Dodgers' web doings; Eric Gagne?

Checking in on the Dodgers across the web:

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman writes that the Dodgers and Rockies have watched ex-closer Eric Gagne throw and are interested.

Former Los Angeles Times staffer Tim Brown writes a lengthy piece for yahoo.com on the McCourts' divorce and its suspected impact on team operations.

Veteran Dodgers writer Ken Gurnick gives his state-of-the-team overview as it heads into spring training, at Dodgers.com.

At ESPN.com/LA, Tony Jackson looks at General Manager Ned Colletti’s knack for successfully turning non-roster spring invitees into valuable members of the 25-man roster.

The Dodgers are listed as the third-least-improved ballclub in Scott Miller’s spring training preview at CBSsports.com

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Eric Gagne pitches for the Quebec Capitales during a Can-Am League game on June 13. Credit: Jacques Boissinot / Associated Press

Comments

[neoncactus]

I'm tired of the "least improved" stories. We have 7 of 8 position players returning and 3 starters returning from the team that finished last season with the best record in the national league. How much improvement did they think we were going to get?

We didn't get a marquee free agent. Let's see, we didn't need Holliday or Bay. The only other one was Lackey and he was overpaid by Boston. Would we be better off if Wolf took arbitration and wound up with a $13-15 million salary? I question the decision not to offer it, but can't fault them for not matching a 3 year offer to keep him. Padilla is usually either very good or gets hit hard, but he's a very solid 4th starter.

I wouldn't have minded signing Felipe Lopez for second and there's always the possibility of Pedro Martinez or John Smoltz mid-season if we need help. But when your two biggest holes are second base and a 5th starter, there's not all that much improvement that has to be done. Now if they were a team like the Royals or Pirates and did nothing to improve the club, there's a problem. But I like our chances.

The Rockies didn't do a whole lot to improve their club. The Giants probably can't get any better at starting pitching and if improving the club involves Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff, I'm glad the Dodgers didn't improve as much as they did! If the DBacks can beat the Dodgers, that would have more to do with the return of Brandon Webb and their young players finally hitting well than it would with any failure on the part of the Dodgers.

[shopoholics anonymous]

Eric Gagne?
.
Now Manny would have somebody to share prescription shopping outings with.

[tim chaney]

forgive...

[dalegribel]

I would love to see Gagne get a shot back with the Dodgers. With Ned's talent for finding useful piece in NRI's, this one make sense.

And I completely agree with Neoncactus, sometimes leaving the core alone is the best method of improvement.

[Zen]

Why not, Gagne?

We can have an intramural Old Timer's league. Add Pedro, we have Ausmus, Giles...

[Zen]

If you told me that a certain dry cleaning store figured out a way to earn a greater return on equity than a half dozen or so of its competitors in the neighborhood, I'd yawn.

This is exactly what McCourt has accomplished with the Dodgers by winning the West during the past two years. He has made his equity work harder than the teams with higher payrolls that didn't get as many people through the turnstiles.

He's not a sportsman. He's a businessman.

No ovation is deserved for that.

[Candy Maldanado]

Zen,

All McCourt has done is make the Dodgers better, get them into real playoff contention, create some excitement with Manny, and spend some badly needed money on the Stadium. In short, after years of mediocrity and neglect from Peter O'Malley and Fox, McCourt has managed to improve the team and the facilities. Maybe he's a businessman and not a sportsman (I don't know the difference and don't know how you do). But I'll take it any day after a couple of decades of .500 teams