"Gagne" is French for "Win"
I've always been a huge Eric Gagne fan, and I couldn't have been happier when the Sox spun two-month wonderkid Kason Gabbard for the big closer. If Gagne pitches to form, this trade could be viewed in years to come on a similar level to the 2004 trade deadline deals that defined Theo Epstein as a general manager.
In the interest of full disclosure, I do confess that Gagne falls into major man-crush territory for me and has since his breakout days in Los Angeles. How can you not love a hefty, bearded, bespectacled closer who screams after strikeouts and has a delightful French-Canadian accent and a last name that literally means "win?" Its impossible. Without even looking at his performance, Gagne is the kind of personality I love to see on the Red Sox.
After looking at his performance, or at least the level of performance we should expect, we should have no reservations about being downright giddy about the guy. Sure, he isn't the dominant flamethrower he was before his surgeries, but he is a guy who has icewater in his veins and a solid changeup to boot.
His performance since arriving in town, however, has risen some justifiable concern, culminating in his explosion in Baltimore on Friday night. This is a guy aquired to shut down the games once they hit the seventh inning, and he was unable to put away a marginally-talented Oriole team? This appearance does not auger well for his 2007 stretch run, and one can only hope he just had a bad night as opposed to something more troubling and long-term.
Whether Gagne's struggles are a result of injury, team transition, or general distaste for being a setup guy, he needs to right this ship quickly. The Sox are in the fortunate position of not needing him to be a savior - the bullpen was the strongest element of this ballclub before the move, and his addition was just icing on the cake - but a healthy and effective Gagne could absolutely be the difference between a dramatic pennant race and a hand-ride to the rail this season.
We already have one tally in the loss column from the big guy. Let's hope that's the only one.
8 comments:
Up until now, I have been quite silent about the Old Town Team known as the Boston Red Sox. I have enjoyed reading the comments from my brother and nephews. Sometimes funny, sometimes bringing up sad days in Red Sox history.
However, at this time I feel compelled to add my comments to this blog.
While I have no stats, no numbers I just have memories.
To go forward....I must go back a while. Back to the year of 1957 +_ a year. My dad would take me to Fenway Park on one of his rare days off....since he worked 3 shifts at different jobs they were indeed, rare. We would go to the game and get tickets at 50 cents to sit in the bleachers during a weekday game. Yes, they did play day games during the week, and they were fun to attend.
Anyway...I have moved off the subject at hand.
Since that time, there were always 2 things I could count on in August. One, that the "Boston" Patriots (in 1960) would begin their ritual of training camp.....and two, that the Red Sox would always fall on the back burner cuz they were already out out any pennant race.
That all seemed to change...at least in the later years, when the Red Sox became contenders, and the league was really watered down. Be that as it may...2004 was a very special year for all Sox fans. It was the year that they made every fans (young and old) dreams come true. It was a magic year, and one which I will cherish forever.
However...being far away from the action, I must rely on ESPN, and latelt MLB.com to see any Sox games.
I have just renewed my subscription till the end of the year, and I must say that the Sox have fallen back to past. Despite what my brother says about a pennant race, with all his numbers, these Sox are going down once again. Why should that be surprising? They only had a double digit lead (14.5) around Memorial Day, and now it's down to 4.
I have watch their new fat acquisition Gagne blow a lead or 2 already. Perhaps he need a new prescription for his glasses, cuz he certainly can't find the plate.
Just like the old days, (with the exception of 2004, I guess) the curse lives on. I guess I just have to close with, Go Patriots!
I don't know whether I should be more comforted or more troubled by the knowledge that this line of thinking is indeed hereditary.
Okay, here we go. I don't want to make this a Red Sox vs. Patriots discussion since I live and die with both of them. However, some of the comments from my esteemed brother from El Paso must be answered.
Yes the Sox have had their share of chokes over the years, but much of that is because they have been solid contenders nearly every year since 1967. When you contend every year, you are going to have some close calls and times when you spit the bit. That has clearly happened.
However, let's not have the shine from the three Patriot Lombardi Trophies blind us to the fact that the Pats were the joke of the NFL prior to 1994. Bill Parcells finally gave them credibility and Bill Belichick put us over the top, God Bless him. The Patriots are now the gold standard in the NFL. But this is recent development which has come about in the last ten years. Prior to that, the Patriots deserved their hard earned nickname of the Patsies.
Again, don't get me wrong. I always loved the Pats and still do. I just want some perspective when Uncle Mike shits on the Sox and holds up the Pats as the shining alternative.
The Patriots never choked, other than in 1976 when they had the best team but still say one play beat them, 1986 when they were denuded in the Super Bowl and 1996 when they came up short again against the Packers. They didn't choke in the other years because they WERE NEVER EVEN CLOSE. You can't call the Tampa Bay Devil Rays chokers since they are out of it by Memorial Day. And make no mistake, the pre-94 Pats WERE the NFL version of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Lest we all forget, the Pats had the top pick in the NFL draft in 1971, 1982, 1984 and 1993 and they haven't changed the rules: That pick always has gone to the team with the WORST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE.
The Sox, chokers that they may be, never came close to being the worst team in baseball since the Impossible Dream year of 1967. Yes, they have come up short a number of times and may do so again this year, but their track record over the long haul is a lot more impressive than the Pats.
And just to remind my brother, in the 60's, 70's and 80's there were three things we could count on in October: One and two, the perennial champion Boston Celtics and always contending Boston Bruins were beginning new seasons...and three, the Patriots would be buried in last place and we would begin talking about who we might get in the draft.
So the Sox may go down in flames again and the Pats look like they are in great position for ring number 4 and I can't wait for them to start. But let's not forget which team has been stronger longer.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YANKEES!!!!!!
Guess Who in El Paso?
I am quite astounded with my brother's comments, about comparing the Patriots and Red Sox. As I re-read my comment the only references I made to the Patriots were 1) that could count on them starting training camp in August and 2) ended with Go Patriots. No where in my comment did I compare the two teams. I do realize that the Pats were indeed the patsies of the NFL for years. Had they been around for as many years as the Red Sox they would probably rival them in poor performance years.
I just wanted to straighten that little detail out. I suppose the pressure of dying with the Sox is getting to you Tom. You, like I, don't like it, but we should be used to it by now.
Please excuse my wife. It's quite difficult to grow up with a major league team in any sport. I guess when you're from El Paso, Texas, you find a winner and call them "your team". Even if they are 2200 miles away.
Good point, Mike. Watching the Sox kick this away is getting to me. I guess I'm a bit sensitive. I actually agree with you. Go Pats!
As for my sister-in-law, I chalk it up to years of backing in the heat down there. Although I do understand how she feels. I am a big Manchester United soccer Fan.
P. S. Where has she been for the past four and a half months? Typical front runner.
Two things. 1. Did you really make a English soccer reference? And 2, Man U Suuuuuucks, go Arsenal! 3. did you REALLY make a English soccer reference?
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