Gagne in the sox plans?

[Linda Peritore]

Good point. I just don't think they have a chance to get him with an offer like that. Doesn't hurt to try.

[Bosoxwest]

Ya i'm scared for the people walking down the street behind the monster, they might get hit by a Foulke fastball that just got hit 400ft.

 

When Foulke pitches they should put out signs back there that say "Watch for falling objects".

 

Wait, this is hilarious. Both pitchers were great, then got hurt and were not good due to injury. But, somehow, simply by dint of having never pitched for the Red Sox, Gagne is still awesome and only needs to be healthy (in spite of having major elbow surgery and two disc issues which generally don't fully heal) to be great again, while Foulke has simply lost all ability. I love this town.

[Beckett95]

Gagne and Foulke are two completely different pitchers who really can't be compared at all.

 

Yes, Foulke was a good at a point in his career, but never as dominant as Gagne. Foulke relied on a 92 MPH fastball and a 78 MPH changeup in his prime. After getting injured he was throwing 86 with his fastball and guys were teeing off on him.

 

Gagne throws more than just 2 pitches so if his fastball does fall a little, he still has a nasty curve and great change. Noone knows if Gagne can bounce back, but if he does he'd be a big steal this offseason

[Linda Peritore]

Gagne and Foulke are two completely different pitchers who really can't be compared at all.

 

Yes, Foulke was a good at a point in his career, but never as dominant as Gagne. Foulke relied on a 92 MPH fastball and a 78 MPH changeup in his prime. After getting injured he was throwing 86 with his fastball and guys were teeing off on him.

 

Gagne throws more than just 2 pitches so if his fastball does fall a little, he still has a nasty curve and great change. Noone knows if Gagne can bounce back, but if he does he'd be a big steal this offseason

 

I agree 100%. Gagne, if healthy, is a steal.

 

Who will risk the $$$ he's asking for though?

[jacksonianmarch]

His fastball is not what makes him so good. Gagne's curve and change up are what make him effective. Last year in the two games he played' date=' he had a fastball at 95, and consistently threw changes at under 65. His curve ball had a near vertical drop over the plate. That 30 mph difference is what makes him better than Mo when healthy.[/quote']

 

nobody is better than Mo my friend. Gagne cannot hold Mo's jockstrap.

[Bosoxwest]

Gagne and Foulke are two completely different pitchers who really can't be compared at all.

 

Yes, Foulke was a good at a point in his career, but never as dominant as Gagne. Foulke relied on a 92 MPH fastball and a 78 MPH changeup in his prime. After getting injured he was throwing 86 with his fastball and guys were teeing off on him.

 

Gagne throws more than just 2 pitches so if his fastball does fall a little, he still has a nasty curve and great change. Noone knows if Gagne can bounce back, but if he does he'd be a big steal this offseason

 

Respectfully disagree. Yes, Gagne at his peak was more dominant than Foulke at his peak, but Keith Foulke in the 2004 post-season, with a fastball that barely touched 90, had an ERA of .64 against the LAA, NYY, and STL. 19Ks in 14 IP. To me, that is the ultimate stage, and he has proven himself there. I'm not looking AL-NL differential since it's probably moot for our purposes, although would have to be considered in a straight comparison.

 

Foulke's out pitch, like Gagne's, is the change. Like Gagne, if the fastball is not there, the change is not there. They are both in the same boat in that respect. Gagne has the benefit of the curve, but without the change he's not great.

 

The key, key piece of datum here though, is the health. Foulke, at last sighting, was far far advanced of Gagne healthwise. Also, Foulke, having never had a great fastball, relied more on location, something that isn't certain to diminish with age. Also, as has been mentioned earlier, there were certain "flags" around Gagne's performance and subsequent injuries that were not seen with Foulke. Unproven, but another risk modifier.

 

Like everyone else I'd be fine taking a flier on Gagne at a cut-rate price, with performance incentives making up the meat of the contract. I'm just saying that with what we know now, I'd give a roster spot to Foulke first if forced to choose. Gagne hasn't pitched really at all in two years, any expectations we have for him are pretty pie in the sky.

[Linda Peritore]

nobody is better than Mo my friend. Gagne cannot hold Mo's jockstrap.

 

I said "when healthy" Gagne is better, and the stats support that, despite what your opinion is.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I said "when healthy" Gagne is better' date=' and the stats support that, despite what your opinion is.[/quote']

 

Hard to say when you consider how well Mo has done in the AL East all these years. However I do recall what Eric Gagne looked like when healthy.......damn near impossible to hit. Too many pitches and too high a velocity.....down right sick and those Dodgers fans went crazy when it was time for him to take the field.

[Beckett95]

from the LA Times

 

As slogans go, "Games Finished" doesn't have quite the pizazz of Eric Gagne's "Game Over," but it will be meaningful to Takashi Saito.

 

The Japanese right-hander, who was such a pleasant surprise for the Dodgers last season, signed a one-year contract that could be worth $1.3 million if he reaches incentives based on the number of games he finishes.

