He Didn’t Get Chance to Close the Place Down

Here I am, the Dodgers optimist, interviewing closer Takashi Saito before Wednesday’s game, figuring he’ll play a huge role in the team’s victory a few hours from now.

I know the Dodgers are playing the Padres and the Dodgers never beat the Padres, which probably explains why it is already 3-0 in the Padres’ favor after the first inning, but so far I’ve worked harder in San Diego than Saito and that’s not good for the Dodgers.

I’m anxious to see Saito compete in a big game because I’m concerned how a 36-year-old closer, who began the year in the minor leagues after pitching primarily 14 seasons in Japan as a starter, will fare when we get to the point when every out really counts.

I asked the team’s travel manager, Scott Akasaki, to relay my concerns to Saito, who has only 14 major league saves to his credit. Akasaki began speaking in Japanese, and although I didn’t understand a word, by the look on Saito’s face, I assumed Akasaki was warning him about the goofball with the notebook in hand.

“He says there are probably other fans who hold similar concerns about a 36-year-old closer entering September,” Akasaki said, while Saito grinned at me. “He says pitching in the ninth in April is the same situation as pitching in the ninth in September.”

Had Saito pitched for the Dodgers in the ninth in April, though, it would have been in Las Vegas for their minor league team, or in a mop-up situation that didn’t require an appearance by Eric Gagne, Yhency Brazoban or Danys Baez.

He’s the Dodgers’ closer now because everyone else went away, and although he has been brilliant to date, the season could rest on the arm of a guy who pitched 1,514 innings for the Yokohama BayStars and who went 11-16 his final three years there.

“He says his goal when he came here was to just pitch from a major league mound and he didn’t care if it was as a starting pitcher, a middle reliever or closer,” Akasaki said. “It has been a good-luck thing that he’s gotten the chance that he has. He would have pitched in the minors if that’s what they wanted.”

Well, here he is, and as teammate Brett Tomko said, “I would put his slider up against anybody pitching right now.”

“It’s a filthy slider,” Tomko said and I’d like to see how Akasaki would explain that to Saito.

“You look at that slider, and as good as it is,” said Gagne, “he’s still throwing a fastball 94 or 95 mph.”

That’s great, but the way this game is going, he’s never going to pitch. It’s 4-2 Padres in a really big game and while the rest of the Dodgers appear to be falling apart, we still don’t know whether Saito has what it takes to save the season.

“I know he’s an unbelievable singer,” Gagne said, referring to Saito’s English/karaoke-aided performance of “Hey Jude” in spring training, which indicates he does have guts.

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I PROBABLY should have interviewed Joe Beimel before the game, because I’m going to see more of him than Saito.

The Padres lead 7-2, and San Diego will close the gap to one game behind our heroes, ratcheting up the pressure even more on Saito -- if he ever gets the chance to save another game.

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MARIANO DUNCAN’S experience holding back an agitated Brad Penny from beating up Kenny Lofton recently came in handy when the Dodgers needed Duncan to hold back an agitated Penny from assaulting umpire Rick Reed. Given Penny’s size and perpetual agitation, Duncan just might be the best hold-back guy in the game.

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J.D. DREW’S name was not in the lineup, and Manager Grady Little said it was because he wanted Julio Lugo to play.

“He brings a lot of life to the ballclub when he’s in there,” Little said.

So is that why Little removed a lifeless Drew from the lineup?

“I’m going to dodge that one,” Little said.

Lugo brought some life to the Dodgers, all right, for the four innings he played before being ejected, forcing Little to put someone else in right.

Little decided to go with a warm body rather than Drew, sending in Jason Repko.

Drew later pinch-hit, and all together now, the dead man took a called third strike.

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CBS.SPORTSLINE.COM is running a story by Pete Fiutak giving his opinion on the “40 biggest, most important, most interesting games” of the 2006 college football season along with predictions. He has USC playing four of these colossal games and beating Cal, Arizona State, Nebraska and Notre Dame.

According to Fiutak, UCLA will not be playing any big, important or interesting games.

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THE GOOD news is that Saint Liam, the 2005 Eclipse Award winner as horse of the year, did not become the 15th horse to be euthanized during the ongoing Del Mar meet. The bad news is he was put down in Kentucky after breaking a leg.

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THE OTHER day a Little Leaguer from Staten Island used a four-letter word during ESPN’s prime-time broadcast, and his coach could be seen striking the kid with his hand. ESPN has now implemented a five-second delay so no one will have to see the child abuse taking place.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Gregg Collins:

“If I were you, I would think about doing a little more research before you go and make an (idiot) of yourself. I mean do you really think replacing Mark Hendrickson with a Saudi Little Leaguer is a good idea?”

I hate it when people don’t take me seriously.