TFA: The Red Sox didn't need bullpen help as much as the Braves needed help at first base. For them, Gagne looked like that little extra bit of luxury that they didn't need but would make life a bit easier - the bullpen equivalent of a padded toilet seat.

LMAO!

I read something joking around that Steinbrenner was secretly paying Gagne. At the time, I laughed. Now I'm starting to wonder.....hmmm

He did Ok yesterday. And by "Ok" I mean he didn't allow four runs in the ninth. But he's got a loooot of making up to do.

HulkHands: Because Kason Gabbard would have done so much more for the Red Sox...

Gabbard is doing pretty good, actually.

3.56 ERA 1.187 WHIP on the season, 3.20 ERA since going over to Texas.

He couldn't do much worse than Gagne.

oldsbone: Why do we need another Gagne thread? We have like 15 Yankee/Red Sox threads a day.

Wait for it...



Wait...

Wise_Guy: Gabbard is doing pretty good, actually. 3.56 ERA 1.187 WHIP on the season, 3.20 ERA since going over to Texas. He couldn't do much worse than Gagne.

If anything, his peripherals suggest he's been a little better than that-- high BABIP, below-average defense behind him, etc.

A 25-year-old pitcher who's pitching better than league average for $380K/year certainly isn't a 'throw-in'. Until someone figures out what's wrong with Gagne, Texas is laughing all the way to the bank.

Then, when they get to the bank, they're crying because they're still paying $8M/year for A-Rod to play for the Yankees.

HulkHands: He would have pitched once for the Red Sox after the deadline if he was still on the team, and that would either be yesterday or the first game of Friday's double header. So it doesn't really matter how well he has been doing for the Rangers, because he wouldn't be in the Red Sox rotation in the first place.

Barring an injury, of course.

I was a fan of the trade at the time and am not pissed Theo pulled it off. Gabbard was and probably will be decent. He was still the Sox number 3 or 4 pitching prospect.

That said, get your shiat together Poutine Boy or at least have the stones to show us your pay stubs from Steinbrenner. He might get his stuff together when/if October rolls around, but I'll be apeshiat if he's pitching in a playoff game when the Sox have any sort of a lead.

lunchinlewis: There should be a Yankee / Red Sox thread every day up until and if one of them is eliminated from the playoffs.

There, I said it.

There has been, at least for the last week or two.

If you want a Red Sox / Yankees link greenlit, mention:

For Red Sox:
1. How Schilling is fat. Use any Wendy's reference.
2. How Gagne sucks.
3. How Red Sox management regrets Gagne and/or JD Drew (Bonus, use a nickname such as "DL Drew").
4. Did I mention Schilling is fat?

For Yankees:
5. Any headline questioning the sexuality of Jeter / A-Rod
6. How Rivera is washed-up.
7. How much money the Yankees spend, preferably comparing them to the Royals or Devil Rays.
8. If all else fails, try a headline questioning Jeter / A-Rod's sexuality again.

If you follow those rules, you'll be sure to get your Yankees / Red Sox thread greenlit.

Hiymenator: I'll be apeshiat if he's pitching in a playoff game when the Sox have any sort of a lead.

How many big games has Gagne actually pitched in?

I only remember one. (pops)

HulkHands: So you'll throw in the towel if Joba comes in a playoff game?

If he comes in a playoff game I'll definitely throw him a towel.

/what?

dgc360: For Red Sox:
1. How Schilling is fat. Use any Wendy's reference.
2. How Gagne sucks.
3. How Red Sox management regrets Gagne and/or JD Drew (Bonus, use a nickname such as "DL Drew").
4. Did I mention Schilling is fat?

For Yankees:
5. Any headline questioning the sexuality of Jeter / A-Rod
6. How Rivera is washed-up.
7. How much money the Yankees spend, preferably comparing them to the Royals or Devil Rays.
8. If all else fails, try a headline questioning Jeter / A-Rod's sexuality again.

You can probably just cut that down to #4 and #8. Seems to be all that's needed. Probably the same people that think the endless repetition of "This."/"FAIL!" is hilarious.

chimp_ninja: You can probably just cut that down to #4 and #8. Seems to be all that's needed. Probably the same people that think the endless repetition of "This."/"FAIL!" is hilarious.

