Gagne to Jackson: Don’t Ever Change

Eric Gagne fondly remembers his major league debut for the Dodgers after being promoted from double-A in 1999.

Well, most of it anyway.

“When I was warming up, I couldn’t even throw a strike,” said Gagne, now one of the majors’ most dominant closers.

“I couldn’t breathe, I was nervous, and I didn’t know what would happen. But it worked out OK.”

Actually, it worked out great for Gagne, who pitched six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against Florida.

Edwin Jackson should be so lucky.

The highly touted prospect starts tonight against Arizona in place of Hideo Nomo, sidelined because of an injured pitching shoulder.

Jackson is the Dodgers’ third double-A pitcher in five seasons to be promoted to the majors, and he enters a pressure-packed National League wild-card race. Gagne’s advice: Don’t change a thing.

“I hear he’s done really, really well all year,” Gagne said. “But the main thing is, he’s got to go out there and do the exact same thing.

“There is a difference in getting people out here than in double A. Obviously, the hitters are a lot better. But you don’t want to make any changes. You want to do the same thing over and over. If it works out, perfect. If it doesn’t, you just have to move on.”

Jackson, who turns 20 today, said he hopes to block out everything once he takes the mound. Gagne said that’s what he did.

“He’s going to be nervous, that’s for sure,” Gagne said. “When he steps on the mound, he just needs to shut everything down and start throwing strikes. He knows how to do that.”

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Gagne is among the leading candidates for the National League Cy Young Award, and pitching coach Jim Colborn said he believes the right-hander should win.

“The more I think about it, the more I believe that he is the outstanding pitcher, the most valuable pitcher or the most dominant pitcher,” Colborn said. “However you want to put it, that’s what he is.

“Most people look at the saves, but I’m not just talking about the saves. You have to look at the strikeout numbers, the walk ratio and his efficiency. When you look at everything he’s done ... it’s just so dominant.”

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Leadoff batter Dave Roberts said his stiff neck felt better, but he did not start for a fourth straight game. He did come in as a pinch runner in the top of the eighth inning and finished the game in center field.... Third baseman Adrian Beltre is 12 for 20 with seven runs batted in on the trip.