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There are lots of things you can say about Eric Gagne right now.
For example, that he should not be allowed within 300 feet, orhowever far it is from the bullpen to the mound, of a close gameanymore.
Or that his $10 million salary has been misappropriated worsethan what a limo full of Pentagon buyers would do with Warren Buffett's debit card.
But never, ever say that Gagne, for what it is worth, is not astand-up guy.
Yes, he trashed another one Saturday, the 5-3 loss to the St.Louis Cardinals in which Gagne was somehow entrusted by Ned Yostwith a tie game in the ninth.
Two runs on three hits, and another loss, the 11th in 15 games bythe downwardly spiraling Milwaukee Brewers. All but the red-wearingamong the 43,382 at Miller Park let Gagne have it, from the momenthe entered the game to the inevitable game-winning hit surrenderedto Ryan Ludwick, booed him as long and as loud as any Milwaukeecrowd in memory has ever booed one of its own.
And there was Gagne after it was over, sitting at his locker andwaiting to take the questioning like a man, not hiding in an off-limits part of the clubhouse as it would've been so easy to do.
No, he agreed, he should not be the closer.
"You know what? I'm a pitcher on this team," Gagne said,purposely deemphasizing his once-specialized role. "I don't deserveit right now."
And the merciless booing?
"They (fans) were into it until I gave up those hits," he said."It's a great town to play in. They want to succeed. If you don'tsucceed, you boo. That's what I used to do. Why not?"
This is not to absolve Gagne's dreadful performances, the fiveblown saves and his second loss Saturday. He is a professionalathlete paid like the Sultan of Brunei's valet in a city sufferingas much as any in this economy, and he is failing in a very publicway. He is most eligible for the treatment he receives from thepaying customers who make his living possible.
citron1616 
