Sports: Gagne "a little sore and stiff"

With an 8-5 lead going into the top of the ninth, it was a save situation and so the doors opened and the speakers blared Welcome to the Jungle and Gagne trotted out to the mound.

14 pitches later, Gagne got his first save of the season and his first save in nearly a year.

Unfortunately, Gagne was "a little sore and stiff" after last night's game.

I heard on the pre-game show that an MRI was done and showed no problem. Grady Little also said he will not utilize Gagne in the next 2 to 3 games to let him recover.

Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts is concerned. He had previously written his concerns in Si.com. Excerpt:

Between the lines, baseball's biggest sinner is the malingerer: the guy who doesn't run out a ground ball, the guy who asks for a day off to nurse the sniffles. But when you think about it, perhaps some cross words should be directed at the chronic gamer, the player who can't see that he needs to rest until it's too late.
............
It's time to get real. It's time for everyone -- Gagne included -- to stop living on hope, to stop looking at Gagne as a superhero. Impatience is like kryptonite for a stubborn competitor like Gagne. If there is to be a next chapter in his career, it's time to be open about the pain and let the guy heal. Completely.