Gagne would have been a bad signing

[IFallsRon]

Surprise, Ariz. - This hardly qualifies as a surprise (no pun intended with today's game site) but the Brewers just announced they have released reliever Eric Gagne from his minor league contract.

An MRI recently revealed that Gagne has labrum and rotator cuff damage in his pitching shoulder. He was given the option of having an injection and trying physical rehab, or undergoing surgery.

Either way, Gagne was not going to be able to make the Brewers' roster this spring. He signed a minor-league deal that guaranteed him a $1.5 million salary if added to the roster by March 26. That deadline became moot when Gagne was unable to pitch in a game.

Gagne's time with the Brewers was star-crossed. After signing a $10 million deal before last season to be the closer, he eventually forfeited that role to Salomon Torres with a string of poor performances. He bounced back to pitch better in a set-up role toward the end of the season and hoped to reprise that role this year in front of closer Trevor Hoffman.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Yes it would have, the guy has been a stud closer for years, really last year was bad for him. Don't know how old he is, but hope he can come back after surgery. He kind of reminds me of Wild Thing Vaughn from Major League, with his thick glasses look

[zepman]

Steroids finally caught up to him.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

was he on the list too? I am not a Gagne follower, just like I said was a stud closer before last year

[bassNspear]

to bad for the guy, as he was as stud when he was in his prime!

[mrklean]

have to see if anyone signs him and how he progesses, maybe mid year sign him to a cheap contract and put him in the pen if we need help

[KMR85]

yeah he was on the list. every time he gets asked about it in an interview he gets mad and walks away. he went downhill as soon as they introduced the testing. kind of looks like roids were the only thing keeping him on the mound back then (or in his "prime" according to BnS). if he did take steroids, he is a prime example of why someone should have an asterisk by their record (consecutive saves). also, he should have to give all the money he made back since roids were the only thing keeping him on the mound (if it could ever be proven he took them). i know it's not realistic. it almost seems criminal to make all that money by being a phony. at least bonds was good before he starting taking roids. MLB will never be able to out everyone who took steroids and made millions more than they should have or even would have. it just seems criminal to me to get off scott free with millions of $ for being a fraud.

[Cooter]

I'm just glad it was the Brewers that forked out 10M for him right when he went downhill

[wahoohendoo]

oh eric, i thought you were talking about Greg. i'm thinking his best years are behind him now.