Brewers Sign Eric Gagne

How the mighty have fallen.
From 10MM to minor league deal, ouch.

If he finishes what he started the Brewers are doomed.

You go from setting a Major League record to being injured and signing a minor league deal.
sad how things like that happen

he will manage to claw his way onto the team in spring training, and then suck.

It's called steroids. This guy was all over the Mitchell Report. That's how he went from record holder to minor-league deal.

This is puzzling ... they must really be desperate.

hahaha- the Brewers will finish 3rd or 4th.

Great move by the Brewers.

I dont understand how someone just as roided out and over the hill as Bonds is finds a job be he cant. You cant tell me there is no collusion against Barry. He would be way more productive as a DH in the AL then this bum will be anywhere. Dont give me that no one wants him cuz he was on roids crap cuz every single roster in the bigs still has guys that used.

Totally agree with those who think this is a great move.

I don't know where you find fault in this signing. The risk is almost nonexistant, and the upside is legitimately substantial.

This guy was pitching brilliantly when he got traded to Boston in 2007, and then he seemed to lose his feel.

One big difference I noticed about 2008 Gagne was that he threw a lot more fastballs and changeups and far less curveballs.

During 2006 and 2007 he threw around 14-15% curveballs, but that fell down to only 5.5% in 2008.

Regardless, I think this signing has some really nice upside, if Gagne can keep his walks and homers allowed down.

time = tim

"Almost no chance he regains his former self. We can cherry pick stats from last year and say that he wasn't all bad, all the time, but the fact is that overall he wasn't any good last year"

People can arrange numbers around to make it seem like Gagne was decent last year, but honestly, I didn't realize how bad he was until I saw this:

The guy posted a 6.13 FIP last season.

Batters were extremely UNLUCKY against Gagne last year (.274 opponent BABIP), and yet he still managed to post a 5.44 ERA.

His HR allowed rate more than quadrupled from the previous season, and his walk rate increased a good amount as well.

I still think there's hope that he gets it back, because his stuff isn't really far off from where it was in Texas, when he was pitching exceptionally well.

But looking closer at the numbers, and it becomes quite clear why Gagne was forced to settle for a minor league deal.

not a bad signing at all. why not? Gag-me did finally pull through decently at the end of last season. potential depth is depth. it's a minor league deal....

cubs land: your tiny cubbie bear mentality does not surprise anyone. it is expected. best of luck with your "best team on paper" this season. still sure hasn't worked out yet, has it now?....

How could anyone call this a bad signing?

Gagne's been bad for exactly one calendar year. He was great on the Rangers (when he was OFF the juice) for the first half of 2007, and then fell apart with the Red Sox and Brewers for the second half of 2007 and first half 2008.

He posted a 20:6 K:BB ratio post All-Star Break last season, and put together a 3.52 ERA, finishing with a 3.09 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in September.

Sure, the second half last season is a small sample, and September is even smaller, but it's a minor league deal.

There's virtually no financial risk, and the upside is enormous, especially if the second half of last season can continue.

Anyone laughing at the signing should really be wishing their own team had rolled the dice for a minor league deal on Gagne as well.

Calling this a "low risk, low reward" move makes no sense at all.

"Calling this a "low risk, low reward" move makes no sense at all."

Yeah I didn't really understand that label either.

The reward could be exceptionally high (elite backend reliever) for a guy who had to settle for a minor league deal.

But still, that 6.13 FIP from last year scares the hell out of me.

His decline in 2008 was so steep that most people don't realize it.

Go to FanGraphs. Look at his metrics. This guy WAS LUCKY last season and still got destroyed.

good luck

Hey I don't care about the steroids thing, just the "he's a pretty bad closer thing". Didn't the Brewers pay $10 MM dollars for a guy that posted a 5.44 ERA last year. Yeah it was a cool thing that he bought so many tickets for the fans, and I'm sure he is a very nice guy, but this is baseball, all that matters, for a closer, is if you can get 3 guys out. If you can't do that there is no room for you on the major league roster. Why don't they make Seth McClung their closer? The guy throws hard, perfect guy to give a shot too, plus he would come cheap i would assume. He's a natural born closer. No, they had to get another old multi million dollar guy to fill one inning. See stuff like this is why a guy like Mark Prior still has a contract, hopefully they will keep Gagne in the minors, he's done!

Hey try him again, or even try Hoffman really i dont care nor have any pull to have McClung close. But if i just spent $10MM on a guy who was only suppose to pitch to 3 batters a game and he couldn't get them out, im going to try something else, Mcclung is a good option with the amount of strike outs he gets by just simply throwing hard. Just an option, but keep paying $5MM to $10MM for a closer, its working well so far right? The Cubs traded away their high payed closer now there going with a good relief pitcher who is dirt cheap and very good, he just throws hard. May be a very good idea to try something new huh?

Barry Bonds brings an absolute CIRCUS to the locker room. He is beyond a total jerk, a liar, and he is the only player I've seen who is more self-centered than Manny Ramirez (who is also currently unemployed, and NOT getting the deal he wants). It's not collusion when nobody wants you.

"The Brewers have to find help somewhere."

Isn't that why they signed Hoffman for $7MM?