DOWN THE LINE

Make your bid, take your chances

Eric Gagne said he didn’t owe the Dodgers a season on the cheap. The Dodgers paid Gagne $19 million for the previous two seasons, both interrupted by injury, in which he pitched 15 innings and recorded nine saves. Gagne signed with the high bidder, the Texas Rangers.

Now comes Troy Percival. The Detroit Tigers paid him $12 million for the previous two seasons, both interrupted by injury, in which he pitched 25 innings and recorded eight saves.

The Tigers could use him in their bullpen, but they’re not alone. Philadelphia, Florida, Cleveland and Tampa Bay are among other teams reportedly interested in Percival, coming back in May after retiring in April.

He has plenty of fans in the Detroit clubhouse. The players voted him a World Series share last season, and he repaid the favor this season by spending $120,000 to rent a suite for players’ wives at Comerica Park.

Todd Jones, the Detroit closer, said Percival is not at fault for his injuries and suggested the Tigers not bid low and appeal to Percival’s sense of loyalty.

“He probably feels like he wants to try and do right by the Tigers,” Jones said. “But I think, if the Tigers really want Troy, they wouldn’t low-ball him, thinking he’ll come back because of an unfulfilled contract. There’s a lot of teams that could have a spot for him.”

Pitching help on the cheap?

The interest in Percival reflects the difficulty in obtaining quality pitching these days. In free agency, even middle relievers can command $4 million a year, and up. And no longer will a team trade a top pitcher without extracting premium young talent in return or dumping salary, or both.

So a general manager desperate for pitching, not only to rebuild a losing team but to bolster a contending team, might well take a chance in next week’s draft. Grab a top college pitcher, maybe not the best arm available but one of the most polished, and get him to the big leagues in a hurry.

Three of the top 10 picks in last year’s draft already have arrived in the majors.

Tim Lincecum, drafted from the University of Washington, is in San Francisco’s rotation. Brandon Morrow, drafted from California, is in Seattle’s bullpen.

Andrew Miller, drafted from North Carolina, pitched in relief late last season for the Tigers. He made his first major league start last weekend, as an injury replacement, and pitched six shutout innings against defending World Series champion St. Louis.

“Lincecum is an exception to just about every rule,” Miller said. “His stuff is out of this world. Everything he throws up there is special.”

This year’s draft class does not feature as many polished pitchers, two major league scouting directors said. Vanderbilt’s David Price is considered the one pitcher who could help a major league club this year, with longshots in North Carolina State’s Andrew Brackman, Missouri State’s Ross Detwiler, Clemson’s Daniel Moskos and Vanderbilt reliever Casey Weathers.

“Price is as good as Miller,” one of the scouting directors said.

The not-so-hot corner, the not-so-hot Yankees

The Dodgers and Angels aren’t the only teams in search of power at third base. After their third basemen hit .214 with one home run in 47 games, Milwaukee promoted third baseman Ryan Braun, who had 10 homers at triple A. The Dodgers’ third basemen are hitting .189 with two home runs, the Angels’ third basemen .168 with one home run. ... Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder, who turned 23 two weeks ago, has 44 home runs. At that age, his father, Cecil, had eight. ... New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman: “I’m thankful the season is a marathon and not a sprint. If it were a sprint, we’d be done.”

-- Bill Shaikin