Rosenthal: Sox About to Land Gagne

Ken Rosenthal:

The Red Sox are on the verge of winning the Eric Gagne sweepstakes, pending his approval and a review of his medical records, according to major-league sources.

Gagne must waive his no-trade clause to Boston for the deal to be completed. It is possible the Red Sox will allow him to share the closer's role with Jonathan Papelbon.

The Rangers would receive right-hander Kason Gabbard and an additional player or players in the deal, sources say.

Comments

[Adam]

Well, between Lester, Masterson, Delcarmen, and Gabbard, I guess I'd miss Gabbard the least.

[Brad]

So, the yankees lose a trusted reliever from a bad bullpen, and the Red Sox gain one in a good bullpen?
I don't think the Red Sox need this, but if it allows for them to rest some guys a bit more, and not depend on Timlin ever again, I'm good with it.
Selling high on Gabbard makes sense.

[Devine]

That's the part I like too, Brad, if this is true. Deal Gabbard now while you can get good value.

Wow, can this really be? Could the Red Sox have Papelbon, Okajima, AND Gagne?

[Paul SF]

Gagne to me is the acquisition we don't need but the one that could help the most. Dye is the one for which I see the most immediate need but might actually have the least impact.

Which means I have no idea what to think, except that I hope the Sox get Dye, too. Har!

[Bullfrog]

Does this more or less mean that MDC for Dye is coming in the next hour and a half?

[Brad]

that's what methinks.

[Paul SF]

To get both Dye and Gagne would make the Sox huuuge winners of this deadline, imo. If they can do it without giving up MDC (and giving them Hansen instead, say), that would be phenomenal. But with Gagne, I think I could be OK with losing Delcarmen.

[sam YF]

dont count those chickens yet. the dye deal may be dead....

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7078822

Wow. That's a sick pen. I'm still holding hopes of Okajima regressing at least to his Japanese numbers, but that's more of an oppositional YF hope rather than a prediction.

Still. Grumbles.

[QuoSF]

Paul, I don't know whether to believe it or not, but Hansen has supposedly rediscovered his slider. He always had higher upside than MDC, so MDC being a truly hometown guy aside, I might rather hold on to Hansen at this point.

[TJ]

Over his last 10 games Hansen has gone 16 innings with a 1.69 ERA and 21 Ks So yes he has been much better since earlier this year.

[TJ]

Engel Beltre also part of the Gagne deal.

[Brad]

This bullpen, while not in real need of another addition, is now filthy.
Not depending on Timlin or Donnelly is a huge advantage to have for them. Really, they can switch Gagne or Okajima depending on who's coming up the next inning. Like, say against NY when you're going to maybe get two lefties in a row or two righties in a row.
This is a good move, and who knows, there very well may be something that none of us are aware of. It seeems that one of those happens every single year.

[Brad]

gulf coast league prospect.
Supposedly, acording to some experts, he was a sure-in for the hall of fame, and reminded most of them of Babe Ruth, King Albert, and Pedro Martinez all wrapped into one player:)

[Brad]

EEI sportsflash is reporting the deal done.

[Brad]

http://www.live-radio.net/SearchResults.php3?Idx=10&St=&OSt=Li&OGen=Any&Genre=&OFee=Any&Cnt=&OCnt=Li&Sta=massachusetts&OSta=Li&Cit=&OCit=Li&OPag=10&Rows=49

[Brad]

Edit: Gagne has to waive his no trade first.

[vic SF]

looks like he has waived his no-trade clause.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/thebuzz/

[TJ]

Buster Olney says its done, Gagne has waived his no trade clause.

[Brad]

Yep.
Jesus. That's a great move by Theo. Not a necessary one, but an awesome one nonetheless.

[JS]

""We have tremendous resources, don't get me wrong. But that's not something we can do. We have a plan. We're in a position competing with less resources where we have to keep one eye on the future. We can't do certain things. That's not our dynamic. We're not going to have an uber-team every year. We're going to try to build an organization that can try to sustain success over the long run."

yeah right.

[Brad]

Is Cashman going to sit on his hands all day here?

[Paul SF]

Only 11 mintues left.

JS needs to change his name to BS. None of the prospects the Sox gave up for Gagne are considered top-tier, and none featured heavily in the Sox' long-range plans. That's impressive, never mind the draft pick or two the Sox will get when Gagne leaves for free agency.

[Brad]

JS - the Phillies tried to absolutely fleece the Red Sox for Abreu. That's not a fair statement to quote whatsoever. The Red Sox sold high on a guy that they probably didn't believe in, and a OF without a spot to play in anytime soon. Oh, and a gulf coast guy.
They did not comprimise any future success whatsoever, like they would have if they conceeded to the Philly deal.
That's a bad job by you.

