Gagne to the Red Sox

MonkeyF0cker · 07-31-07, 03:02 PM

I'm confused as to where he's going to fit in Boston. Is he going to replace Paps as their closer? That wouldn't make much sense. They couldn't possibly be considering changing Okajima's role there, could they? He's been nearly perfect the entire season. I suppose it could keep Paps rested if he's gone a couple of games in a row. It seems like a small role to play for a guy who's had the success that Gagne has had though. But that's a good problem if you're the BoSox I suppose...

RickySteve · 07-31-07, 03:04 PM

The deal isn't done.

LUNT101 · 07-31-07, 03:12 PM

Yes it is.

isetcap · 07-31-07, 03:29 PM

If I were prone to cliche, I might say something like...
Too many chefs in the kitchen.

But when talking about about MLB, that quip does not apply.

rjt721 · 07-31-07, 03:50 PM

Red Sox add Gagne and the Yanks can only muster Wilson Betemit?

That's pretty much the nail in the coffin.

Gagne and Okajima for the 7th and 8th, Papelbon in the 9th. Not too bad.

bigboydan · 07-31-07, 04:10 PM

This is a good pickup for the Red Sox. Now they have the 8th and 9th innings pretty well locked up with Paps and Gagne.

tacomax · 07-31-07, 04:44 PM

Originally posted by RickySteve

The deal isn't done.

Thanks for your insightful post - please come back and confirm when the deal is done, OK? Thanks.

B1GER1C828 · 07-31-07, 05:02 PM

its been done for like 3 hrs atleast

LT Profits · 07-31-07, 07:43 PM

Don't be surprised if Paps goes back to STARTING in 2008 and Gagne becomes the closer, assuming the Sox could lock him up. But for this year, Okajima comes in a tad earlier in the 7th, Gagne in the 8th an Paps to close.

rjt721 · 07-31-07, 08:06 PM

Originally posted by LT Profits

Don't be surprised if Paps goes back to STARTING in 2008...

Will never happen LT. Not only because it's likely that Gagne's no more than a rental for the remainder of this year, but also because the Sox basically committed to Paps as the closer for the long-term when they moved him back to that role late in spring training.

The whole Paps as a starter idea was a bad experiment from the beginning. I don't think he'd be all that successful in a starting role - he only throws 2 pitches. He's far more valuable closing games. There's also no room for him in the rotation, both in '08 and beyond. Sox projected rotation next season:

1- Beckett
2- Daisuke
3- Jon Lester
4- Clay Buchholz (arguably the best pitching prospect in all of baseball). Will eventually be the ace of the staff. Kid's a bigger version of Lincecum
5- Wake

Razz · 07-31-07, 11:18 PM

Originally posted by rjt721

The whole Paps as a starter idea was a bad experiment from the beginning. I don't think he'd be all that successful in a starting role - he only throws 2 pitches. He's far more valuable closing games.

That's why I was so down on the Red Sox before the start of the year. I watched JP pitch as a starter at MSU, he was above average, but that's about it. I have a hard time seeing him ever be more than an ordinary starter in MLB. The bullpen as assembled was atrocious (closer just got traded for a player to be named). It was one of the dumbest things I've ever heard, moving a guy who had been as dominant as any closer in baseball the year before to the rotation with no replacement.

You've got to love what the Rangers got for Teixiera (who they weren't going to re-sign anyway) and Gagne (pitcher who just so happens to have fallen dramatically since steroid testing increased, and can't stay healthy). One almost certain future star, a quality starter, and several minor leaguers with potential.

RJ, Buchholz is going to be a star, but he's not Lincecum.

rjt721 · 07-31-07, 11:58 PM

Originally posted by Razz

You've got to love what the Rangers got for Teixiera (who they weren't going to re-sign anyway) and Gagne (pitcher who just so happens to have fallen dramatically since steroid testing increased, and can't stay healthy). One almost certain future star, a quality starter, and several minor leaguers with potential.

I love the Teixiera trade from Texas' point of view. Salty will put up huge numbers there, and he's inexpensive and not eligible for free agency for the foreseeable future. Andrus is also a highly regarded prospect.

With a number of teams interested in Gagne, I'm surprised they couldn't do better than the Boston deal. Gabbard will move into their rotation immediately and will certainly help, but I don;t think he's anything more than a back of the rotation starter. He pitched well for the Sox, so his value was never going to be higher, but he's nothing special. Murphy's a fifth outfielder/career minor leaguer, and Beltre's very young and not considered a top prospect. With Lester back, the Sox had no need for Gabbard, so from their point of view the trade was a no brainer.

Originally posted by Razz

RJ, Buchholz is going to be a star, but he's not Lincecum.

You're right. Buchholz will be better.

tacomax · 07-31-07, 11:59 PM

Originally posted by LT Profits

Don't be surprised if Paps goes back to STARTING in 2008 and Gagne becomes the closer, assuming the Sox could lock him up.

I wouldn't be surprised but I really don't think it will happen. As rjt721 said, if it was going to happen then it would have happened by now. Why risk trying to mold one of the best closers in baseball into a starter when you don't really need one?

Originally posted by LT Profits

But for this year, Okajima comes in a tad earlier in the 7th, Gagne in the 8th an Paps to close.

On the key/marginal games, maybe. But for most of the games, there will be a rotation of any two from those three.