Padilla named Opening Day starter

The L.A. Dodgers have announced Vicente Padilla as their opening day starter against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 5, a somewhat surprising move that comes just five months after a gunshot wound nearly ended his career.

Padilla, often known for his volatile temper along with his nasty sinker, was acquired from the Texas Rangers last season and added an extra spark to the Dodgers rotation down the stretch. A late season surprise (along with knuckle-baller Charlie Haeger), Padilla was the most reliable starter for the Dodgers at the end of last season going 4-0 with a 3.63 E.R.A. in seven regular season games.

Despite always being in the midst of controversy, the righty can do more than just sling bullets. He can take them too.

Padilla was injured last November just weeks after the season ended in his native Nicaragua while he was practicing with a handgun. He said a friend was trying to fix a jam in the gun when it accidentally went off, striking Padilla’s upper right thigh. The bullet went through the back of his leg.

At least he wasn’t in a nightclub with Plaxico Burress.

Despite the injury, Padilla made it to spring training relatively unscathed, but the right-hander hasn’t been as sharp in spring training as the Dodgers have hoped. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings during Friday’s spring start against the Royals. He struck out four and walked one. On a positive note, he wasn’t involved in any bench-clearing brawls. He also didn’t shoot anyone, including himself, which is a plus.

Either way, Torre said he’s going with the hot hand against the Pirates. He said it was Padilla’s postseason resilience last year that earned him a contract extension and his spot in the rotation. In last year’s playoffs Padilla allowed only one earned run in 14 1/3 innings in his first two career playoff appearances before losing Game 5 of the NL Championship to Philadelphia.

This is the first time in his 11-year career Padilla will take the mound on opening day, and he’s the fourth opening day starter for the Blue Crew in as many years.

The Dodgers are off April 6, and then young left-hander Clayton Kershaw will take the hill April 7 against the Pirates followed by last year’s ace Chad Billingsly and right-hander Hiroki Kuroda on April 9 against the Marlins.

Kershaw will get the nod for the Dodgers home opener against Arizona. Torre has yet to name a fifth starter and will decide whether the team will carry 11 or 12 pitchers.

So pretend you’re Joe Torre for a minute. With the pitching staff up in the air, who’s going to step up in 2010?

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Game Over: Dodgers cut Eric Gagne

Everyone’s favorite French-Canadian closer has been cut by the Dodgers…again.

Dodgers spokesperson Joe Jareck said Eric Gagne, who signed a one-year contract with L.A. this off-season, asked for his release last Sunday six days after being reassigned to the Dodgers minor league camp.

The Dodgers initially signed the once-untouchable closer to a $500,000 contract with performance incentives up to $1 million in hopes that he’d return to the form that converted 55 of 55 save opportunities just seven years ago.

Instead, the Dodgers struck out swinging.

I can’t blame the Dodgers, though, or Gagne for that matter. At first it sounded incredible–too good to be true. Dodger fans who remember the days of a healthy Gagne got an old-fashioned shot of nostalgia. For awhile the word ‘save’ was synonymous with Gagne.

Clad in goggled specs, the curly-haired closer was known for two things: spectacles and testicles. Coming in the most volatile situations, he hurled his way into our hearts with a mind-blowing Major League Baseball record of 84 consecutive saves earning the 2003 Cy Young Award (only the ninth relief pitcher ever to do it). We yearned for the moments when  “Welcome to the Jungle” roared down the corridors of Chavez Ravine and #38 worked himself into a frenzy. Then we’d all watch in amazement as opposing batters went down One, Two, Three.

Lights out. Game over.

Since then it’s been a tough journey for the French Canadian. After multiple elbow surgeries and allegations of performance-enhancing drugs,  Gagne has trekked through baseball in nomad-like fashion blowing more save opportunities than a last-second Christmas shopper at Sears. Here’s what it’s looked like:

Suffice it to say that life for Eric Gagne in the post-steroid era hasn’t been so kind. After spending a year as pitcher/coach for the Quebec Capitals of the Can-Am League, all he wanted for Christmas was a one-year contract.

But just weeks after taking a gamble on the 34-year-old relief pitcher, the Dodgers decided to let him go, and now Dodger faithful has to let go of the idea that the Gagne of old could ever be resurrected. It WAS too good to be true.

During his less-than-impressive encore with the Blue Crew, Gagne allowed six runs and eight hits in just 2 and 2/3 innings of spring training (that’s an ERA of 20.25). Apparently that was enough for Gagne and the Dodgers. The relief pitcher chose to initiate the out-clause in his contract which allows him to become a free agent and effectively puts an end to the comeback story we’ve all been anticipating.

But it’s time to move on…again. Gagne would have added some extra depth to an already-stellar bullpen, although it’s doubtful that he would have landed a spot on the Opening Day roster, but Dodgers fans still have lots to look forward to sans Gagne.

Coming off their second-consecutive NL West Championship,  the Dodgers have one of the strongest bullpens in MLB led by flame-thrower and anchor Jonathon Broxton, set-up man George Sherill who was acquired last season by the Orioles, lefty Hong Chih-Kuo, young-hurler James McDonald, Ramon Troncoso,  and (pending a visa) Venezuelan pitcher Ronald Belisario.

If the Dodgers bullpen remains strong like they were last season, the Blue Crew should be poised for another World Series run (as long as they don’t have to play the Phillies).

As for Gagne, who knows what’s in store for him. Maybe he’ll get picked up by another Can-Am team. I heard the New Jersey Jackals are looking to upgrade their bullpen. Personally, I think Gagne could make a decent living as stunt-double for Canadian-born Seth Rogen. Picture this: a sequel called Mango Express, an action film about two druggies who get caught up in a scheme to manufacture steroids. The roids are untraceable by tests, but they have one adverse affect: people who use them grow large, immaculate breasts. Talk about Blockbuster potential.

Note: According to Yahoo! Sports, RHP Cory Wade will miss three months after having surgery on a frayed tendon in his throwing shoulder last week. Wade showed great poise as a rookie in 2008, but struggled last year after being hampered with shoulder problems. If Belisario continues to have problems Coming to America, expect a healthy Wade to make a statement for that middle relief position later this season.