Game Over. It was so much fun around here, Dodgers fans breaking tradition, staying until the end of the game, down beyond left field the bullpen door opening and "Welcome to the Jungle." Strike one, and maybe a 98-mph fastball. The trademark sweat-soaked baseball cap, wild hair, the goggles.

Game Over? Close, but not quite. Disgraced former icon Eric Gagne, who electrified Dodger Stadium during a three-year stretch in which he saved a record 84 consecutive games, has agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers that includes an invitation to major league camp, according to baseball sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet official. Gagne is expected to be part of the group of pitchers and catchers who will report to spring training in Phoenix on Saturday.

They are the Dodgers' two fallen heroes, the one with the goggles and the one with the dreadlocks. They are the two players who have electrified Dodger Stadium in the two decades without a World Series. The one with the goggles has not pitched for the home team in three years, the longing for his showtime, and for a more innocent time, evident in his voice. Game Over is long over. Long live Mannywood. "I hear it's pretty cool," Eric Gagne said, "with Manny."

The Dodgers pay Eric Gagne $19 million for the 2005 and 2006 seasons and receive 15 innings in return. Gagne's response: "I never felt I owed them something." That's the gratitude of today's athlete. Anybody want a slightly used "GAME OVER" T-shirt? STEVEN R. GLASS Manhattan Beach Hey Eric, Game over on honesty, eh? Thanks for the memories. You are now Fredo to me. BRUCE A. MCCLANAHAN Pismo Beach I had to read your article on Eric Gagne a couple of times because I knew there was something missing.

When word trickled out of Nicaragua in November that Vicente Padilla was shot, his agent said the bullet only "grazed" his leg. Some graze that was. Pointing to a spot high on his right thigh, Padilla said, "It went in here." Touching the back of his leg, he continued, "And it went out the other side." Padilla said the wound healed in about two weeks. Padilla laughed several times as he recounted the incident, in which the pitcher was accidentally shot by a friend who was trying to fix his gun for him at a shooting range.

Houston 3, at Chicago 0: Roy Oswalt (13-9) came within two outs of a shutout. The right-hander has won seven of his last eight decisions. New York 4, at Milwaukee 2: Carlos Delgado's two-run home run against Eric Gagne in the eighth inning lifted the Mets. at Florida 4, Atlanta 3: John Baker hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the winning run in the ninth. at Washington 7, Philadelphia 4: Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run home run to lead the Nationals. at Colorado 4, San Francisco 0: Jorge De La Rosa (8-7)

Eric Gagne admits to being nervous when he thinks of what he might hear from the Dodger Stadium crowd if he is called out of the Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen this weekend. A lot has changed for the former Cy Young Award-winning closer in the two years since he parted ways with the Dodgers. He signed with Texas, was traded to Boston and signed with Milwaukee.