A closer has to have a single mindset; I will get you out! I am the man! How dare you step in the same stadium as me! You have no business here!

Hearing that Eric Gagne has deemed himself capable of closing games for the Brewers, I could only think of one thing, do I want a closer who has any doubt if he can close a game on my roster? No, I do not! I watch his rehab stint here in Texas and at times he looked OK to good. At other times he look like a server at a meatball restaurant. He was delivering gravy covered meat for hitters in the Ballpark in Arlington that had teams drooling for them in the 7th and 8th innings. He got his chance to with the Red Sox late in the season with a deadline deal that brought the Rangers Kason Gabard and an Almond Joy. As I recall, he didn’t do any better there. As a matter of fact I think he tried to blow a significant lead and then never saw the mound again.

This season I heard he was stepping in as the closer by default after Turnbow lost it in Milwaukee, or Millie - Walk- ay, and I flinched a little and hoped for their sakes things had changed. Well, no they haven’t. I think the Brewers have 2 options for Gagne.

1. Package him with some office furniture or some beer and brats and get something for him now before he blows up even worse.
2. Send him to the Minors. Any level where he can find success and slowly increase the challenge to see if he has the stomach for the fight. the last thing I want is a mind-job on the mound trying to close out games for me.

I may be a little bit harsh and I do not follow the Brewers regularly, but when I read this story I could help but think that he needs to get his mind right and, unfortunatly, a contending major league team does not have the luxury of waiting it out. The Rangers did because they were not in contention, the Red Sox were and as soon as he blew up they sat him and then let him leave at the end of the season. I just can’t stand closers with no guts. Shut up and pitch or get the heck out of town.

Tags: eric gagne, milwaukee brewers, mlb