I had to give people some various ways to go, didn't I? :-)

Wise_Guy: How many big games has Gagne actually pitched in?

In addition to the all star game fiasco, he pitched in two playoff games for the Dodgers. And any game he pitches in for the Red Sox is a pretty "big game" in my mind. And he's had, what, 3 games in which he's blown the lead in the 7 or 8 he's pitched in?

I'm a Sox fan and the guy scares me.
He comes in, promptly gives up a walk and back to back doubles. At least, that's how it looks every time he steps on the mound.

at the very least, he's not Igawa.

I think Gagne's problem is that he still thinks he's a strikeout guy. This is why he still pitches over the fat part of the plate.

Granted, he does still strike guys out now and again, but he's not overpowering and unhittable like he once was.

He's one of those guys who's going to have to reinvent himself to be successful once again.

Wise_Guy: He's one of those guys who's going to have to reinvent himself to be successful once again.

I compare him to Josh Beckett.

Beckett last year sucked for the most part, then he learned how to pitch instead of throw.

Gagne just doesn't have as much power as he did with the Dodgers.

Wise_Guy: I think Gagne's problem is that he still thinks he's a strikeout guy. This is why he still pitches over the fat part of the plate.

Granted, he does still strike guys out now and again, but he's not overpowering and unhittable like he once was.

He's one of those guys who's going to have to reinvent himself to be successful once again.

I think it has to be either mechanical, an injury, or mental. Just a month ago, he was chugging along for Texas to the tune of a 2.16 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, both around his career averages as a reliever (2.19/0.91).

It's not his walks (3 BB, 0 HBP, 0 WP in 7 IP is bad but not crippling), and he can still punch guys out in Boston (11 K in 7 IP). But somewhere along the line guys started hitting .444 against him. Tipping his pitches? Mechanics flaw? Rick Ankiel Syndrome? Just bad luck?

robsul82: "The ROYAL [your], man!"

That rug really held the bullpen together.

HulkHands: Because Kason Gabbard would have done so much more for the Red Sox...

Gabbard probably wouldn't have had a significant impact this year, but he'd probably be valuable in the future, one way or another.

The only real way the Gagne trade is going to pay off at this point is if he either a) is lights-out from here on (unlikely), or b) eats innings so that better relievers can rest. This is not insignificant, but he also doesn't seem like a long reliever, so it won't add up to much.

GAGne personally cost the Sox 3 games in a week.

he better not even see a save or hold situation until he can at least get a few 1-2-3 innings in mop-up.

I've come to grips with this Gagne thing. All I needed to do was to reset the bar on what "success" entails.

For instance, when Schilling pitches, I want to see 7 quality innings.

When Lester pitches, I want to see him throw strikes and give the Sox a chance to win.

When Gagne pitches, I don't want anyone to get hurt.

There. Better already.

The Red Sox need a bench-clearing brawl...something to wake the fark up.

Luckily, the Devil Rays are generally willing to oblige.

chimp_ninja: I think it has to be either mechanical, an injury, or mental. Just a month ago, he was chugging along for Texas to the tune of a 2.16 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, both around his career averages as a reliever (2.19/0.91).

It's not his walks (3 BB, 0 HBP, 0 WP in 7 IP is bad but not crippling), and he can still punch guys out in Boston (11 K in 7 IP). But somewhere along the line guys started hitting .444 against him. Tipping his pitches? Mechanics flaw? Rick Ankiel Syndrome? Just bad luck?

His struggles began before he left Texas, and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he threw a grand total of 15 1/3 innings in 2005 and 2006. His arm isn't close to as good as it was in 2004 with the Dodgers, and when you combine fatigue with that, he becomes incredibly hittable.

Yeah, he'll strike some guys out, but he's not getting away with any mistakes, and with a tired arm, he's prone to making more of them.

HatGuy!

robsul82: WEEI commercials that are compliations of the funniest callers rule.

Have you ever heard the guy who does the Robert Kraft imitation? I very nearly pee myself every time that guy does one of those calls.

"Baseball teams may regret midseason acquisitions. This, and why Anabaptist Christianity may be right for your family, at 11."