Gagne

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.

If the goals were to clear cap space and continue to stockpile draft picks, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi accomplished both with one move Tuesday. Lombardi traded left wing Simon Gagne to Gagne's former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, in exchange for a conditional draft choice in 2013. The Kings receive a third-round pick from Philadelphia if the Flyers make the playoffs or a fourth-round pick if the Flyers do not. Gagne, a healthy scratch the last four games, had five assists in 11 games and had not played since Feb. 17 at Chicago, seemingly an ill fit in Kings Coach Darryl Sutter's system.

Hallelujah! L.A. has finally been blessed with a real shortstop for the first time since Bill Russell retired. Greg Gagne ["Amazing Grace," March 4] should be respected for his beliefs, but that won't mean much to me, or anyone else, if he doesn't maintain his focus on the little white ball. He was brought here to play the game, not spread the word. A decade ago, a misguided born-again Christian named Eric Show managed to single-handedly destroy the chemistry of the San Diego Padres.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Greetings from rainy Glendale. The last time I saw it rain this hard here, I was covering baseball spring training and the only rental car available was a convertible ... with a leaky roof. No leaky roof this time. The Kings (0-2-1) will make a change in their lineup Saturday night against the Coyotes. Left wing Simon Gagne, a healthy scratch in their previous two games, is scheduled to return to the lineup on the left side with Colin Fraser and Jordan Nolan. Brad Richardson will come out of the lineup and Dustin Penner will stay out. After the morning skate Saturday at Jobing.com Arena ,Gagne said he'd had a good talk with Coach Darryl Sutter on Friday about his return.

If the Dodgers don't win the National League wild-card berth, Jim Tracy must go. Wednesday night's game against Arizona was the clincher. Let's see: You want to bring in Paul Quantrill but you know Diamondback Manager Bob Brenly will counter with Steve Finley, who is seven for nine against Quantrill. So that seems like a really stupid option. You can stay with Tom Martin against Robby Hammock, which seems risky but probably not fatal. Then you have the best pitcher in baseball warming up in the bullpen to pitch against anyone who feels like getting embarrassed.

Amid all the harping on competitive and revenue disparity, Commissioner Bud Selig would call it an aberration. Put it this way: If the Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates lead their divisions, as they do, it's a clear indication of the danger in early judging of 2002's races and teams. The next three weeks may provide greater clarity--or greater confusion. In the cases of the Angels and Dodgers, however, there has been enough evidence in the first three weeks to suggest that the alleged experts--here I go, writing about myself again--misread their Tarot cards.

Randy Gagne, an internationally known stunt pilot, aerobatic competitor and instructor was killed Sunday when his plane crashed south of California 126 near Piru, said family spokesman Lamar Jackson. He was 42. At the time of his death, Gagne was the president and chief pilot for Attitude Adjusters Aerobatic Center at Van Nuys Airport. Born June 23, 1955, in Lewiston, Maine, Gagne's interest in flying was apparent early, according to his family.

Closer Eric Gagne, who had experienced stiffness in the shoulder of his throwing arm Tuesday, was diagnosed with tendinitis and bursitis Wednesday. The right-hander, winner of the National League Cy Young Award in 2003, is not expected to be out more than a few days. After an MRI exam Wednesday revealed no structural damage, Gagne was given a cortisone injection. "He could be out three to four days," said trainer Stan Johnston, who also said Gagne could be available as early as today.

Eric Gagne sees the handwriting on the wall. Although the Dodgers have not announced who will be bumped from the rotation to make room for Ismael Valdes, Gagne figures he's the top candidate. The rookie right-hander is experiencing growing pains, and a pennant race isn't the time for development. The Dodgers believe Gagne has a bright future, but he's 1-6 with a 5.59 earned-run average. He will start today against the Colorado Rockies in the final game of a four-game series, and then, who knows?

Eric Gagne was at Angel Stadium Monday, admitting that as the trade deadline neared, he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to call the stadium 30 miles north home again. He had read the rumors and knew the Dodgers needed pitching. "It would've been great," Gagne said. "I had a great time over there, 12 great years. It was a lot of fun, but now it's behind us."

Former Cy Young Award-winning relief pitcher Eric Gagne reportedly alleges in a new book that 80% of his Dodgers teammates were using performance-enhancing drugs. The allegation, in which Gagne did not identify the other players, is contained in his upcoming autobiography "Game Over: The Story of Eric Gagne," according to ESPN. "I was intimately aware of the clubhouse in which I lived," Gagne, a Canadian, writes in the French-language book. "I would say that 80% of the Dodgers were consuming them.

When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 1150. Records: Kings 24-16-10, Blue Jackets 13-31-6. Record vs. Blue Jackets: 1-1. Update: Kings President and General Manager Dean Lombardi said that concussed forward Simon Gagne has made "marginal progress. " Gagne, who has a history of head injuries, suffered the concussion Dec. 26 against the Phoenix Coyotes and has missed 14 games. "Is he close to playing?" Lombardi said.

When: 5:30 PST. Where: MTS Centre. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 1150. Records: Kings 18-14-5; Jets 17-14-5 Update: As expected, the Kings put left wing Simon Gagne on injured reserve Wednesday, meaning he can't play for at least a week. Gagne suffered a head injury Monday in the first period against the Coyotes. Kings Coach Darryl Sutter at Wednesday's morning skate in Chicago was asked about the extent of Gagne's injury. "You know the history as well as I do," Sutter said of Gagne's past head injuries.

There were the typical opening night flourishes, the usual video and audio blasts of power designed to stun the senses or at least jolt them into pregame submission. But the most impressive sleight of hand, albeit old school, came about an hour later at Staples Center, in the second period Tuesday. In less than five minutes, the Kings managed to transform an ordinary-looking game, almost January-like, into something special on their way to a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues before a sellout crowd.

It's a measure of progress that the Kings no longer have to scramble to assemble two formidable scoring lines, thanks to the acquisitions of veterans Mike Richards and Simon Gagne . But Coach Terry Murray will take a critical look at the third line and will give the fourth line a new appearance Sunday in an exhibition game against the Ducks at Staples Center. Gagne, Richards and right wing Dustin Brown are scheduled to play together, as are Dustin Penner , Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams . On the third line, Jarret Stoll will center for Kyle Clifford and Scott Parse , and skillful Andrei Loktionov will be between scrappy Brad Richardson and enforcer Kevin Westgarth on the fourth line.

Undeterred by the approach of "Carmageddon" or by home prices in the South Bay, newly signed Kings left wing Simon Gagne was all smiles Thursday after his first look at his new surroundings. "I'm really, really excited about what I'm seeing right now," said Gagne, who agreed to a two-year, $7-million contract July 2. "We have a good team here, and that's why I was excited to come here with the Kings. " Gagne, 31, has twice exceeded 40 goals in a season, but injuries limited him to 17 goals in each of the last two seasons, with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

MILWAUKEE -- The ninth inning for the Milwaukee Brewers' new closer by committee was as adventurous as some of Eric Gagne's recent outings. There was one difference, though: the Brewers held on for the win. With Gagne yanked from the closer's role Sunday after faltering in back-to-back outings, relievers Salomon Torres and Brian Shouse helped make Jeff Suppan's seven solid innings stand up by holding on for a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Major League Baseball suspended Eric Gagne for two games and fined the All-Star closer an undisclosed amount Friday for being on the Dodger bench in uniform while on the disabled list. Gagne had been banned from the bench since his ejection April 6 at SBC Park in San Francisco for yelling at an umpire when Dodger pitcher Odalis Perez didn't get called strikes on several pitches.