Eric Gagne should have come with a warning label!

From the very beginning we should have all known how the trade of Eric Gagne to the Red sox was going to go.


First, Gagne did not have the Red Sox on a list of teams he could be traded too without his permission. If he wanted to be in Boston why didn't he put Boston on a list of teams to be traded to?Warning!



Gagne's agent is Scott Boras-the same guy that brought you J.D. Drew. If anyone thinks that J.D.Drew was not part of the Dice K deal-they are wrong. He packages players a lot.Warning!


Second, Gagne says,"I have always wanted to be a closer". I don't like bringing in a closer and tell him to come in the 8th inning. It is a big adjustment. Closers are a very fickle group. Some managers only bring them in save situations. Other closers are brought in the 8th inning and do fine. Some don't like to come in in the middle of an inning because they will implode. What I trying to say is that I don't want a janitor doing brain surgery. I don't think that Gagne fits in this type of 8 inning role.

Third, poor Hideki Okajima. Okajima has a 1.11 ERA and has given up 34 hits and 12 walks in 56 innings! That is unreal! Why move him out of this role? What a slap to Hideki! Warning!

One reason why Gagne was even a available is because of his recent injuries. A lot of teams did not want to spend big bucks on a guy with this kind of injusry history.From Tommy John surgery to elbow problems and recently his herniated disk , how long do the Red Sox think this guy has before they strap another cast or band aid on him. Warning!


And this is my favorite one. I love when a guy tells everyone that he is happy to be with a team to win a championship. Yeah right! Gagne was looking for someone to pick up the rest of his incentive laden contract. He receive an additional 2.5 million added to his bank account and now he doesn't even need to be healthy and pitch like a former All Star! Warning!

Terry Francona is now in a tough spot. Does he continue to roll out Gagne in the 8th inning and try to get Gagne's confidence back or does he see the Yankees in his rear-view mirror and go back to what was working and win games? I guess we will see if Terry Francona and Red Sox Nation are getting nervous very soon.

Disagree-let me know!

By the way my vote is that he will be on the DL.