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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 9, 2007
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See it here:
blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/default.aspx
And here's the actual article:
By Tom Haudricourt
Saturday, May 10 2008, 07:32 PM
Brewers manager Ned Yost wasn't ready to announce today that he would be removing Eric Gagne from the role of closer.
"I don't sit here and make decisions five minutes after a tough loss," Yost said after watching Gagne saddle the Brewers with a defeat that never should have happened.
"You guys know me. I take a long time to analyze things. I give everybody the benefit of the doubt and try to make the decision that's best for everybody. I don't make rash, quick, off-the-handle decisions."
Minutes later, Gagne took his manager completely off the hook with a pronouncement that was evident to anybody who has watched his work of late.
"I don't deserve that ninth inning right now. It's very simple," said Gagne, who surrendered two ninth-inning runs that allowed St. Louis to pull out a 5-3 victory at Miller Park.
"It's embarrassing."
Indeed, it is.
Once the best reliever in the game, Gagne has been unable to keep runners off base this season. In 15 2/3 innings, he has allowed 18 hits 11 walks and 12 earned runs.
Beyond his 6.89 earned run average, Gagne has an atrocious 1.84 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) and .400 opponents batting average. Because the Brewers weren't leading when he entered the game, Gagne was spared his sixth blown save of the season but the result was the same.
After the latest of a series of ninth-inning meltdowns Friday night, St. Louis closer Jason Isringhausen admitted somebody else should get the chance to close. That left manager Tony La Russa no choice but to announce Saturday morning that Isringhausen was getting a mental-health reassignment.
Gagne opened that same door for Yost with his pronouncement that he didn't deserve the ninth inning at present. Presumably, Yost will follow La Russa's lead and announce he is switching to another reliever to close games.
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 9, 2007
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Smack.
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 9, 2007
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^^^
Actually meant "bump," but what can you do?
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 3, 2008
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What Ned Yost needs to do now is put Dave Riske as the closer and use Eric Gagne in a mop up role to get his confidence back up.
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 9, 2007
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Its like you're in my head, man! Get out of there!
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 14, 2007
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I blamed Kendall for calling 7 straight changeups on another thread - but maybe I was wrong. It seems like no one has ANY confidence in Gagne's fastball at all - including Eric himself. And we went down this road with Turnbow in 2006. Funny thing is, I think Eric thinks he'll get his role back as the closer at some point but I doubt it if anyone else is able to succeed. I think Riske is the logical choice, with Gagne at the back end, and everyone with a more pronounced role than they had before. There goes the McClung to the rotation idea - he's now needed in the bullpen.
I'll say one thing for Gagne...at least he's not Turnbow and is willing to admit he is NOT fine.
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 3, 2008
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The thing about Turnbow that bugs me though is that before he entered a game the crowd would autmatically boo him. I mean imagine if you had just entered the game and you got booed and jeered before you even threw one pitch. That must have rattled his confidence and I'm positive that had something to do with his preformance.
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 15, 2008
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Serious kudos need to be given to Gagne for finalling coming out and saying that he shouldn't be in the spot. This is the ONLY way he would be moved from the closer role. Let's look at this logically. When Yost says he takes his time making decisions, and doesn't make 5 minute after the game decisions, that's not HIM talking. That's Doug Melvin. Melvin is the one who spent $10 on Gagne, and you'd be foolish to believe he doesn't pull the strings on his puppet Yost during the press conferences. Yost is in a tough spot here. I don't side with him, I certainly don't think he's a very good manager as of late (or in dealing with pitching in general, see either mine or Vershaw's "Yost Rants") but he's being told by upper guys that we're standing behind our decision to go w/ Gagne.
I agree w/ JS Online's assessment, now the Brewers have little choice but to follow the St. Louis suit w/ dealing w/ Isringhausen. At least the Milwaukee faithful will have their day knowing Gagne won't be the closer after this series w/ the Cards.
To address Hoya, I agree. I didn't like Turnbow, but the fact the guy goe booed as soon as he stepped out of the bullpen, he was set up to fail. Now, he put himself in that situation. But it's impossible to pull oneself out of it. he needed a change of scenery. Hopefully Nashville gives him that, and if he decides to take the Mets' offer and move to their AAA squad, well, I think that would be even better for him as a pitcher.
As far as our next closer...I like Riske. He's solid, great command. Why not Stetter though? I love that guy, he's a great asset as a setup man, 8th inning work for sure, but if we have Torres and Mota for that, and Shouse for the lefty batting order, why not try Stetter in the 9th? Regardless, can't go wrong w/ either of them.
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Eric Gagne Admits He Doesn't Deserve to Close
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 23, 2006
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8th inning work for sure, but if we have Torres and Mota for that,
I think what is lost in all of the Gagne hubub, is the fact that Mota was almost as shaky. I don't trust Mota either. Take a look at his numbers. The WHIP is terrible, he walks a ton of guys. The only difference between him and Gag Me, is that those guys haven't scored....yet. Eventually, if you play with fire, you will get burned. Mota's ERA by the end of the year will be at least a 5.00 if he doesn't start working some clean innings.
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