 

Saito, 36, is guaranteed $1 million and will get $25,000 when he finishes 30, 35, 40 and 45 games. He will get $50,000 when he reaches 50 and 55, and $100,000 by finishing 60 games. Saito finished 48 last season, when he led National League relievers by holding opponents to a .177 batting average. He went 6-2 with a 2.07 earned-run average and had 24 saves in 26 opportunities, striking out 107 and giving up 48 hits in 78 1/3 innings.

 

Signing Saito eliminates any chance the Dodgers would re-sign Gagne, and one of Gagne's representatives said this evening that the former Cy Young Award winner is close to an agreement with an undisclosed team for a one-year deal worth about $5 million.

 

Gagne has thrown only once since having back surgery and is still several weeks away from throwing off a mound. But apparently the 152 saves he notched from 2002 to 2004 still resonates enough for several teams to offer a guaranteed contract.

 

"Several teams are in on him and I expect a deal to happen this week," said Mike Fiore, who is agent Scott Boras' right-hand executive.

 

Fiore said more than one team would have offered a two-year deal, but that Gagne wants a one-year contract because he could fetch a lot more if he returns to form after two injury-plagued seasons.

 

looks like Gagne is done in LA, and id definitely take Gagne at 1 year 5 million

[jacksonianmarch]

I said "when healthy" Gagne is better' date=' and the stats support that, despite what your opinion is.[/quote']

 

stats do not support that.

 

1.97ERA

1.20ERA

2.19ERA

 

those are his 3 full seasons as a closer.

 

Mariano's seasons as closer

1.88

1.91

1.83

2.86

2.34

2.74

1.66

1.95

1.38

1.80

 

10 yrs as closer. Those numbers are much better than 3 yrs of Gagne then 2 yrs on the shelf. If you wish to say that Gagne had a dream season that isnt matched by anyone but has since had nowhere near the success of Rivera then I'll agree.

[Beckett95]

Id take the 2003 Gagne over any year Mo ever had. Gagne was flat out untouchable in '03.

 

If the Sox sign him, hopefully he can do it again :thumbsup:

 

but if he signs for 1 year, that means he want to prove he is still dominant and hopefully (if it is the sox who signed him) that is the case.

[Beckett95]

my guess is either the Sox or Guardians sign him and it will be announced by the end of the week

[a700hitter]

but I am saying that this guy is not healthy and likely wont ever be back at the level he was at. 2 yrs off and still recovering from 2 surgeries is a long time. His arm is a time bomb as is his back. I mean seriously' date=' how many 29 yr old guys need back surgery for regular wear and tear, not even an obvious traumatic injury.[/quote']It's not that rare for big boys like Gagne. I've known guys that have never come close to steroids that have had the same type of back injury as Gagne in their early 30's and they never played a sport beyond the college level.

[Cocos Disciples]

I'd really like to snag this guy. At 1 year 5-6 mil, it's not an enormous risk, but the dividends could be massive.

[Manny Goes Boom]

stats do not support that.

 

1.97ERA

1.20ERA

2.19ERA

 

those are his 3 full seasons as a closer.

 

Mariano's seasons as closer

1.88

1.91

1.83

2.86

2.34

2.74

1.66

1.95

1.38

1.80

 

10 yrs as closer. Those numbers are much better than 3 yrs of Gagne then 2 yrs on the shelf. If you wish to say that Gagne had a dream season that isnt matched by anyone but has since had nowhere near the success of Rivera then I'll agree.

 

I agree with this. Mo is the best ever. Gagne when healthy was great, but Mo did it in the AL East...and killed dudes. Gagne did it in the NL, GRANTED he was so dominant but I wonder if he would have had quite as long of a streak in the AL. And Mo did it in October. I by no means like the fact he's on the Yankees but he is the best ever.

 

EDIT: But since we can't have Rivera, Ill take Gagne in hopes that he regains form and is dominant again.

[a700hitter]

I agree with this. Mo is the best ever. Gagne when healthy was great, but Mo did it in the AL East...and killed dudes. Gagne did it in the NL, GRANTED he was so dominant but I wonder if he would have had quite as long of a streak in the AL. And Mo did it in October. I by no means like the fact he's on the Yankees but he is the best ever.

 

EDIT: But since we can't have Rivera, Ill take Gagne in hopes that he regains form and is dominant again.

Agreed that there is no comparison to Mo. Maybe Mo takes better roids.

[Beckett95]

Boston.com

 

The Sox are talking to closer Eric Gagne, but the word here is that he is seeking at least $5 million guaranteed from any team that signs him, even though he has had multiple elbow surgeries, shoulder stiffness and a back operation and has pitched a total of 15 1/3 innings in the last two seasons.

Gagne has appeal to the Sox--he saved 152 games in three seasons for the Dodgers before his current wave of injuries--and the club needs a closer. But unless the price comes down, I think the Sox will adopt a wait-and-see attitude here.

They're also waiting to see if Keith Foulke accepts salary arbitration tomorrow night. If he accepts, he becomes essentially a signed player for 2007, although it's a stretch to think the Sox would then turn to him to close.