SPORTS
DD SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020:: LATIMES.COM/SPORTS
D
TEMPE, Ariz. — It was
common knowledge around
baseball that teams visiting
Angel Stadium for a series
received a competitive edge
in the form of a foreign sub-
stance called Go Go Juice.
The concoction, which a
person familiar with the sit-
uation said was a blend of
rosin and pine tar, was sold
by veteran clubhouse man-
ager Brian Harkins to pitch-
ers looking to improve their
grip of baseballs.
The operation made
Harkins extra money, but it
ultimately led to his dismiss-
al by the Angels on Thurs-
day, according to people
with knowledge of the mat-
ter who were unauthorized
to comment publicly.
Harkins, nicknamed
“Bubba,” had worked for the
Angels for more than 30
years. He started as a batboy
in 1981 and worked his way
up to a leadership position in
equipment management.
He was respected within his
profession and voted visit-
ing clubhouse manager of
the year by MLB equipment
managers in 2005. He could
not be reached for comment
after his dismissal.
Pitchers have long been
afforded the benefit of the
doubt by the league when it
comes to using pine tar or
combining sunscreen with
rosin to enhance their grip
on baseballs, so long as the
efforts were concealed from
view. But MLB informed
teams in February that it
would crack down on those
substances.
Angels pitcher Andrew
Heaney admitted he has
“messed around” with vari-
ous concoctions to get a bet-
ter grip on the ball, and he
believes the use of foreign
substances by pitchers in
the game is widespread.
“Everybody knows that
most guys are doing it,”
Heaney said. “It’s not a huge
secret. No one thinks it’s
shocking that people are us-
ing sticky stuff on their fin-
gers.”
Was the Go Go Juice that
Harkins sold to visiting play-
ers available to the Angels?
The answer is unclear.
“C’mon, man,” Heaney
said, chafing at the question.
“I said most everybody is
probably using it. Most
everybody is getting some-
Pitchers
were on
Bubba’s
‘Go Go
Juice’
Angels clubhouse
manager allegedly
sold foreign substance
to visiting players.
By Maria Torres
and Mike DiGiovanna
[SeeAngels,D6]UCLA at USC
at Galen Center
Today, 12:15 p.m.
TV:Channel 2Bubble up:Trojans
need a solid win
against the hot Bruins
as both teams pursue
NCAA tournament
berths. D3He’s braced for
L.A. Marathon
Zane Robertson
overcame multiple
setbacks and is among
the favorites for
Sunday’s race. D8Ekeler gets
four-year deal
Versatile running
back figures to be
Chargers’ main man if
Melvin Gordon goes
elsewhere. D8Javier “Chicharito”
Hernández has been in
Southern California less
than two months but he’s al-
ready fitting in like a local.
He’s sat courtside at
three Laker games, met Le-
Bron James, made the
rounds of the talk shows and
had a mural of himselfpainted on a wall between a
Peruvian restaurant and a
pizza place along the board-
walk in Venice Beach.
About the only thing he
hasn’t done is what he was
brought here to do: play a
competitive MLS game for
the Galaxy at Dignity
Health Sports Park. He’ll
check that off the to-do list
Saturday night in the team’s
home opener against the
Vancouver Whitecaps.
The Galaxy are expecting
a sellout crowd of nearly
27,000, the largest for a soc-
cer game at the stadium
since 2016.
“It’s more motivationthan pressure,” Hernández,
speaking in Spanish, said of
the crowd, which will include
his parents. “It’s also part of
the show. I started playing
because I love it.
“I’m ready. I’m really
happy for this opportunity.”
So are the Galaxy. For allHernández is eager to finally hit his pitch
THE GALAXYexpect a sellout crowd tonight for the
MLS home debut of Javier “Chicharito” Hernández.Michael WykeAssociated PressSettling into the L.A.
scene, the Galaxy’s
newest star is ready
for MLS home debut.
By Kevin BaxterLAKERS 113, MILWAUKEE 103
Retired Donovan
has gone coachin’
The former Galaxy star
stays busy in retirement,
coaching the San Diego
Loyal of the USL. D7[SeeGalaxy, D7]Two men, one trophy.
The two best
players in the NBA,
squaring up, staring
down, fighting across
the floor on a nail-
biting night in
March, a loud pas-
sion accompanying
their every move.
LeBron drives, crowd screams.
Giannis dives, crowd groans.
Giannis dunks, crowd boos. Le-
Bron flies, crowd roars.
The commotion at Staples
Center on Friday night wasn’t only
about the West-leading Lakers
versus the East-leading Milwaukee
Bucks.
It was about the fame within the
game, LeBron James versus Gian-
nis Antetokounmpo for the most
valuable MVP award in American
sports.
The Lakers fans were jeering a
full 30 minutes before tipoff. Dwight
Howard was leading cheers during
introductions. James snarled at his MILWAUKEE’S Giannis Antetokounmpo makes a move against
the Lakers’ Dwight Howard during first-half action Friday.In a battle of
superstars, one
shines as the true
MVP this year
BILL PLASCHKE[SeePlaschke, D5]The two MVP candidates stared
right at each other, Giannis An-
tetokounmpo crouched forward in
a defensive stance as LeBron James
considered how to attack him.
Staples Center’s star-studded
crowd rose to its feet and the cheers
became a roar to honor the
matchup they’d all come to see.
James drove by Antetokounmpo to
score, and the crescendo continued.
Moments like that dotted Friday
night’s game, a possible precursor
to the NBA Finals. The league’s two
best teams, the league’s two bright-
est stars, a final meeting until per-
haps June 4.
The Lakers won this time 113-103
to even their season series and
clinch a playoff spot. There was no
end-of-trip malaise for them as
there was in Milwaukee in Decem-
ber, and no eruption of three-point-
ers from Antetokounmpo. Instead
James showed why he has a case for
the league’s top individual award,
and why he means so much to theBUCKS DUCKas LeBron James hangs on the rim after a dunk in the first half at Staples Center. Getting out of the way are Brook
Lopez (11) and Marvin Williams. James scored 37 points, adding eight rebounds and seven assists, as the teams split the season series.Photographs byGary CoronadoLos Angeles TimesDEER BLUNTERS
Lakers capture
showdown with
Bucks as James
leads the way
By Tania Ganguli[SeeLakers, D5]