BOUND AND GAGGED!!

Eric Gagne's Red Sox ERA is 16.20. With his former club, the Texas Rangers, it was 2.16. What's going on? Last night at Fenway, in the toughest loss of the year, Gagne took over in the eighth inning with the Sox in command, 5-1. Daisuke, in another tremendous outing, and Bedard had been locked in a seven inning beauty, with the O's holding a 1-0 lead as both teams handed it to their bullpen after seven. But Gagne was horrific, hideous and heartbreaking, giving up a double, a single and a walk to the first three batters. After a fielder's choice, Aubrey Huff hit a double, and coupled with a JD Drew misplay in right, two more runs scored, making a 5-1 game a 5-4 one. Okajima came in and uncharacteristically gave up a run scoring single. Tie game. EGADS! The O's scored one in the ninth to win it, but the eighth was the killer inning. And Gagne knows he's going have to make adjustments....he has NOT had a 1-2-3 inning since he donned his red socks. This is what the Canadian said of his performances with his new club so far......

"I'm not making my pitches," Gagne said. "I'm not throwing the way I should. ... I'm making it harder on everybody else.
"All year, I've felt great. My body feels great. I'm just not locating my fastball."
In four appearances since Aug. 2, Gagne has allowed six runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings"

Peter here. Eric, we can TELL you're not making your pitches. They're often wizzing past you in the form of line drives through the infield or to the outfield. What we have to do is turn the page on this loss. NOW. And the Yankees continue to refuse to lose in their remarkable comeback from a miserable first two months of the season. The lead is down to five games. But Josh Beckett will be going for win number fifteen this afternoon, and I'm sure the club will come out smoking while the bitter and deadly sting of last night's game remains like a foul and sour taste in their mouths. That one hurt. Bigtime hurt.

I linked Steve Buckley's Boston Herald piece about the troubles of Eric Gagne......so far. Just click on the title of this post. And I want to ask you....was it a mistake NOT to go for a bat before the end of the trading deadline (think Jermaine Dye)? Your comments are always welcomed. And I'll answer them as best I can. Remember, a hitter/outfielder would be someone we could see every day.....with Gagne, or any pitcher, we'll see him a couple times every week (if we're lucky..that is, until he turns things around.....and he will). Have a great weekend!! AND GO JOSH BASEBALL!