DéjÀ vu all over again for Los Angeles
The optimism felt by the Los Angeles Dodgers just a few days ago has quickly turned to gloom.
Newcomers Kenny Lofton and Nomar Garciaparra went on the disabled list earlier this week, and they’ll be joined by closer Eric Gagne.
Gagne will miss six to eight weeks after having surgery Friday to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow.
The operation – the second for Gagne in less than a year – lasted 30 minutes and was performed by Dr. Frank Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella of the team’s medical staff in Los Angeles.
“I think it’s good news,” Jobe said on a conference call. “He’ll begin throwing a ball in three weeks, and in six weeks, get in a game. Those are guesses, a week one way or the other. I don’t think it will be longer than six to eight weeks.”
The Dodgers endured numerous injuries last season, when they went 71-91 for their second-worst record since moving from Brooklyn in 1958.
Wells shelled in rehab start
David Wells was hit hard in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket, giving up seven runs and six hits in five innings in Pawtucket, R.I.
“It is what it is, it’s a bad night,” said Wells, placed on the DL last Saturday – retroactive to March 27. “No excuses.”
The veteran left-hander gave up two solo homers and a pair of two-run doubles in Pawtucket’s 9-1 loss to Indianapolis. Pitching on a damp night with a game-time temperature of 51 degrees, he walked three, hit a batter and struck out one.
Asked what went wrong, the 42-year-old Wells, penciled in to start for Boston against Toronto at Fenway Park on Wednesday night, said: “Everything. Physically, I felt great, nothing like that, but just the conditions. I had no feel for the ball, at all.”
Crosby will play against M’s
The pain is tolerable for shortstop Bobby Crosby. That’s good enough for his manager.
Oakland manager Ken Macha anticipates having Crosby ready to play today in the third game of a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners.
Crosby hasn’t played since bruising and cutting the index finger of his left hand on opening night against the New York Yankees.
Clearing the bases
Giants left-hander Noah Lowry was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained muscle in his right side, a day after he was hurt in the second inning of his first start of the year. San Francisco recalled right-hander Kevin Correia from Triple-A Fresno. … San Diego placed starter Shawn Estes on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left elbow and recalled right-hander Scott Cassidy from Triple-A Portland. … Texas demoted right-hander R.A. Dickey to Triple-A Oklahoma less than 24 hours after the knuckleballer allowed six home runs to Detroit, tying the post-1900 major league record. The Rangers also purchased the contract of right-hander Rick Bauer from Oklahoma and signed free-agent infielder Erubiel Durazo to a minor league contract. … Infielder Brandon Phillips, a one-time starter who never fulfilled expectations in Cleveland, was traded to Cincinnati for a player to be named or cash.