[JS]

I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy...I don't know if those guys were prospects or not. They probably weren't, but it's obvious that his words last year were insincere.

[Brad]

Can't teams file for an extension on the deadline if they're working on a deal and near completion?
Maybe that's what Cashman is doing to help his team. I can't imagine he's letting this bullpen thrive as constructed here. Well, minus Joba Chamberlain who is clearly the new eigth inning guy having never even been to Yankee Stadium without buying a ticket.

[JS]

And, Paul SF, I have numerous suggestions for what your name should be, but I really think that you should ban yourself for suggesting that my name be BS. Why don't you just get a French Canadian poetry contest going to celebrate Gagne....That's the kind of thing you do around here.

[Paul SF]

I guess the ChiSox don't like the BoSox' Pena and Hansen offer for Dye. They might change their mind in the next minutes, possibly. I think I'd be OK with the Sox giving them Delcarmen, but I can see why we wouldn't...

[Hudson]

I'm not sure I get it. The Sox already have the best set-up man in the majors: Okajima. Gagne wants to close, not set up. But if some kind of "rotation" can be, uh, set up of the three, I guess an embarrassment of riches would be the least of Boston's problems.

And protecting against potential injuries is no small consideration.

Then again... If the Sox get Gagne, Papelbon could start after all. (I'm only half kidding.)

[TJ]

Gabbard and Murphy dont fit into the Sox plans. Moss has more upside then Murphy and Ellsbury is the future in CF with Drew signed long term theres no room for Murphy. Same with the rotation Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Masterson, Bowden and others are way ahead of Gabbard in terms of being the future of the roatation.

Boston hasn't done naything to harm their future...unlike the Celtics.

[LocklandSF]

JS, you're an ass that obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

Run along now, let the grown ups talk.

[Brad]

They probably weren't, but it's obvious that his words last year were insincere.

No. It's obvious that you don't know what you're talking about. The Red Sox do not, never have, nor ever will have the resources that the Yankees do. They cannot mortgage the kind of players that Philly was asking for in return for Bobby Abreu. The didn't give up anything near that for Gagne.
The kind of players like Ellsbury, Lester, and others are not ones that Boston has the luxury of watching develop for someone else in return for an aging rental player like Bobby Abreu.
This year proves that his sentiments in that quote were nothing short of one hundred percent accurate.
There was no hypocracy whatsoever anywhere in his statement. Where do you see it?

[Hudson]

>>>Why don't you just get a French Canadian poetry contest going to celebrate Gagne....

Gagne(r) in French means "win," fwiw.

[Hudson]

>>>I'm still holding hopes of Okajima regressing at least to his Japanese numbers, but that's more of an oppositional YF hope rather than a prediction.

C'mon, you've got to admit that the emergence of Okajima as Boston's #1 acquisition from Japan is a great story... Even YFs can enjoy it for the knock on DikeK.

[JS]

"JS, you're an ass that obviously doesn't know what he's talking about."

Well, I don't know why LocklandSF doesn't get banned for calling me an ass when I got banned for saying that the haiku contest was G.ay.

But, since I'll probably be banned anyway, I'll point out that the reason for his non-banning and my imminent banning is that this blog is run by sox fans 2 to 1 over Yanks fans.

LocklandSF -- F.u.C.k you F.aggot!

[Devine]

Hee hee! This is rather amusing. You know, in a depressing sort of way.

[Hudson]

Hey, J.S., bigotry is ugly and makes you seem even dumber than you already appeared.

[Blah]

"The Red Sox do not, never have, nor ever will have the resources that the Yankees do."

LOL.

[Paul SF]

I guess now we know why JS got banned the first time. Racist, sexist, homophobic comments = ban.

[ugh]

Please God let Gagne say "no."

[Blah]

Espn: "Eric Gagne will be the top set-up man for Jonathan Papelbon in Boston."

Poor Okie

[Hudson]

Press reports describe Gagne as coming to the Sox to be Boston's "set-up man." What's Oki, chopped liver? (Chopped sushi?)

[rk]

Not only was the bigotry ugly, and he was wrong with his arguments, but this site is, to my understanding, usually run by more yfs than sfs. YF, gerb, nick vs SF and paul sf (am I forgetting a third sf admin?). And as a sox fan, I think the YFs do a good job of their share of running this place.

Also as a sox fan - this is an embarrassment of riches that I'm not sure we needed. A bat could have come in handy in lots of games over the past month - the bullpen hasn't really been a concern of mine. Then again, I, like all of you, am not Theo. So we'll have to see.

But wow, this is a whole heck of a lot different than 2003's 'closer by committee' - isn't it? More like a committee of closers. Not that that's really a bad thing, but it could get interesting...

