Gagne Avoids Tommy John

June 25, 200521 yr

Great News For Dodger Fans...

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Eric Gagne's season-ending elbow surgery went better than expected Friday: The Los Angeles Dodgers' All-Star closer did not need a ligament replaced after all, and could return by spring training.

Originally expected to be out 12-to-14 months following several MRI exams, Gagne now faces about six months recovery time, and he could start throwing a baseball even earlier.

After the 90-minute surgery performed by Dr. Frank Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella in Los Angeles, Jobe gave his optimistic report to Gagne.

"He was so excited," Jobe said during a conference call before the Dodgers played the Los Angeles Angels. "I mean, he was still pretty much asleep, but he was awake enough to understand it. He just smiled and put his fist up in the air."

The doctors found a slight amount of fraying from the original graft that was stitched when Gagne underwent Tommy John surgery in 1997. Also, there were nerves that had scarred down onto the graft, which was causing Gagne considerable pain. The surgery relieved the pressure the nerves were placing on the graft.

"The ligament was intact, but there was a sensory nerve that was running right along the elbow bone, along with the ligament," Jobe said. "So the symptoms were identical to a ligament tear, but it was really just an irritation to the nerve."

Of the earlier MRIs that indicated a tear, Jobe said: "One of the big principles in medicine, of course, is that you treat patients. You don't treat pictures. The examination of the previously done repair showed it to be in good condition, so we didn't have to do another one. It was just too good a repair to discard."

Gagne, who had never been on the disabled list since coming to the majors in 1999, missed the first 35 games of the season after hurting his elbow while compensating for a knee injury sustained during spring training.

"It's very, very encouraging news," Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. "We're talking about a guy who has the opportunity to resume the pursuit of becoming possibly the best closer that's ever done it in the history of the game."

The three-time All-Star, who holds the major league record of 84 consecutive saves, was 8-for-8 with a 1-0 record and a 2.70 ERA before going back on the DL on June 15 because of what was diagnosed as a second-degree sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament.

"That's what, in essence, what was causing some of his discomfort as of late," Tracy said. "When you throw with the torque that he throws with, and the fact that the nerves are scarred down, they don't have the elasticity. And the burning sensation that he felt was because the nerves did not have the room to maneuver like they're supposed to."

Gagne, who has pitched only 13 1/3 innings this season, won the NL Cy Young Award in 2003 with a club-record 55 saves and 1.20 ERA. He agreed to a two-year, $19-million contract in the offseason after recording 152 saves and averaging 122 strikeouts during his first three seasons as a closer.

Yhency Brazoban will continue to be used in the closer's role the rest of the season. The rookie right-hander entered Friday night's game having converted 12 of 15 save opportunities.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2094193

Quote