Any credit to Eric Gagne

[yogallardo43]

He has pitched excellent lately. Am I wrong in saying that I have a lot of confidence in him, especially given the performance of Torres lately. We all know he pitched terrible for most of the season, but I think he deserves some credit.

[Portage Plumber]

I say resign him one year for $11MM.

[BrewCrewForever]

He has been very good lately. But like Mota still a little nervous when he comes in. But heck I'm nervous when Torres comes in to. I think Coffey is the only guy I don't feel nervous about.

[brewcrewkid14]

They need to completely revamp that bullpen with new blood. I know that's what we did this past offseason, but we need to do it with guys that aren't washed up/former steroid users like they've done the last few seasons. Develop from within, sign a big-name closer, and keep the few successes from this season (not sure if I can even name any).

[Gobias Industries]

He's certainly pitched better, but it couldn't get much worse. At the end of the day, he's still a junkerballer.

[Richie]

I think Coffey is the only guy I don't feel nervous about.

We must have signed the decaf version...

[Ennder]

Gagne pitches great except the games he stinks in. It is a lot like Turnbow was. Gagne will have 3, 4, 5 games in a row where he is solid and then he'll have that 1 game where he gives up 3 or 4 ER.

 

Most RP have those 3, 4, 5 good games in a row and then gives up 1 or 2 ER.

[fondybrewfan]

Gagne pitches great except the games he stinks in. It is a lot like Turnbow was. Gagne will have 3, 4, 5 games in a row where he is solid and then he'll have that 1 game where he gives up 3 or 4 ER.

 

Most RP have those 3, 4, 5 good games in a row and then gives up 1 or 2 ER.

Don't say that, that only means he is due for one of those game shortly. Now would not be a good time

[mothershipconnection]

I will give zero props to Gagne. When your aggregate performance is what any AAA hack can put up, you don't deserve any more respect than the Jamey Wrights of the world (who's putting up better numbers even though he's in TX). This is the proverbial blind squirrel finding a nut.

[hawing]

Don't say that, that only means he is due for one of those game shortly. Now would not be a good time

 

Well, brewcrewin2004 has already jinxed Todd Coffey with his post above. What's one more?

[AJAY]

Does anyone have stats about Gagne's ERA since the All-Star break?

[danzig6767]

Even bad relief pitchers will go multiple outings without giving up runs

[bbrauch2000]

3.86 ERA 1.05 WHIP .221 BA against

[owbc]

Gagne's such an interesting case. It was funny tonight how the crowd went from booing him on a 3-0 count to getting behind him and giving him a standing ovation.

He seems to be going through that difficult phase where an older (or steroid-free) pitcher has to reinvent himself after losing fastball velocity. It's too early to tell whether it's going to work, but he still has really nasty breaking pitches. He'll never be back with the Brewers, but I can see someone else giving him a shot for $3 million next year.

[dlk9s]

Gagne pitches great except the games he stinks in. It is a lot like Turnbow was. Gagne will have 3, 4, 5 games in a row where he is solid and then he'll have that 1 game where he gives up 3 or 4 ER.

 

Most RP have those 3, 4, 5 good games in a row and then gives up 1 or 2 ER.

Yeah, I was talking to my brother about that the other day. Gagne seems to have pretty good stuff and has looked great on many occasions. It's just that when he has a bad inning, it's a REALLY bad inning. I don't expect relievers to throw shutouts every time they enter a game - they are going to give up a tying or go-ahead run sometimes - but it's really frustrating when they absolutely blow up.

[yogallardo43]

I am not trying to say that in retrospect we should have signed him, I am saying that lately he has pitched well. Question for you mothershipconnection, who would you rather have in a one run game this weekend against the Cubs? Jamey Wright or Eric Gagne. It seems to be an easy answer.

[bjkrautk]

Does anyone have stats about Gagne's ERA since the All-Star break?

Gagne has a 3.86 ERA since the break, in 21 innings pitched (not sure if that includes tonight).

Source

 

(I want to give you more of a hard time for asking that, since ESPN is fairly easy to negotiate, but it's a good thing you asked after a big Brewers win.)

 

If nothing else, we can at least rest assured knowing that Gagne has left the pitching mound in better shape than how he found it.

[ILuvDaBush]

Perhaps he's finally settling in as the set-up guy and realizing his best way to get paid is to "stay within himself." THat, and he isn't getting squeezed on that changeup like he was at the beginning of the year. I still think the umps were baiting him into throwing the high heat and the hanging curve by not giving him his "bread and butter."

[snyttri]

I was surprised to see Gagne has been allowing base runners at the same rate as CC since the All Star break (team stats) (gagne 10 game log). Comparing starters and relievers may be apples to oranges, but still, it's the MVP candidate and the tar-and-feather candidate. Since he has been used in lower pressure situations he seems to be more effective. It's not what he was paid to do, but he seems to be a fairly good late inning reliever now instead of the bad closer or set up pitcher he was earlier, and he does it with the burden of being a scapegoat.

[jeffy]

I can see someone else giving him a shot for $3 million next year.

Wouldn't he be worth taking a $3 million risk to the Brewers?

[Bruce Ciskie]

I'm apparently in the minority, but I give Gagne a ton of credit. He could have taken the money and taken off. Instead, he's worked through his problems and tried very hard to become a reliable bullpen option.

 

Shows me that he still has a burning desire to play, and if he is motivated, he could be a huge part of this team should something good happen this weekend.

[Chio151]

Can we please re-sign Coffey and dump Gag-me?

[Ennder]

Gagne's splits on the year are...

1st half - 23.1 IP, 7.33 ERA, 29 H, 7 HR, 16 BB, 21 K, .969 OPS against, .328 BABIP
2nd half - 22 IP, 3.68 ERA, 17 H, 4 HR, 5 BB, 16 K, .705 OPS against, .217 BABIP


At least part of that second half ERA is just lucky BABIP. The rest of it is not giving up the BB. I don't want any part of re-signing him. I'd rather give Mota another $3M instead of Gagne if we have to sign one of them. I'd rather have Coffey too.

[Gobias Industries]

THat, and he isn't getting squeezed on that changeup like he was at the beginning of the year.

He wasn't getting squeezed. Somone on here posted some stats sometime during May that showed that the reverse was actually true. A lot of his called strikes were actually balls.

 

I think his real problem this year was not being able to throw an off-speed pitch for a strike. Hitters could just sit on his below average fastball. I have no idea why he doesn't throw his curveball more often early in the count. It's almost always a strike, and I don't think I've seen a hitter swing at it all year.

[sweepscc]

They need to completely revamp that bullpen with new blood. I know that's what we did this past offseason, but we need to do it with guys that aren't washed up/former steroid users like they've done the last few seasons. Develop from within, sign a big-name closer, and keep the few successes from this season (not sure if I can even name any).

I've been saying the exact same thing going on year 3 now. I wouldn't even mind trading Hart for a solid starting pitcher and a couple solid relievers and stick Gamel in left field. Melvin is kind of behind the 8 ball though because Jack Z. hasn't sent up a good quantity of solid arms through the minors.