Major League Jerk

After getting his second loss of the year on Saturday, and leading baseball with 5 blown saves, Eric Gagne fills us in on some not so secret information.

“I’m embarrassed. I’m going to keep going out there, keep fighting, but it’s embarrassing,” Gagne said. “Every time we get a little momentum, I come out there and kill the rally. I don’t deserve that ninth inning right now. That’s pretty simple.”

Gagne chalked up his poor performance to a mental issue. I think it is a combination of both mental and physical. His velocity tops out around 93-94, not 96+ where it used to be. Also, his fastball is a straight as a laser. He is also having command issues, reminding Brewers fans of former closer and fan favorite Derrick Turnbow. Gagne had this to say about his performance this year:

“It’s mental; I think it’s negative thinking that creeps back in your mind. It’s a matter of going out there and executing your pitches, not thinking results and I’m thinking results. I’m going out there thinking three outs before I can even get one.”

After hearing these comments, oft dormant manager Ned Yost decided to pull Eric Gagne from the closer’s role. Yost said Gagne needed a “mental break.” Yost also added:

“He’s really pushing himself really, really hard and taking it really, really hard.” (gay sex innuendo? You decide.)

As far as Gagne’s new role, Yost had this to say:

“His stuff is not a problem. He’s throwing the ball really, really well. He just, right now, has been beat down a little bit and needs to take a step back and regain his confidence and make an adjustment or two. He’ll pitch in the seventh and the eighth and if we mix and match, he’ll pitch some in the ninth, too, just like everybody will.”

I was not happy when the Brewers made this signing. This guy was awful in Boston in the second half of last year. Thank fucking God they only gave him a one year deal. Granted, it was $10 million, a lot for a smaller market team. For Gagne and his family, putting food on the table shouldn’t be a problem. They are always hiring down in Florida.

Gagne, who saved over 50 games in 2002 and 2003, had been named in the Mitchell Report. Since the last reports of HGH use in 2005, Gagne’s performance has gone downhill. He saved 161 of 168 games from 1999-2006 but he has blown 9 saves since joining with Texas in 2007.

When asked about who would take over for our French friend Gagne, Yost said he would go closer by committee. He basically said he would play the lefty/righty matchups and pitch whoever is fresh. The Brewers have 3 guys on the team with closing experience. Salomon Torres closed 12 games for the Pirates last year. Guillermo Mota has 7 career saves with the Marlins and LA. David Riske has saved 21 games in his career with Cleveland, KC and one save with Milwaukee this year. Of course, if Turnbow can learn to throw strikes down in AAA, he is a candidate to come back and save games for the Brewers.