Luvofthegame
09-30-2006, 01:00 AM
By Bill Shaikin
L.A. Times Staff Writer
September 29, 2006
He cheers for his team. He diligently performs his rehabilitation exercises. But with the Dodgers short of reliable arms in the bullpen, the highest-paid pitcher on the team is not available for the playoff push.
And that is what frustrates closer Eric Gagne most of all, in these final days of his two-year, $20-million contract. His statistics in that span: nine saves, two elbow operations, one back operation.
"I got paid a lot of money for two years and didn't do anything," he said Thursday. "That's what I feel bad about. I feel like I let the team down. I feel like I let the fans down. But I can't control injuries."
Gagne, the 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner, said he expects to start a throwing program within three weeks and has no doubt he will be ready for spring training. He is encouraged, he said, by so many excellent veteran comebacks around baseball — Nomar Garciaparra with the Dodgers, Magglio Ordonez with the Detroit Tigers, Frank Thomas with the Oakland Athletics.
Thomas, like Gagne, sat out most of two seasons because of injury, then signed with Oakland for $500,000 in guaranteed salary and the chance to earn another $3.5 million in incentive bonuses, tied to appearances and days on the active roster. Would Gagne accept that contract to stay with the Dodgers?
"Not like that," he said, indicating that he considered the guaranteed salary too low.
The Dodgers can buy out his 2007 option for $1 million, freeing themselves of what would be a $12-million guaranteed salary. Gagne said he would prefer to stay with the Dodgers but does not expect to sign anywhere until he can work out for teams this winter and prove his arm is sound.
"We'll see," he said. "We'll look at the market."
L.A. Times Staff Writer
September 29, 2006
He cheers for his team. He diligently performs his rehabilitation exercises. But with the Dodgers short of reliable arms in the bullpen, the highest-paid pitcher on the team is not available for the playoff push.
And that is what frustrates closer Eric Gagne most of all, in these final days of his two-year, $20-million contract. His statistics in that span: nine saves, two elbow operations, one back operation.
"I got paid a lot of money for two years and didn't do anything," he said Thursday. "That's what I feel bad about. I feel like I let the team down. I feel like I let the fans down. But I can't control injuries."
Gagne, the 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner, said he expects to start a throwing program within three weeks and has no doubt he will be ready for spring training. He is encouraged, he said, by so many excellent veteran comebacks around baseball — Nomar Garciaparra with the Dodgers, Magglio Ordonez with the Detroit Tigers, Frank Thomas with the Oakland Athletics.
Thomas, like Gagne, sat out most of two seasons because of injury, then signed with Oakland for $500,000 in guaranteed salary and the chance to earn another $3.5 million in incentive bonuses, tied to appearances and days on the active roster. Would Gagne accept that contract to stay with the Dodgers?
"Not like that," he said, indicating that he considered the guaranteed salary too low.
The Dodgers can buy out his 2007 option for $1 million, freeing themselves of what would be a $12-million guaranteed salary. Gagne said he would prefer to stay with the Dodgers but does not expect to sign anywhere until he can work out for teams this winter and prove his arm is sound.
"We'll see," he said. "We'll look at the market."