[Hudson]

On another note, since the Dye deal is apparently dead, the Wily Modesto Pena Era continues in Boston...

[Blah]

I smell "Closer Envy"

[Rich SF]

I think JS is right about Theo even though I'm happy to have Gagne. Theo says what's convenient at the time and then changes his logic later when the wind blows. It is fun to be the Eviler Empire though.

I don't agree with the attacking stuff JS said, but he didn't start it. He was just poking fun at Theo. Someone else attacked him personally and called him a name and he just raised the ante on you guys. If you don't want to be called names, then don't call people names in the first place - live by the golden rule and don't cry about it when you don't. I'm not proud to have sox fans like Lockland making personal attacks. leave that for bleacher creatures on here.

[Devine]

"I smell "Closer Envy""

Me too!

Gagne: 2.16 (ERA), 16/17 (Saves/Save Opportunities), 1.05 (WHIP)

Okajima: 0.87, 4/5, 0.81

Papelbon: 2.15, 23/25, 0.90

Who wouldn't envy the Boston Red Sox their wealth of closers?

But seriously, there wasn't some bench outfielder out there? I guess Hinske and Pena will have to do.

I have faith in this team, but I really would've like another offensive punch.

[Brad]

Holy cow, I'm leaving this alone now. This is just rediculous.

This is a great move by Boston, and YF's are spinning into something terrible like "closer envy" (Was Watching) and fragile bullpen situation with high risk players manning the jobs (LoHud: my personal tool for making myself feel better about myself).
It's crazy, and reeks of sour grapes. Cashman sat around and did sqauat less giving away a good, dependable arm for a bench guy while Theo improved an already good bullpen with another power arm.
Jealousy doesn't look good on you guys, and JS - because the normal, over the top, angry fanbase from either side isn't as heavily represented here as it is on LoHud or other sites in no way means that the Yanks aren't as faithfully defended here as anywhere. They are.
It's probably just the fact that you're not comprehending what you're reading without all the curse words and use of CAPS all the way through the argument.
It's intelligent back and forth here - which is why most of us come here at all. It's a nice change from whatever site you're normally posting on.

[Paul SF]

The argument was faulty, Rich, though I agree about the personal attacks. Theo's explanation at the last trade deadline referred to two things: That the Yankees essentially took Abreu in a salary dump, something the Sox say they couldn't afford to do (not sure if I believe this, but they might have already had Daisuke on their radar and not wanted to tie up the cash). And that any trades the Sox explored ended up with teams asking for them to trade their most coveted prospects, something the Sox say they cannot afford to do because their resources require them tod evelop from within. Taking on Gagne involves much less -- in dollars and prospects -- and seems consistent with that stance.

In fact, the comparison is pretty faulty on its face, which is why JS' use of that quote was met with such ridicule.

[TJ]

Yo Rich.

I dont care who said what first, he used a derogatory remark in what he said and I took offense to the word.

[LocklandSF]

I'm not complaining Rich, where did you see me complaining?

I just call it as I see it and if I person needs to be called out, I will.

Are you trying to say JS isn't an ass?

Did you read his posts?

He was being an ass, I hardly think being called out for it is a good reason for him to bring the bigotry.

[Brad]

Hug it out, biyatches!

[Blah]

"This is a great move by Boston,"

Come on be honest with yourself. This move spells nothing but trouble.

I'm starting to feel sorry for you......

[Brad]

Theo's press conference just included the fact that if Gagne does not sign with Boston they will get a first rounder and a sandwich pick if he goes elsewhere.
It's on EEI right now if anyone wants to listen.

[Brad]

Yeah, I'm feeling sorry for myself for nearly responding to that with like stupidity.

[Blah]

That Press Conference Gave me Goose Bumps.

[TJ]

Brandon Donnelly to have Tommy John surgery.

[dc]

no sour grapes here guys...sox win another round as far as i'm concerned...this kind of stuff is what makes this rivalry better than it ever has been...still not sure how gagne fits into the plan, but you have to admit it's a good "problem" to have...

i expect it from some of the non-regulars, but i'm getting disappointed with the insults and name-calling by some of the regulars here...don't know why it's necessary, and i'd like to chalk it up to a momentary lapse or lack of a valid argument, but when it becomes a pattern, well...

[dc]

no sour grapes here guys...sox win another round as far as i'm concerned...this kind of stuff is what makes this rivalry better than it ever has been...still not sure how gagne fits into the plan, but you have to admit it's a good "problem" to have...

i expect it from some of the non-regulars, but i'm getting disappointed with the insults and name-calling by some of the regulars here...don't know why it's necessary, and i'd like to chalk it up to a momentary lapse or lack of a valid argument, but when it becomes a pattern, well...