Gagne unlikely to make the team... Latest: Eric is released (reply #15)

[GormanHarvey]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/40854932.html

[Brian the Automator]

I enjoyed the first comment in the blog entry:

I'll give him my opinion.

 

He S ucks!!! At least we can't complain this year that he's hosing us for 10 million.

That's some serious prose right there.

[JohnBriggs12]

This is certainly disappointing but it's better to find out now. They certainly need Riske to return to form now.

[JoeHova]

I enjoyed the first comment in the blog entry:

I'll give him my opinion.

 

He S ucks!!! At least we can't complain this year that he's hosing us for 10 million.

That's some serious prose right there.

 

That caught my eye too. Pretty funny.

[giffted1]

I was pulling for Gagne to make the team, so this is disappointing. I guess we're lucky these problems arose before the deadline, though. If he opts for surgery it looks like he'll miss the entire season which makes me wonder if he'll try again next spring on a similar contract with a deadline.

[sgtcluels]

Jorge Julio rejoices. Shame, he pitched better in the second half, and he seems like a good club house presence.

[nate82]

I wonder if Gagne will take a minor league contract this year if he is able to come back. It sounds like in the article that Gagne can take a minor league deal if he is not on the 40 man roster. Not something Boras would advise Gagne on doing but it would be better than nothing.

[RyDogg66]

Maybe we can go after Chad Cordero now, if he hasnt caught on elsewhere.

[logan82]

I was hoping Gagne would do well. Of course I always want every Brewer to do well because it means more wins.

[pretendastronaut]

I was also secretly hoping to see him do well enough to make the team. I respect the way he's handled himself since he's been a Brewer really, so I wanted to have him around and see him do well.

[patrickgpe]

yeah its disappointing because he really came on the end of last year and i doubt we would of made the playoffs without him. I always knew if gagne was going to make it it would mean they would eat julio's 1 million which seemed unlikely to me. Hopefully morlan or julio steps up for the final pen spot.

[SoundsFan17]

I can already hear the boo birds down at Greer calling his name

[sbrylski]

Looking back to 2/20, Melvin said:

 

"If Gagne goes out and pitches real well, we could say, 'Hey, there's enough experience in the bullpen that would could carry a Rule 5 draft pick."

 

"If Eric doesn't pitch well, maybe we need to get another experienced pitcher and we can't keep (Morlan). It could work either way."

 

So I could see us making another move. Or at the least, as said, Julio's chances of making the club over Morlan get a nice boost if the FO still has this attitude.

 

EDIT: Which sucks.

[Spidey]

yeah its disappointing because he really came on the end of last year and i doubt we would of made the playoffs without him. I always knew if gagne was going to make it it would mean they would eat julio's 1 million which seemed unlikely to me. Hopefully morlan or julio steps up for the final pen spot.

I thought that Julio's contract was non-guaranteed, meaning that if he doesn't make the club, we're not on the hook for his salary. I also was under the impression that since we signed Coffey to a FA major league deal, that we are on the hook for his salary. Anyone know the details?

[1992casey]

CheezWizHed says that Julio's contract isn't guaranteed. I'm not finding anything on Coffey.

 

Being guaranteed or non-guaranteed isn't directly tied to arby or free agency, though. It's based on what's agreed upon in each case by the player and the team.

 

In the case of a non-guaranteed contract, 1 month is always guaranteed; a player gets that if he's released at any point up to the middle of spring training. 90 days are guaranteed if the player is let go in the second half of spring training. The full contract is guaranteed on Opening Day.

[Crew2323]

Eric Gagne has officially been released per Haudricourt.

 

Does this mean we look at Chad Cordero, or someone like that?

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Hopefully it means we keep a better overall pitcher like Morlan, Dillard or DiFelice. He still might pitch for us too when he gets healthy. Here's a quote from Gord Ash:

 

"There was no animosity involved," said Ash. "This was the best course of action for both sides. When he's ready to pitch again, maybe we'll look at him. He has said that when healthy he would like to pitch for us."

[JoeHova]

I wouldn't advocate re-signing him a 2nd time even if he does get healthy at some point. Just let the saga end. The upside is not even there anymore.

[Never Outhustled]

I think we could have a deep bullpen, even if it lacks an overpowering reliever. I sure hope we don't need Gagne later in the year. If we need a reliever later in the season Omar Aguilara could become an exciting option. He has gotten opportunities in spring so far, and continues to be better than Morlan, just as he was in the minors. Dillard has just as good as stuff as Morlan too, and was also better in the minors last year. I don't see Morlan as a candidate.

[ILuvDaBush]

I thought Morlan had a mid-high 90's FB while Dillard works primarily with a low-90's sinker, so wouldn't their "stuff" be comparing apples to oranges? I continue to hope to see Morlan in the bullpen. Arms like his aren't very plentiful in our system. I could see him blossoming into a Carlos Marmol-type.

 

As for Gagne, I always hoped to see him put his ghosts to rest once and for all in Milwaukee. He deserved as much. Instead, I guess I'll simply hope he has success for an AL team....until he blows up in the WS vs. the Brewz.

[Never Outhustled]

I thought Morlan had a mid-high 90's FB while Dillard works primarily with a low-90's sinker, so wouldn't their "stuff" be comparing apples to oranges?

That was the stuff Morlan had a few years ago before letting his conditioning go. Now he is 92-94 like Dillard, just without the results.

[JohnBriggs12]

MLB trade rumors quotes Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Gagne had earlier turned down a $3 million guaranteed deal from the Twins. Earlier they had quoted Gord Ash as saying "there was no animosity...and that if his health improved they would consider signing him to a deal in the future".

 

I'm pulling for him to make it back someday.

[CheezWizHed]

So we sign Looper for SP depth and he gets injured and sign Gagne for RP depth and he gets injured... talk about irony.

[Invader3K]

Eric Gagne has signed with a Can-Am League team, the Quebec Capitales. Story is on MLB Trade Rumors if you care to read more:

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/05/eric-gagne-signs-with-canam-league-team.html#comments

[brewdude15]

Good for him. Hopefully he can get his career back on track and maybe make a comeback to the big show in a couple years.