Red Sox: Please Give Up on Gagne!

I don't blame Eric Gagne for being a total bust since he was traded at the deadline to the Boston Red Sox. But since he has proven to be that bust - don't ever use him again! Putting him in games now is just setting him up to fail... unless it's a game in which the BoSox have a 10 run lead and only an inning to go.

Is Gagne's failure really his fault, though?

Gagne was a closer - he worked one inning - the ninth, for much of his career. It takes a different mindset to be a closer than it does to be a middle relief or set up man. And Gagne was brought in and told to be a set up man rather than a closer, and for whatever reason, he has been unable to make the adjustment, mentally, that he had to make, in the last month or so.

And asking him to do it in the playoffs what he failed to do in the last month or so is just not an option.

To be sure, Gagne was Francona's last choice in that last game, after having used up Okajima and Papelbon, and if Gagne let two men get on, it was the other relief pitcher, Lopez, who threw a wild pitch to let the first run score, and the flood gates opened from there.

Gagne is a man without confidence now. The whole team is behind him, vocally, to the media, but you and I both know that Gagne knows that they're just saying that, and that inwardly each and everyone of them is seething - although as baseball players they too know that it's hard to ask a player to play a different position that he's not used to. Even if pitching seems like one position, it really isn't - not these days - and Gagne has been ruined for the post season, I think.

So if he's ever brought in again, and louses up again, I won't blame him - I'll blame the management that put him out there.

Eric "Gag me" Gagne

Can someone tell me why Eric Gagne is still being employed by the Boston Red Sox? Ever since he was aquired a few months ago, he has stunk the joint up. I don't think he's gone through a singe 1-2-3 inning this year.

So in the 11th he's brought into the 6-6 tie game between the BoSox and Indians, and proceeds to get one out (yay) then give up a single and a walk.

So he's gone, having opened the door, and then we get 3 worthless poitchers who throw wild pitches, ya da ya da, and now the Sox are down 13 - 6 with the bottom of the order coming up.

NO MORE GAGNE!

Boston Red Sox

Six-and-a-half hours from now and the Boston Red Sox will go up against the Cleveland Indians in the first game of the American league series.

Colorado Rockies go up against the Arizona Diamondbacks after that... once again I hope the Rockies win...

Women's soccer

Latest news on the Women's Soccer team

Solo, Scurry both chosen for U.S. team's series with Mexico

Hasn't their ridiculous coach been fired yet?

Two more days until Red Sox/Indians

Anxiously awaiting...

Meantime, Diamondbacks vs Rockies on Thurs...I wouldn't mind seeing the Rockies win.

Baseball all day

I haven't had time to watch the two early games, but I'm looking forward with great anticipation to Red Sox vs Angels.

Of course rookie Jacoby Ellsbury probably won't see any playing time until the later innings, if at all, but I also like rookie Dustin Pedroia - who has played all season long and has had an excellent year.... so the game should be fun.

How time flies

I see it's been over three months since I last posted here. Well, things happened!

I'm back now and will be posting regularly.

New at The Mudville Megaphone, a biography and "newstracker" of Jacoby Ellsbury, rookie outfielder for the Boston Red Sox. Half Navajo, his story is an inspiring one.

Ellsburybio

Also, I'm working on a project called Quantum Quarterback. Intended for the American football newbie, it will give info on team's quarterbacks through the ages.

Quantum Quarterback