Eric Gagne

Man how times change.

Nov 14 - Eric Gagne is unlikely to return to the Dodgers, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Dodgers already have a good one in Takashi Saito (assuming he wants to come back), and they also have a potentially dominant closer waiting in the wings in Jonathan Broxton. The result is that teams desperate for a closer are more likely to offer Gagne a better contract than the Dodgers, who paid him a $1-million buyout rather than exercising a $12-million option for 2007.
The Dodgers are targeting a proven middle reliever to help get through the sixth and seventh innings, which were problematic last season. Their wish list includes Ron Villone, Justin Speier, Russ Springer, Chad Bradford and David Weathers.

 

he's damaged goods. he'll never be the same. if it wasn't one thing, it was another. he should pitch for the dodgers for free for a year, he got rich by sitting and watching baseball in the bullpen.

 

Gagne is a juicer

I think it is obvious. Gagne was on the roids when he suddenly gained 4 mph on his fastball. Now he is damaged goods with a lack of confidence. Whomever takes a chance on him must do so with caution.

 

It's certainly possible that he was using, but I don't know where you're getting your information about him gaining 4 mph on his fastball. He was a top notch starter prospect in the Dodgers' system before transitioning to closer, so it's not as if he suddenly came out of nowhere.

 

yep, and he's from Canada, they don't use roids up there.

 

Where did it come from?

It is confirmed that Gagne picked up about 4mph on his heater. It has been discussed a lot in the LA press. ESPN asked the same question one night, where did the extra zip on the fastball come from? The answer is obvious, Gagne was juiced. I hate to see a player juice it, use it, then lose it.

 

Again, I wouldn't be surprised if he was because his build looks like it, but if you look back at the Baseball America prospect report from 1999, Gagne was already throwing in the mid-90s as a starter in the minor leagues.