ANAHEIM, Calif. -- A day after undergoing season-ending surgery on his pitching elbow, Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne showed up at Angel Stadium wearing a cast and a relieved smile.
"Why not? I get paid," the 29-year-old right-hander replied when asked why he was attending Saturday night's Dodgers-Angels game so soon after his operation. "I'm here to give myself moral support -- be with my teammates. It's good to be here, worry about the good stuff, winning a ballgame."
Gagne was expected to undergo ligament replacement surgery Friday, but the operation performed by Dr. Frank Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella in Los Angeles turned out to be much less serious.
Originally expected to be out at least a year following several MRI exams, Gagne now faces about six months recovery time, meaning he should be ready for spring training. He said he will probably be able to start playing catch in two months.
Gagne seemed in excellent spirits, although he gestured toward his elbow and said: "I feel like there's a knife in there. It hurts." Full story
D-Backs' Gonzalez on bereavement leave
PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks will be without Luis Gonzalez for at least three days because of a death in the family.
After Gonzalez's stepfather passed away in Tampa, Fla., the outfielder caught a flight for Florida and was placed on bereavement leave -- allowing him to miss three-to-seven days.
Quinton McCracken replaced Gonzalez in left field against the Detroit Tigers, and infielder Matt Kata was called up from Triple-A Tucson to fill the roster vacancy.
Gonzalez, who has an eight-game hitting streak, was batting .307, with 10 home runs and a team-high 49 RBI.
Escobar to miss at least two months
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels right-hander Kelvim Escobar will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow, and is expected to be sidelined at least two months.
The decision was made following an examination by team physician Dr. Lewis Yocum on Saturday.
Escobar, 2-2 with a 3.54 ERA in seven starts, has been on the disabled list three times this season because of elbow problems. He threw a 35-pitch, two-inning simulated game Friday.
The 29-year-old Escobar was 11-12 with a 3.93 ERA last year in his first season with the Angels. Before that, he pitched five full seasons and parts of two others with the Toronto Blue Jays, going 58-55.
Brewers' Cirillo ends up on 15-day DL
MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers placed third baseman Jeff Cirillo on the 15-day disabled list, one day after he broke a bone in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch.
Cirillo, hit by Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Guerrier in the eighth inning Friday night, will miss four to six weeks.
The Brewers called up infielder Trent Durrington from Triple-A Nashville to replace Cirillo on the roster.
Theft causes RFK to tighten security
WASHINGTON -- Security will be tightened around RFK Stadium after 12 vehicles belonging to Washington Nationals' players and employees were broken into, and Marlon Byrd's SUV was stolen from a gated parking area while the team was on a road trip.
"They've got good security here, but there's always ways to tighten it," said Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey, who met with Sports and Entertainment Commission Chairman Mark H. Tuohey and Nationals President Tony Tavares before Saturday's game against Toronto.
Tuohey said the players' parking area would be moved further out of public view and new fencing would be installed around the lot. He added that the commission plans to upgrade lighting, improve security camera coverage, install a swipe-card system and add more personnel to monitor the area.
"We're going to make sure this doesn't happen again," Tuohey said, adding that improvements could begin as soon as Monday.
Longtime Astro Wynn honored
HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros retired the uniform number of three-time All-Star Jimmy Wynn on, honoring the slugging exploits of the "Toy Cannon."
A pregame ceremony was held before the game against the Texas Rangers, with Wynn driven around Minute Maid Park in a black sedan to a standing ovation. Wynn clearly reveled in the cheers, flashing a big smile and waving to the fans.
"It was great to see the fans when I was driving around in a car that I would like to own," Wynn quipped.
Reds put struggling Freel on DL
CLEVELAND -- The Cincinnati Reds placed infielder-outfielder Ryan Freel on the 15-day disabled list and purchased the contract of outfielder Jason Romano from Triple-A Louisville.
Freel hasn't played since June 18 because of inflammation at the base of the second toe on his left foot. He is batting .287 with two homers and nine RBI, but was in a 3-for-27 slump at the time of his injury.
"None of us want him to go on the DL, but he's not getting any better," interim manager Jerry Narron said.
